Windows 11 lets you choose how long the PC waits before going to sleep. Laptops can have separate timers for battery power and plugged-in use, so change the setting that matches how you use the computer.
Change the sleep timer
- Open Settings.
- Select System.
- Open Power & battery.
- Expand the screen, sleep, or timeout controls available on your Windows version.
- Choose the desired sleep interval for battery and/or plugged-in operation.
Selecting Never prevents automatic sleep for that power state, but it can increase energy use and battery drain.
Sleep and screen-off time are different
The display can turn off before the PC goes to sleep. If your complaint is only that the screen goes dark too quickly, adjust the screen-off timer rather than extending sleep unnecessarily.
Some work and school PCs enforce power settings through organizational policy. Modern Standby-capable laptops can also behave differently from older sleep implementations. If the PC wakes unexpectedly, investigate the wake source instead of simply disabling sleep.
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.
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