Windows 11 not sleeping is a fairly common, if slightly surprising issue for the new OS. It is just the opposite of another annoying issue of the monitor going to sleep on its own.
Anyways, Windows 11 not sleeping is a relatively easy issue to fix. So if you used to worry, thought you were going mad in a hurry, getting stressed, or making an excess mess in darkness, we'll help you find ways to restore harmony and bring the blessed oblivion of sleep back to your computer.
There's plenty to cover, so let's find insight. And then get some sleep.
How To Fix Sleep Mode Not Working On Windows 11
There are a couple of different ways that this issue manifests. Firstly, it can happen that Windows 11 won't go into sleep mode and just stays on all the time. And secondly, sometimes, instead of entering sleep mode, Windows 11 simply shuts down fully.
We'll cover both issues, so you can find the solution most applicable to your situation. There will be some crossover between the two. So work your way through our suggestions, until you find one that does the job for you.
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Check Your Power Settings
- Check your power settings, to make sure that sleep mode is enabled. To do this:
- Go to Settings > System > Power and Battery.
- Select Screen and sleep.
- This will then allow you to select the sleep settings, to put your computer to sleep after a set amount of time of inactivity.
Run Windows Troubleshooter
Windows troubleshooter is designed to help fix all kinds of issues. Running the power troubleshooter is the aim of the game here:
- Open the Search menu and search for Troubleshoot Settings.
- Select Other Troubleshooters.
- Click on Run next to the Power troubleshooter.
Windows 11 will automatically check your current power settings. If it identifies any issues, it will try to fix them for you.
Disable Hybrid Sleep Mode
The hybrid sleep feature can actually prevent sleep mode from working properly. To disable it:
- Open the Control Panel and go to Power Settings.
- This will show you your current chosen power plan. Click where it says Change plan settings.
- Go to Change advanced power settings.
- Scroll down to Sleep, and double-click to expand the sub-menu.
- Open the Allow hybrid sleep menu and switch it off, if it is showing as On.
Prevent Mouse and Network Adapter From Waking Your PC
Some users have found that this issue arises as a result of their mouse and/or a network adapter. These can interfere with sleep mode to constantly keep your computer on. It gives your computer no release, no peace. To stop this:
- Go to your Control Panel and open your Device Manager. You can also access this by typing Device manager into Windows search.
- Go to Mice and other pointing devices.
- Right-click your mouse and select Properties.
- Go to the Power Management tab. Look to see if the check box next to Allow this device to wake the computer is ticked. If it is, untick it, and press OK.
- Rinse and repeat for your network adapter.
Disable Fast Startup
While in theory, this helps your PC to boot up faster after a shutdown, it can inadvertently mess with sleep mode. So disabling this feature may remedy the situation.
- Open your Control Panel and go to Power Options.
- Select Choose what the power buttons do on the menu on the left.
- Click on Change settings that are currently unavailable.
- Uncheck the box marked Turn on fast startup (recommended).
- Save the changes, then restart your PC.
Read More: How To Check CPU Temp In Windows 11
Look For Background Apps and Processes
Another possibility is that there are background apps and processes that are constantly running, and therefore prevent your computer from going to sleep. You can try to identify these and close them manually to fix the conflict.
- Right-click the Start button and select Windows Terminal.
- In the console, type Powercfg /Requests and hit Enter.
- From the subsequent list of results that display, close any apps or programs that are stopping your PC from sleeping.
As you can no doubt tell, there are plenty of reasons why your Windows 11 sleep mode may not be working as it should. Try the fixes we've listed above. If none of these work, you can always get in touch with the Microsoft Support Teams for additional assistance.