Sleep mode is a low-power state available in Windows operating systems, including Windows 10 and Windows 11. This low-power Sleep mode is useful, especially for laptop and tablet users, as it helps extend battery life.
How to enable/disable Sleep mode in Windows 10/11?
Unlike Hibernation, when a device is put into Sleep mode, it consumes a very small amount of power, but you can resume your work very quickly (almost instantly) by pressing any key on the keyboard, moving the mouse, touchpad, or pressing the power button.
Because Sleep consumes a small amount of power on a battery-powered device, if the battery level drops below a certain limit, Windows automatically puts the device into Hibernation (if enabled) to avoid data loss.
With default settings, your PC can go to Sleep mode after 15 (when on battery) or 30 minutes (when plugged in) of inactivity.
However, the problem here is that the Sleep mode is set to default, so it will automatically put the device into Sleep mode after a period of inactivity. Therefore, there will be many cases where you are downloading data, the device will automatically go into Sleep mode and be forced to resume downloading.
For example, your Windows 10 PC may go into Sleep mode while a file is being downloaded via a web browser, forcing you to start the entire download process over again from the beginning, if the server from where you're downloading the file doesn't offer resume support.
The article below will help you customize the time for Sleep mode, or disable Windows 10/11 Sleep mode if necessary.
How Sleep Mode Works in Windows
If you pay attention, you will notice that your screen turns off after a few minutes of inactivity. That is when Sleep mode kicks in. Since the screen uses a lot of power, turning off the screen is the first thing Windows does. This is ideal for situations where you will start using your computer after a few minutes.
In Sleep mode, also known as Standby or Suspended mode, the computer's state is stored in RAM. This makes it appear as if the computer is turned off, although you may hear the fan running at low speed. However, the computer is actually still on and waiting for your input from the mouse or keyboard.
This is a power saving mode that is designed to stop most system activities when the computer is idle. Any open files or applications will be moved to the system memory (RAM) so that the system uses less power. It is preferred because waking the computer is faster than restarting it. But sometimes, problems related to Sleep mode can appear in Windows.
Leaving your laptop in sleep mode overnight isn't necessarily harmful. In fact, it's especially helpful when you're using your laptop unplugged and want to keep your PC running for as long as possible. The default sleep setting for most Windows computers is set to two hours when not in use. However, you can change this at any time.
Microsoft PowerToys is a collection of advanced tools that let you do more with your Windows 10 and 11 system. Its Awake feature lets you keep your PC awake on demand, temporarily or indefinitely. To prevent Windows from sleeping while a program is running:
1. Go to Microsoft's GitHub page and download PowerToysSetup-X64.exe. Run PowerToysSetup and install the application.
2. Next, launch PowerToys and open the Awake tab on the left.
3. Here, turn on the Enable Awake switch to enable it.
4. In the Behavior section , click the drop-down menu for Mode and select Keep awake for a time interval .
5. Enter a time period in hours or minutes. For a longer period, select Keep awake until expiration , then enter an end date and time. After that period, your PC will return to the default Windows computer power plan. If you select Keep awake indefinitely , your PC will stay awake until you turn this option off.
6. Next, turn on the Keep screen on button to ensure your computer doesn't turn off the screen when awake.
PowerToys will now keep your PC awake for the specified time. If you need to turn it off, change Behavior Mode to Keep using the selected power plan .
Insomania is a free lightweight third-party utility to temporarily disable Sleep mode on Windows. When enabled, it calls the SetThreadExecutionState API to notify the system that it is currently in use, preventing the system from going into Sleep mode.
When you open the program, a pop-up window will appear with the message "This computer can not go to sleep while this window is open" . You can minimize the window so that it runs in the background and your PC will not go to Sleep. Closing the window will terminate the application and restore the system's default power settings.
On the downside, Insomania doesn't have an option to keep your screen on all the time. If you need your screen to stay on, consider using PowerToys or Don't Sleep.
Don't Sleep offers more power management options than PowerToys and Insomnia. It can block Sleep and Hibernation, as well as keep your screen on. It can also help you prevent accidental shutdowns. You can use Don't Sleep to configure both Sleep and Awake options.
To use Don't Sleep:
1. Download and install your preferred version of Don't Sleep (portable or installer).
2. Open the Please Don't Sleep tab .
3. Here you can select the source options to block in Preferences . By default, all source options are blocked by the application.
4. In the Timer tab , set the time for your computer to stay on before the default power scheme is restored.
5. Click the To-Tray option in the top right corner to minimize the application to the system tray.
6. To disable the app, select the Disabled option in the upper right corner.
You can also configure Don't Sleep to set flexible power management rules based on your system's battery, CPU, and network parameters. Don't Sleep has a few additional features on the toolbar. For example, click the Monitor option and select Monitor Off to turn off your monitor, or click Computer to access power options.
You can prevent your computer from going into low-power sleep mode by configuring Sleep mode in the Settings app. While this only gives you a basic level of control over power options and Sleep mode, it works well if you don’t want to use a third-party tool.
To change sleep time and screen time in Windows 10 and 11:
1. Press Win + I to open Settings .
2. Open the System tab and click Power & battery . In Windows 10, go to Settings > System > Power & sleep .
3. Under Power , click to expand Screen and sleep .
4. Next, click the On battery power, put my device to sleep after and When plugged in, put my device to sleep after drop-down menus , then select a time period from 1 minute to 5 hours. Select Never to turn off Sleep mode completely.
5. To configure the timeout period for your display, click the On battery power, turn off my screen after and When plugged in, turn off my screen after drop-down menus , and select a time period from 1 minute to 5 hours. Select Never to prevent the display from turning off.
Not all programs can prevent your Windows computer from sleeping by default. If Sleep mode disrupts your workflow, you can use these third-party utilities to keep your PC awake for short or long periods of time.
By default, Windows puts your display to sleep in less than half an hour after you haven't touched it, and your PC will typically hibernate after a few hours. Here's how to configure and customize those settings.
For desktop PCs, setting the Sleep mode is less of an issue because you are not limited by the battery. Laptops and mobile devices are different, they require careful Sleep mode settings to get the most power from the battery. You don’t want your laptop to drain power when not in use, so here’s how you can easily configure the Sleep mode settings in Windows.
You can modify Windows Sleep settings using the following steps:
1. Open search by pressing the Windows key + Q shortcut .
2. Type "sleep" and select "Choose when the PC sleeps" .
3. You will see two options:
4. Set the time for both options using the drop-down menu.
If you’re using a laptop, there are actually four options, split into two categories: One for when you’re on battery and one for when you’re plugged in. With the former, you’ll see Windows 10/11 react accordingly as your PC drains battery, while the latter will affect how long you have to plug in your PC. These should be changed so you can get the most out of the available power.
Adjusting Windows 10/11 Sleep mode helps the computer save battery power when the computer is still working but we are not sitting in front of the screen. Besides, users can also disable Windows 10 Sleep mode if they want.
Peripheral related error
Sometimes peripherals like keyboards, mice, scanners, etc. can conflict with your computer's power settings and prevent your computer from going to sleep. The only solution you can do is to disconnect the peripherals every time you want to put your computer to sleep and plug them back in when you're ready to work again.
Screensaver related error
Screensaver settings can also conflict with the Sleep settings you set. Therefore, enabling Screensaver can also prevent your computer from going to Sleep. You can disable Screensaver by following these steps:
Step 1 : Click the Start button and type "change screensaver". Then select "Change screen saver" in the search results.
Step 2 : Select None in the drop-down menu in the Screen saver section.
Step 3 : Click Apply and OK to complete the installation.
Error related to Hybrid Mode
Hybrid mode is a combination of Sleep and Hibernation. It puts your computer into Hibernation mode but allows you to wake your computer as quickly as Sleep mode.
To disable Hybrid mode, follow these steps:
Step 1 : Press the Start button then select Settings.
Step 2 : Select System from the menu.
Step 3 : Click on Power & Sleep then continue to click on Additional power settings in the upper right corner.
Step 4 : Find and click Change plan settings .
Step 5 : Click Change advanced power settings .
Step 6 : Expand Sleep and Allow hybrid sleep in the tree menu.
Step 7 : Switch to Off in both On battery and Plugged in.
Step 8 : Click Apply and OK to complete the installation.
Good luck!
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