To change the screen timeout in Windows 10, select Start > Settings > System > Power & sleep. Under Screen, choose how long to wait before the screen turns off. Pick Never to keep it on.
Applies to: Windows 10. Checked against Microsoft Support on September 25, 2026.
Change the screen timeout in Settings
- Select Start > Settings > System > Power & sleep.
- Under Screen, open When plugged in, turn off after and pick a time, or Never.
- On a laptop, also set On battery power, turn off after.
The Sleep settings on the same page control when the whole PC goes to sleep. If the PC sleeps before the screen timeout, set Sleep to a longer time too. If Windows asks for your password when the screen comes back on, see how to stop Windows 10 from locking after inactivity.
Change it in Power Options
- On the Power & sleep page, select Additional power settings.
- Next to your power plan, select Change plan settings.
- Set Turn off the display for On battery and Plugged in, then select Save changes.
Screen timeout, sleep, and screen saver: what’s the difference?
- Screen timeout only turns the display off. Apps keep running, downloads continue, and moving the mouse brings the screen straight back.
- Sleep pauses the whole PC to save power. It takes a few seconds to wake, and downloads and calls stop.
- Screen saver shows an animation or blank screen before the display turns off. It’s mostly unnecessary on modern screens. Find it in Settings > Personalization > Lock screen > Screen saver settings.
For most people, a screen timeout of 5 to 15 minutes and sleep a little later works well. Keep sleep at least as long as the screen timeout.
Change it with a command
Open Command Prompt and use powercfg. The number is in minutes, and 0 means never:
powercfg /change monitor-timeout-ac 15
powercfg /change monitor-timeout-dc 5The first line sets the time when plugged in, and the second sets it on battery. This changes your current power plan, the same as the Settings page.
If the screen turns off after a minute on the lock screen
The lock screen has its own, separate timeout, about one minute by default, and it’s hidden in Power Options. To show it, open Command Prompt as administrator and run:
powercfg -attributes SUB_VIDEO 8ec4b3a5-6868-48c2-be75-4f3044be88a7 -ATTRIB_HIDEThen go to Change plan settings > Change advanced power settings, expand Display, and set Console lock display off timeout to the time you want.
If the screen never turns off
Something is keeping it awake. Open Command Prompt as administrator and run powercfg /requests. Anything listed under DISPLAY is stopping the timeout, often a browser tab playing video, a game, or a presentation app. Close it and the timeout works again.
Frequently asked questions
My screen still turns off too soon. Why?
Check that your laptop maker’s power app isn’t overriding Windows, and that Sleep isn’t set shorter than Screen. On a work PC, your organization may set these times.
How do I keep the screen on during a presentation or video?
Most video players keep the screen on while playing. For other tasks, set Screen to Never while you work, then set it back.
Does a shorter timeout save battery?
Yes. The screen is one of the biggest power users on a laptop. Lowering the brightness helps too. See how to change the brightness in Windows 10.
Why does Windows ask for my password when the screen comes back on?
If a screen saver with On resume, display logon screen is set, or the PC went to sleep, Windows locks for security. Turning off the screen alone doesn’t lock the PC.
Can I set a different timeout for each power plan?
Yes. Each plan in Power Options keeps its own display timeout. Switching plans, such as from Balanced to Power saver, switches the timeout too.
To stop pop-ups while you watch or present, see how to turn off notifications in Windows 10.
For warmer colors at night, see how to turn on Night light in Windows 10.
Microsoft’s guide is Battery saving tips for Windows. More help is on our Windows Help & Guides page.
Matt Jacobs has been working as an IT consultant for small businesses since receiving his Master’s degree in 2003. While he still does some consulting work, his primary focus now is on creating technology support content for SupportYourTech.com.
His work can be found on many websites and focuses on topics such as Microsoft Office, Apple devices, Android devices, Photoshop, and more.