Techniques to manage power based on motion detection are described. For example, a mobile computing device may include a radio module having a communications failure event detector operative to detect a communications failure event, a motion detector operative to detect motion, and a processor coupled to the radio module and the motion detector. The processor operative to execute a scan control module to determine the mobile computing device is moving or stationary, and control scanning operations by the radio module in accordance with the determination. Other embodiments are described and claimed.