There are other reasons, too, as to why this problem occurs. For example, your current power plan may have issues with its configuration, or a corrupt Windows system file is causing the power options to go missing.
Luckily, you can fix this issue using multiple methods on your computer. Below, we’ll discuss all of them.
1. Use the Local Group Policy Editor
Both Windows 10 and 11 come with an option that you can use to prevent users from using the power options on your computer. If you or someone else has enabled this option, this is the reason you’re unable to see any power options in the Start menu.
Luckily, you can fix the issue by changing a value in the Local Group Policy Editor:
Press the Windows key + R at the same time to open the Run box. Type gpedit. msc in the box and press Enter. On the Local Group Policy Editor screen, navigate to User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar from the left sidebar. On the right, find the entry that says Remove and prevent access to the Shut Down, Restart, Sleep, and Hibernate commands and double-click it. In the entry window, select the Disabled option at the top. Click Apply followed by OK at the bottom to save your changes. Restart your PC.
2. Edit the Windows Registry
If you use the Home edition of Windows 10 or 11, you don’t have access to the Local Group Policy Editor. In this case, use the Registry Editor to disable the option that hides power options.
Here’s how:
Press the Windows key + R simultaneously to open the Run box. Type regedit in the Run box and press Enter. On the Registry Editor screen, navigate to the following path: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer On the right pane, double-click the NoClose entry. Set NoClose’s Value data to 0 (zero) and click OK. Restart your computer.
3. Restore the Default Power Plan
A possible cause of the “There are currently no power options available” issue is a misconfigured power plan. If you or someone else has edited your computer’s power plans, restore those plans to their default settings and see if that fixes your problem.
It’s easy to reset power plans, and you can always re-configure them on your PC:
Open the Start menu, search for Command Prompt, and click Run as administrator. Select Yes in the User Account Control prompt. In the Command Prompt window, type the following command and press Enter: powercfg -restoredefaultschemes Your power plans should now be reset.
4. Use the Power Troubleshooter
Windows has many troubleshooters, one of which is a power troubleshooter. With this, you can find and fix issues related to missing power options on your PC. The troubleshooter doesn’t require much interaction from the user side. All you basically need to do is run the tool and let it do what it needs to do.
To run this troubleshooter, follow these simple instructions:
Press Windows + I keys to open the Settings app. Select Update & Security on the Settings window. From the left sidebar, choose Troubleshoot. Click Additional troubleshooters on the right. In Windows 11, you can access this section by going to System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters in Settings. Scroll down the troubleshooter list to Power. Then, click Power. Click Run the troubleshooter. Wait for the troubleshooter to find and fix your power issues.
There are times when the Windows troubleshooter fails to identify the problem, so don’t be worried if you hit a roadblock.
5. Fix the Corrupt Files
Corrupt files are often the reason for many issues on your Windows PC, including power issues. There are various reasons files can go corrupt, including a virus infection on your PC.
The good news is that your PC comes with a tool to find and fix all corrupt files on your storage. This is actually a command that you run from Command Prompt to fix corrupt files.
To use this command:
Launch the Start menu, search for Command Prompt, and click Run as administrator. Select Yes in the User Account Control prompt. On the Command Prompt window, type the following command and hit Enter: sfc /scannow Wait for the command to find and fix your corrupt files.
6. Use System Restore
System Restore in Windows 10 and 11 allows you to return to your machine’s previous state. With this option, you can roll your PC back to the condition when you didn’t have the “There are currently no power options available” issue.
It’s quick and easy to use System Restore, as all you basically need to do is choose a restore point, and you’re good to go.
Here’s how:
Access the Start menu, search for Create a restore point, and click it in the search results. Click the System Restore button on the following screen. Hit Next on the first screen of the System Restore wizard. Select the most recent restore point in the list, and then click Next at the bottom. Click Finish to start restoring your Windows 10 PC.
Remember that System Restore may not sometimes work or return an error message. So, if you ever run into that problem, check out these potential fixes for System Restore on Windows.
7. Reset Your Windows PC
If the power options are still missing from your Start menu, you might need to reset your PC. Resetting your PC basically resets all the setting values to their defaults. You can try this method when all else fails.
When you begin the reset process, Windows asks if you’d like to remove or keep your files. You can choose any option you prefer, but make sure you have a backup of your files and settings.
To start the reset process, here’s what you need to do:
Open the Settings app by pressing Windows + I keys at the same time. In Settings, click the Update & Security option at the bottom. Select Recovery from the sidebar on the left. In Windows 11, you’ll find the recovery options under System > Recovery. On the right pane, click Get started under the Reset this PC section. Select Keep my files if you’d like to preserve your files, or click Remove everything to delete all your files and begin resetting your PC. Follow the on-screen instructions to reset your PC.
Get the Missing Power Options Back in Windows 10 and 11
There are several reasons your PC’s power menu shows “There are currently no power options available” instead of the actual power options. With the methods outlined above, you can resolve this issue and restore the power options to your Start menu. Remember that resetting your PC should be your last resort method to avoid the hassle of manually restoring your files and settings.