Change the Windows 7 or Vista Power Buttons to Shut Down/ Sleep/ Hibernate


The default action for the Power button on the start menu in Windows 7 is shutdown, and in Vista is Sleep, which isn’t necessarily useful for everybody, so we’ll explain how to change it here.


Change Windows 7 Shutdown Button


Windows 7 makes it really easy – just head into the Start Menu / Taskbar preferences by right-clicking on the start menu and choosing Properties.





All you need to do is change the drop-down for Power Button Action to whatever you would prefer.


Change Windows Vista Power Buttons


You can configure this setting easily by using the advanced power settings panel, which is a little tricky to get to normally, but we’ll take the shortcut.

Open a command prompt (type cmd into the start menu search bar), and then type in the following:


  powercfg.cpl,1


You could also take the long route (Control Panel \ Power Options \ Change Plan Settings \ Change Advanced Power Settings)


Once you get to this dialog, browse down as shown to “Power buttons and lid”





From here, you can change the options:
  • Power button action – Changes the hardware power button action
  • Start menu power button – Changes the power button on the Start Menu
You can change the power button to either Sleep, Hibernate or Shut Down, or even nothing for the hardware power button.






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