Windows: Change What Shutdown or Power Down Button Does

By default, the power button on a Windows laptop (when it’s in the ON state) is primarily used to put the device in sleep mode. Windows users can change what the shutdown or power button does by altering the default action of the power button through multiple methods. You can configure the power button of your PC to shut down, hibernate, lock, turn the display off, etc. In this post, we will share how you can change what the shutdown or power button does for any Windows Laptop.

Windows: Change What Shutdown or Power Down Button Does

You can change what a shutdown or power button does to your Windows PC by following the methods given below:

1. Change Power Button Control via Power Options
2. Group Policy
3. Current User using Registry
4. All users using Registry

Some of these may need an administrator account. Also, create a system restore or backup of the registry before attempting the registry method.

1] Change Power Button Control via Power Options

You can change the power button control through Windows’ Power Option. Let us see how to:

• Type power plan into the Windows search bar and click the Choose a power plan option from the results.
• From the Power Options windows, click on Choose what the power button does from the left pane.

• Choose between options (such as Hibernate, Shut down, Do nothing, or Turn off the display) under the Power and sleep buttons and lid button settings, then click Save changes.

2] Change Default Action of Shut Down Windows Dialog for All or Specific Users in Local Group Policy Editor

• Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialogue box, type gpedit.msc, and press the Enter key to open Local Group Policy Editor.

• Navigate to the User Configuration option on the left pane, expand Administrative Templates, and click on the Start Menu and Taskbar folder.
• Scroll down and double-click on the policy option Change Start Menu power button given on the list on the right.

• Click the Enabled option in the dialogue box under the Change Start Menu power button policy.
• Click on the drop-down box under Choose one of the following actions and choose the desired action you want to set for your power button.

Note: The Lock option is not supported as a default action in Windows, and the PC will use Shut Down instead.

• Click Apply and then OK. Your PC’s power button will perform the action that was set.

3] Change Default Action of Shut Down Windows Dialog for Current User using a REG file 

To alter the default action of the power button, you can make changes for Current User using Registry Editor. This is how you go about it:

• Press Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box, type regedit.exe and click OK. Press Yes in the User Account Control window to open Registry Editor.
• Navigate to the Registry key given below:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced

• On the right, modify or create a new 32-Bit DWORD value Start_PowerButtonAction
• Set its value data to one of the following values (hex):
  • • 100 (hex) = Switch user
    • 1 (hex) = Sign out
    • 10 (hex) = Sleep
    • 40 (hex) = Hibernate
    • 2 (hex) = Shut down
    • 4 (hex) = Restart
• You must log out and re-log into your user account for the Registry modifications to take effect. You can also restart your Windows PC.

4] Change the Default Action of Shut Down Windows Dialog for All Users using a REG file

To alter the default action of the power button, you can make changes for All Users using Registry Editor. This is how you go about it:

• To open Registry Editor, press the Win + R keys, type regedit.exe into the text box, and press OK.
• Navigate to the following Registry key:

 HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer

• Make changes to or add a new 32-Bit DWORD value PowerButtonAction.

Note: A 32-bit DWORD value must still be created even using 64-bit Windows.

• Set its value data to one of the following values (hex):
  • 1 = Sign out
  • 2 = Shut down
  • 4 = Restart
  • 10 = Sleep
  • 40 = Hibernate
  • 100 = Switch user
• You must sign out and sign in to your user account for the modifications made by the Registry to take effect. You can also restart your Windows PC as an alternative.

Conclusion

So, after following these methods in the article, the next time you press the power button, it will perform the action you have set! Changing the power or shutdown buttons can be easily changed by following any of the methods in this article convenient. You can always change it back to its default settings well. So, I hope the instructions in the article were clear and easy to follow, and you can now change what the shutdown or power button does for any Windows Laptop.