How To Download Xbox Games In Sleep Mode While Xbox Is Turned Off

Wondering how to download Xbox games in sleep mode? Don't, because we will show you.

One of the best features of Xbox consoles is the vast array of games available to purchase via the digital storefront. While downloading games has its benefits, time spent waiting to download a game can sometimes be a little frustrating. Especially if you are impatient to start playing. What you may not have realised is that you can actually download Xbox games in sleep mode.

This has the benefit of letting you get on with the rest of your day. When you return to your console, you won't have to start up the download where you left off, saving you a lot of time and frustration. Given the sheer size of some modern games, even a fast internet connection can still take a long time to fully download them. So, let's get into how you download games onto your Xbox, even when it's in sleep mode. We'll look at both the Xbox One and the Series X|S below.

What is Xbox Sleep Mode?

Sleep mode is a shorthand for putting your Xbox on standby, rather than switching it off completely. It's the Xbox equivalent to the PlayStation 5's Rest Mode.

Technically, the Xbox offers more than one kind of standby mode. There is the Energy-saving power mode, which is designed, as you'd expect, to save energy. It takes longer for the console to boot up after you turn it back on - up to 45 seconds.

Another option, the one used to download games while this Xbox is on standby, is the Instant-on mode. As the name suggests, this will switch your console on much faster, taking under 5 seconds. It will also allow you to wake up your console using a voice command (where available)or use it to switch on your TV, cable or satellite.

The benefit here is that games and applications will continue installing and updating, even when the console is off. It does consume more power than the energy-saving mode, but it will save you time. It's also less energy-intensive than having the console fully switched on while you download a game.

So now that's all straightened out, how do we make sure our Xbox is in the right power mode? How can we download games in the background while it's switched off? Let's see!

Read More: Xbox Series X Overheating: What To Do If Your Xbox Is Overheating

How to put Xbox One in Instant-on mode

Putting your Xbox One into instant-on mode is as simple as the following steps:

  • Start by pressing the Xbox button on the controller.
  • Go to System > Settings.
  • Find and select the Power mode and Startup menu.
  • Under Power Options, highlight Power mode and press A.
  • You have the choice of Instant-on or Energy-saving. Select Instant-on to enable it.

Read More: How To Change NAT Type On Xbox Series X Or S

Download Xbox Games In Sleep Mode
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Credit: Microsoft

How to put Xbox Series X|S in Instant-on mode

  • Press the Xbox button on your controller to open the guide.
  • Select Profile and System > Settings > General > Power mode and start-up
  • You can choose which setting you want from the Power mode drop-down menu

With either of these consoles, once you've put them in the correct power mode, the hard work is done. Simply begin downloading the game you want, and then you can switch off your console into Instant-on mode. This way the download will continue. Just make sure your Xbox has a stable internet connection. Everything else will happen like magic.

How Much Power Does Instant-On Use?

One thing to bear in mind is that your console will use more power using Instant-On mode, versus being turned off, or on regular standby. But how big a difference does it actually make?

An Xbox Series X on "Regulatory Standby" will consume around 0.5W. Instant-On will consume 13W over the same period of time.

The Xbox One S also consumes 0.5W when it's on Regulatory Standby. And when using Instant-On, it will consume 11W.

This is based on agreed testing methods created by the Game Console Voluntary Agreement, which you can read more about here.

Ultimately, Instant-On will consume more energy than switching your console off. It's up to you to decide whether the trade-off between spending a bit more on energy and saving time waiting for your games to download, is worth it or not.