Windows 11 Tests Energy Recommendations in Quick Settings

Microsoft has begun testing Energy Recommendations directly inside Windows 11 Quick Settings. The change appears in the Experimental channel and is intended to make Windows' existing power-saving suggestions easier to discover without first navigating through the full Settings app.

The September 25 Insider release spans several branches: Microsoft lists Beta build 26220.9568 and Experimental build 26340.9577, plus Beta build 28020.3112 and Experimental build 28120.3122 for Windows 11 26H1. Microsoft did not ship a Future Platforms Experimental build in this release.

Energy Recommendations already exist under Windows power and battery settings. Surfacing them in Quick Settings reduces the distance between a recommendation and the controls people routinely open from the taskbar. Microsoft describes the suggestions as actions that can reduce energy consumption and improve device sustainability.

That does not mean every recommendation will improve performance or battery life for every PC. Power-related choices can trade responsiveness or background activity for lower consumption, so users should still review what Windows proposes rather than treating the panel as a one-click optimization tool.

The same release expands the Phone companion experience attached to the Start menu. In the Experimental channel, Microsoft is testing a scrollable side pane that exposes more recent phone activity without leaving Start.

Both changes fit a broader Windows interface pattern: Microsoft is moving frequently used information and actions closer to surfaces such as Start and Quick Settings instead of requiring a trip through deeper Settings pages. For now, however, these are preview-channel interface experiments rather than promises for the next stable Windows feature update.