Laptops are designed to enter sleep mode after a period of inactivity to save power and extend battery life. However, there are times when you might want to prevent your laptop from going to sleep such as during presentations, downloads or long-running tasks. Fortunately, adjusting sleep settings on both Windows and macOS laptops is straightforward.
This guide will explain how to stop your laptop from going to sleep and provide tips to manage power settings effectively.
Changing Sleep Settings on Windows
On a Windows laptop click the Start menu and open Settings. Navigate to System then select Power & sleep.
Under the Sleep section you will see options for On battery power and When plugged in. You can choose how long the laptop waits before going to sleep or select Never to disable sleep mode entirely.
Adjust these settings according to your needs. For example you might want to stop your laptop sleeping when plugged in but allow sleep on battery to conserve power.
Adjusting Advanced Power Settings
For more detailed control open Control Panel and go to Power Options. Click on Change plan settings next to your selected power plan.
Select Change advanced power settings. In the window that opens expand the Sleep category and adjust timers for sleep, hibernation and lid close actions.
You can also set different behaviours for when the laptop lid is closed such as doing nothing instead of sleeping.
Stopping Sleep on MacBooks
On a MacBook open System Preferences and go to Battery or Energy Saver depending on your macOS version.
Use the slider to adjust the time before the computer goes to sleep or check the box to prevent the computer from sleeping automatically when the display is off.
You can also set separate settings for battery and power adapter modes.
Using Third-Party Apps
Some users prefer third-party applications that keep the laptop awake such as Caffeine or Amphetamine for macOS. These apps prevent sleep temporarily and can be toggled on or off easily.
On Windows apps like Don’t Sleep offer similar functionality.
Tips to Manage Sleep Settings
Avoid disabling sleep mode permanently as this can drain your battery faster and reduce the lifespan of components. Instead adjust sleep settings to suit your workflow and power needs.
Remember to manually put your laptop to sleep or shut down when not in use for extended periods.
Conclusion
Stopping your laptop from going to sleep can be done by adjusting power and sleep settings in Windows or macOS. Whether you want to disable sleep temporarily during tasks or customise behaviour when on battery or plugged in these options give you flexibility. Using built-in settings or third-party apps helps manage sleep effectively and keeps your laptop ready when you need it.