Windows powercfg /a equivalent in Linux
Lists sleep states exposed by the kernel.
powercfg /a
cat /sys/power/state
cat /sys/power/state
cat /sys/power/state
Overview
What this command does
On Windows, "powercfg /a" is used to show supported sleep states. On Linux, the closest practical mapping shown here is "cat /sys/power/state". Lists sleep states exposed by the kernel. This reference is grouped under System & Storage → Power.
Windows → Linux context
What changes when you use this on Linux?
Equivalent task, different tool
Windows powercfg /a maps to cat /sys/power/state for this task. Treat this as a workflow mapping rather than a character-for-character syntax translation.
Portable across the compared distros
The Debian/Ubuntu, Fedora and Arch rows use the same command in this mapping. Package availability or defaults can still vary, so check the installed tool version when an option behaves differently.
For the broader concept behind this mapping, read Linux disks, storage and mounts.
Practical tasks
Common use cases
Show supported sleep states
Lists sleep states exposed by the kernel.
cat /sys/power/state
Show supported sleep states
cat --help
Show command help when supported
man cat
Open the manual page when installed
Ready to run
Copyable Linux commands
Review paths, device names, package names and permissions before running any command.
cat /sys/power/state
Walkthrough
Examples with explanations
# Windows equivalent: powercfg /a
cat /sys/power/stateReference
Common options and variations
| Command or option | Use |
|---|---|
cat /sys/power/state | Show supported sleep states |
cat --help | Show command help when supported |
man cat | Open the manual page when installed |
Distro differences
Debian/Ubuntu vs Fedora vs Arch
Debian/Ubuntu, Fedora and Arch all use "cat /sys/power/state" for this mapping. The command syntax shown here is portable across the three rows, although installed versions and system defaults can still vary.
| Distribution | Package manager / base | Equivalent command | Difference to notice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian/Ubuntu | same command | cat /sys/power/state |
Same command on this distribution. |
| Fedora | same command | cat /sys/power/state |
Same command on this distribution. |
| Arch | same command | cat /sys/power/state |
Same command on this distribution. |
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