on /off

[Jur5]

Thunderbolt stays on after disconnecting  laptop, I want it to go off ofcourse

[Samrit26]

Hello,

That’s a good observation — and it’s actually behaving by design unless you adjust the dock’s power management behavior. Let me explain, then outline how to change it properly.

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Background

The HP Thunderbolt 4 G6 Dock (100W) includes a small embedded controller (EC) that remains active even when no laptop is connected. It maintains:

• Thunderbolt link negotiation memory

• USB-C Power Delivery readiness

• Firmware update capability through HP Dock Manager

That’s why the LED and internal circuits stay powered as long as the dock is connected to AC — it’s not technically “on,” but in a standby mode drawing ~1.5–2 W.

However, HP provides a firmware-level option to switch the dock fully off when no host is connected.

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Steps to make the dock power off automatically when the laptop is unplugged

Option 1 – HP Dock Manager (Windows)

1. Install or open HP Dock Manager (download from HP Support for your dock).

2. Connect the laptop to the dock once to allow communication.

3. Open HP Dock Manager → Settings → Power Management.

4. Enable:

   "Turn off dock when host is disconnected"

   This sends a command to the dock’s embedded controller to cut standby power when the host disconnects.

   • Note: This setting is stored in the dock, not in Windows — so it remains active even if used with other systems later.

5. Disconnect and reconnect your laptop to verify that the dock powers off (LEDs go dark) when you unplug the Thunderbolt cable.

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Option 2 – HP Firmware Utility (if you don’t use Dock Manager)

If you manage docks without Windows or through IT imaging:

1. Download the HP Thunderbolt G6 Dock Firmware Package for your model.

2. Run the installer, and open HP Dock Firmware Utility.

3. Go to the Configuration tab → enable the same “Power-off when host disconnected” parameter.

4. Apply and reboot the dock (unplug AC, wait 5 seconds, replug).

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Option 3 – Physical power cutoff

If you want complete power isolation, you can plug the dock’s power adapter into a switched surge protector or docking station power bar and turn it off manually. HP does not recommend constant AC disconnection without a few seconds delay, as the dock’s embedded controller needs ~2 seconds for safe shutdown.

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Firmware note

Ensure you’re running Dock firmware version 1.0.17.1 Rev.A or newer, as earlier builds ignored this power-off flag. You can check firmware level through HP Dock Manager → “About.”