Turn the computer back on by itself after a power cut
What it does
When the building loses power, this setting makes the computer switch itself back on as soon as power returns, so counting carries on. Without it, the computer stays off until somebody presses the power button — which can be days if nobody notices.
In the app: Turns itself back on after a power cut
Why this one is different
This setting is not part of Windows. It lives in the computer's start-up settings (often called the BIOS or UEFI), which run before Windows starts. On many HP and Lenovo business computers the installer switches it on for you. On other makes, or when the start-up settings are protected by a password, it has to be done by hand — it takes a couple of minutes.
Switch it on
- 1Save anything open on the computer, then restart it.
- 2As soon as the screen goes dark, tap the start-up settings key repeatedly until the settings screen appears. It is usually F10 on HP, F1 or F2 on Lenovo, and F2 on Dell. The key is often shown briefly on the first screen.
- 3Look for a setting called "After Power Loss", "AC Power Recovery", "AC Recovery", "Restore on AC Power Loss" or "Power On After Power Failure". It is usually in a section named Power, Power Management, Advanced or Power-On Options.
- 4Set it to "On" (sometimes "Power On").
- 5Save and exit — usually F10, then confirm. The computer restarts into Windows.
| HP | Advanced › Power-On Options › After Power Loss |
|---|---|
| Lenovo | Power › After Power Loss |
| Dell | Power Management › AC Recovery |
Choose "On", not "Previous State" or "Last State". Those turn the computer back on only if it was running when the power went, so a computer somebody had shut down stays off after the next cut.
If the start-up settings ask for a password
Some organisations protect these settings with a password, and the installer cannot change them without it. Ask whoever looks after your computers to make the change. Once it is done, the app shows the row as On.
Check it worked
- Open ANPR Edge, go to Support and press "How this computer is set up". The row should read On.
- For a real test, shut Windows down, unplug the computer at the wall, wait ten seconds and plug it back in. It should start on its own.
Turning it off
Go back into the start-up settings and set the same option to "Off". On HP computers you can also untick the row in the app.
Still need help?
In ANPR Edge, open Support and choose Chat with support, or email [email protected]. Attach the file from Activity & logs › Download Logs — it includes these settings and the Windows records we need.
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