A system comprising a welding power supply and a portable electronic device comprising remote control circuitry, wherein the welding power supply comprises: - a housing; - power conversion circuitry disposed within the housing and configured to convert an input power into an output power for a welding operation; and - local control circuitry disposed within the housing and configured to wirelessly receive a control signal from the remote control circuitry of the portable electronic device, and to control the welding power supply based at least in part on the received control signal, wherein the remote control circuitry comprises a radio subsystem configured to wirelessly send and receive control signals to and from the local control circuitry using a signaling protocol, characterized in that the remote control circuitry is configured to place the portable electronic device in a sleep mode, and to wirelessly send a control signal to the local control circuitry to place the welding power supply in a sleep mode while maintaining network pairing between the portable electronic device and the welding power supply, and the local control circuitry is configured to place the welding power supply in a sleep mode, and to wirelessly send a control signal to the remote control circuitry to place the portable electronic device in a sleep mode while maintaining network pairing between the portable electronic device and the welding power supply, and that the remote control circuitry is configured to wake the portable electronic device from the sleep mode upon detection of activity on the portable electronic device, and to wirelessly send a control signal to the local control circuitry to wake the welding power supply from a sleep mode upon the detection of the activity on the portable electronic device, and the local control circuitry is configured to wake the welding power supply from a sleep mode upon detection of activity on the welding power supply, and to wirelessly send a control signal to the remote control circuitry to wake the portable electronic device from the sleep mode upon the detection of the activity on the welding power supply, wherein the portable electronic device comprises a memory medium, the local control circuitry is configured to wirelessly send data relating to one or more operating parameters and statuses of the welding power supply and/or data relating to a user-preferred welding process parameter for the welding power supply to the remote control circuitry for storage in the memory medium, and the remote control circuitry stores the data in the memory medium, and wherein the last used operating conditions for the welding power supply are stored in the welding power supply and/or the wireless remote control device. - a housing; - power conversion circuitry disposed within the housing and configured to convert an input power into an output power for a welding operation; and - local control circuitry disposed within the housing and configured to wirelessly receive a control signal from the remote control circuitry of the portable electronic device, and to control the welding power supply based at least in part on the received control signal,