The Windows 8.1 upgrade was far from perfect for Surface RT owners. After sorting out issues related to the installer, many users began to report significantly reduced battery life post-upgrade. Microsoft has now published some tips to help address the power issues. In addition to managing things like Airplane mode and screen brightness, a set of steps to fix an incorrect power policy is what most Surface RT owners are looking for. Here are the steps:
Step 1: Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, and then tap Search. (If you’re using a mouse, point to the lower-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer up, and then click Search.)
Step 2: In the search box, enter command prompt.
Step 3: Touch and hold (or right-click) Command Prompt to bring up the context menu. Tap or click Run as administrator.
Step 4: On the User Account Control dialog box, tap or click Yes.
Step 5: At the Administrator: Command Prompt, enter the following:
powercfg -setdcvalueindex SCHEME_CURRENT 19cbb8fa–5279–450e–9fac–8a3d5fedd0c1 12bbebe6–58d6–4636–95bb–3217ef867c1a 3
Step 6: Then enter:
powercfg -setactive scheme_current
These steps should restore the proper power settings for the device, resulting in a return to normal battery life.