Configure USB Selective Suspend on Windows 11

The USB selective suspend feature in Windows 11 allows the operating system to save power by placing individual USB ports into a low-power state when they are idle. While this helps conserve battery life on laptops, it can sometimes cause connected peripherals—such as external hard drives, mice, keyboards, or audio interfaces—to disconnect, freeze, or fail to wake up properly. This guide walks you through the exact steps to enable or disable USB selective suspend via the Advanced Power Options menu in Windows 11.

Steps to Configure USB Selective Suspend

  1. Open the Run Dialog
    Press Windows Key + R on your keyboard to open the Run command box.

  2. Open Power Options
    Type control.exe powercfg.cpl,,3 and press Enter. This opens the Advanced Power Options window directly.
    (Alternatively, open Control Panel, navigate to Hardware and Sound > Power Options, and click Change plan settings next to your active power plan, followed by Change advanced power settings.)

  3. Locate USB Settings
    In the Power Options window, scroll through the list of settings and double-click USB settings to expand the category.

  4. Expand USB Selective Suspend Setting
    Click the plus (+) icon next to USB selective suspend setting.

  5. Modify the Settings
    You will see two configurations (or one if on a desktop PC):

    • On battery: Click the drop-down menu and select Enabled (to save power) or Disabled (to keep USB devices continuously powered).
    • Plugged in: Click the drop-down menu and select Enabled or Disabled.

  6. Save Changes
    Click Apply, then click OK to save your preferences.

What to Do If USB Selective Suspend Is Missing

On some modern Windows 11 systems running Modern Standby (S0 Low Power Idle), the USB selective suspend setting may not appear in Advanced Power Options. You can manage USB power management through Device Manager instead:

  1. Right-click the Start button and select Device Manager.
  2. Expand the Universal Serial Bus controllers section.
  3. Right-click your USB Root Hub (or Generic USB Hub) and select Properties.
  4. Navigate to the Power Management tab.
  5. Uncheck Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power to prevent Windows from suspending the port.
  6. Click OK and repeat for any other USB Root Hubs listed.