How to Change USB Power Settings in Windows 11: A Step-by-Step Guide

By / September 17, 2025

USB devices — from flash drives to external hard disks, keyboards, and mice — are essential in daily computing. But sometimes in Windows 11, USB devices disconnect randomly, go to sleep, or fail to respond. The culprit is often power management settings that control how USB ports behave to save energy.

If you’ve ever wondered why your mouse freezes, your external drive vanishes, or your webcam disconnects mid-call, you’re in the right place. In this article, we’ll cover how to change USB power settings in Windows 11, why it matters, and how you can optimize your PC for both performance and battery life.

Key Takeaways

  • Windows 11 manages USB power to reduce energy consumption, especially on laptops.

  • Overly aggressive power saving can cause USB disconnections, lag, or unrecognized devices.

  • You can adjust USB power settings through:

    • Device Manager

    • Power Options (Control Panel)

    • Advanced Power Settings

  • Disabling “USB selective suspend” is often the best fix for random disconnects.

  • Always balance performance with battery life — don’t disable all power savings if you’re on a laptop.

Why Does Windows 11 Control USB Power?

Windows 11 uses USB power management to conserve energy. For example:

  • When a USB device isn’t in use, the system may put it into a low-power state.

  • Laptops benefit the most, since this extends battery life.

  • Desktop users, however, often prefer performance and stability over small power savings.

But sometimes this feature causes more problems than benefits — like USB dropouts during file transfers or device failures. That’s when tweaking settings helps.

Signs You Need to Change USB Power Settings

  • Your USB mouse or keyboard freezes or lags.

  • External hard drives disconnect during transfers.

  • USB cameras or microphones cut out during calls.

  • Devices don’t wake up properly after sleep mode.

  • You see frequent errors like “USB device not recognized.”

If you experience any of these, adjusting USB power settings is worth trying.

How to Change USB Power Settings in Windows 11 (Step-by-Step)

There are multiple ways to control USB power in Windows 11. Let’s go through them one by one.

Method 1: Change Power Management Settings in Device Manager

This method gives you control over individual USB hubs and controllers.

  1. Press Win + X and select Device Manager.

  2. Scroll down and expand Universal Serial Bus controllers.

  3. Right-click on USB Root Hub (USB 3.0) (or similar) → Properties.

  4. Go to the Power Management tab.

  5. Uncheck the box:

    Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power

  6. Click OK.

  7. Repeat for all USB Root Hubs listed.

👉 This prevents Windows from shutting down USB ports automatically.

Method 2: Disable USB Selective Suspend via Control Panel

The USB selective suspend feature is one of the main causes of random disconnects.

  1. Press Win + R, type:

    control

    and hit Enter to open Control Panel.

  2. Go to Hardware and Sound → Power Options.

  3. Next to your active power plan, click Change plan settings.

  4. Click Change advanced power settings.

  5. In the new window, expand USB settings → USB selective suspend setting.

  6. Set both On battery and Plugged in to Disabled.

  7. Click Apply → OK.

👉 This ensures Windows won’t suspend USB devices to save power.

Method 3: Use Windows Settings App (Modern Interface)

  1. Press Win + I to open Settings.

  2. Navigate to System → Power & battery.

  3. Under Related settings, click Additional power settings (this opens Control Panel view).

  4. Follow the same steps as Method 2 to adjust USB selective suspend.

This is just another way to get to the same advanced settings.

Method 4: Change Registry Settings (Advanced Users)

If the above methods don’t stick, you can disable USB power savings via the Registry.

⚠️ Warning: Editing the Registry can harm your system if done incorrectly. Always back up before making changes.

  1. Press Win + R, type:

    regedit

    and hit Enter.

  2. Navigate to:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\USB

  3. Look for a value named DisableSelectiveSuspend.

    • If it doesn’t exist, right-click → New → DWORD (32-bit) Value → name it DisableSelectiveSuspend.

  4. Double-click and set its value to 1.

  5. Restart your PC.

👉 This disables USB selective suspend system-wide.

Method 5: Prevent USB Power Saving via Group Policy (Pro/Enterprise)

If you’re on Windows 11 Pro or Enterprise:

  1. Press Win + R, type gpedit.msc, and hit Enter.

  2. Navigate to:

    Computer Configuration → Administrative Templates → System → Power Management → USB Settings

  3. Look for USB Selective Suspend Setting.

  4. Double-click → Set it to Disabled.

  5. Apply and exit.

This is ideal for IT admins managing multiple PCs.

Comparison Table: USB Power Settings Options

Method Difficulty Best For Risk Level
Device Manager Easy Individual USB hubs Low
Power Options (Control Panel) Easy Most users (recommended) Low
Settings App Easy Beginners Low
Registry Editor Medium Persistent system-wide changes Medium
Group Policy Editor Medium Pro/Enterprise multi-PC control Low–Medium

When Should You Keep USB Power Saving Enabled?

  • On laptops, to maximize battery life during travel.

  • When using low-power devices (like USB flash drives) that don’t need constant power.

  • If your PC has no USB issues, it’s better to leave the default settings.

Troubleshooting USB Power Issues

If changing settings doesn’t solve your problem:

  • Update USB drivers via Device Manager.

  • Update chipset drivers from your motherboard/laptop manufacturer.

  • Try using a different USB port or cable.

  • For external hard drives, use a powered USB hub to ensure stable power supply.

  • Check for Windows Updates — sometimes patches fix power management bugs.

Pro Tips for USB Power Management

  • Always safely eject drives to avoid corruption.

  • Use front-panel vs. rear-panel USB ports wisely — rear ports often deliver more stable power.

  • If using multiple external devices, consider a powered USB hub.

  • Monitor USB behavior with tools like USBDeview to see connection history and errors.

Conclusion

Now you know exactly how to change USB power settings in Windows 11. Whether you want to stop random disconnects, keep your external drives awake, or balance performance with battery life, you can do it through:

  • Device Manager (per device)

  • Power Options (system-wide)

  • Registry or Group Policy (advanced users)

The best starting point is to disable USB selective suspend under Power Options — this alone fixes most issues.

Take control of your USB power management, and you’ll enjoy a smoother, more reliable Windows 11 experience.

FAQs: How to Change USB Power Settings in Windows 11

1. What is USB selective suspend in Windows 11?
It’s a feature that saves power by putting inactive USB devices into low-power mode.

2. Should I disable USB selective suspend?
Yes, if you have issues with devices disconnecting. Otherwise, it’s safe to leave enabled.

3. Will changing USB power settings affect battery life?
On laptops, disabling power saving may slightly reduce battery life, but it improves stability.

4. Can I change USB power settings for only one device?
Yes. In Device Manager, adjust power management options for individual USB Root Hubs.

5. Do desktops need USB power management enabled?
Not really. Since desktops are plugged in, disabling USB power saving is usually better for stability.

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