How to Export and Import Power Plans in Windows 7 and Windows 8

   Information

This tutorial will show you how to export and import power plans (schemes) in Windows 7 and Windows 8 to make it easier to reuse them on another computer or restore on your computer with all settings intact.

You will need to be logged in as an administrator to be able to do the steps in this tutorial.

EXAMPLE: Power Plans

Here's How:

1. Open an elevated command prompt in Windows 7 or Windows 8.

2. To List and See All Power Plans
NOTE: This will give you a list of all of the power plans on your computer with the name and GUID number of each power plan.

A) In the elevated command prompt, type in powercfg list and press enter. (see screenshot below)

3. To Export a Power Plan
NOTE: This will allow you to export a selected power plan as a pow file for a backup that can be imported into any Windows 7 computer to have that power plan available as a custom power plan on that computer.

A) In the elevated command prompt, type in the command below (in code box) for the power plan that you want to export, and press enter.

   Note

• Substitute Power Plan Name in the command below for the name you want for the power plan file that you want to export. While it may be best to use the name of the power plan as displayed in step 2 above so you may better know which one it is, you can have any name you like for it.
• Substitute GUID in the command below for the actual long GUID number of the power plan that you want to export as shown in step 2 above.

Code:

powercfg -export "%UserProfile%\Desktop\Power Plan Name.pow" GUID

Balanced

Code:

powercfg -export "%UserProfile%\Desktop\Balanced.pow" 381b4222-f694-41f0-9685-ff5bb260df2e

High Performance

Code:

powercfg -export "%UserProfile%\Desktop\High Performance.pow" 8c5e7fda-e8bf-4a96-9a85-a6e23a8c635c

Power Saver

Code:

powercfg -export "%UserProfile%\Desktop\Power Saver.pow" a1841308-3541-4fab-bc81-f71556f20b4a

Custom

Code:

You will have to look at step 2 above for the GUID # and name since it will be different per computer.

B) You will now have the .pow file (ex: Custom Plan.pow) exported (saved) to your desktop.

C) Move the .pow where you like for safe keeping. This is the file you will need to import this power plan.

D) Go to step 5.

4. To Import a Power Plan
NOTE: This will allow you import a .pow file (power plan) that was exported using step 3 to be able to add it as a custom power plan to select and use.

A) In the elevated command prompt, type in the command below, and press Enter.

   Note

Substitute (Full Path of .pow file) in the command below for the the actual full path of the exported (step 3) .pow file with it's name and file extension included within quotes.

Code:

powercfg -import "(Full Path of .pow file)"

FOR EXAMPLE: If I have my exported (step 3) Custom Plan.pow file saved to my desktop, then I would type in either one of the commands exactly as below.

Code:

powercfg -import "%UserProfile%\Desktop\Custom Plan.pow"

OR

Code:

powercfg -import "C:\Users\User-Name\Desktop\Custom Plan.pow"

B) The imported pow file (power plan) has now been added as a custom power plan to be able to select and use. Go to step 5 below.

5. Close the elevated command prompt.

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

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• How to Select a Power Plan in Windows 7
• How to Change the Power Plan Settings in Windows 7
• How to Change Power Plan Settings in Windows 8
• How to Create or Delete a Custom Power Plan in Windows 7 and Windows 8
• How to Restore Default Power Plan Settings in Windows 7 and Windows 8
• How to Create a Shortcut to Change Power Plans in Windows 7 and Windows 8
• How to Create a "Power Options" Shortcut in Windows 7 and Windows 8
• How to Create an "Advanced Power Options" Shortcut in Windows 7 and Windows 8
• How to Rename a Power Plan Name in Windows 7 and Windows 8
• How to Specify a Default Power Plan for All Users in Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8