By default, most Windows 11 PCs will go into sleep mode (sleep) after a certain period of inactivity to save energy and ensure privacy. However, you can also set up the system to automatically go to sleep after a certain period of time. Here’s how to do it:
Screen off and sleep mode
In Windows 11, sleep mode and screen off, though related and similar, are essentially two completely different concepts. If you put your PC to sleep, the system will go into “moderate” operation at low power consumption and temporarily turn off some hardware components to save power. Of course, the screen will also turn off when the PC is in sleep mode.
But on Windows 11, you also have the option to turn off the screen but still keep the PC running in the background. That means you’ll only save some of the power your monitor uses, but your PC will still be essentially running at full power and can perform background tasks as needed.
How to set up your PC to automatically go to Sleep
First, launch the Windows Settings app by pressing Windows + i on your keyboard. Or you can right-click the Start button on the taskbar and select “Settings” from the menu that appears.
In the Settings interface, click “System” in the list on the left, then click “Power & Battery“.
In the Power & Battery settings screen, steam to expand the “Screen and Sleep” section. If your computer is battery-powered, such as a laptop or tablet, you’ll have four setup options. If you use a desktop, you will only have two options.
To adjust how long your laptop or tablet goes to sleep, click the drop-down menu next to “On battery power, put my device to sleep after”. Then, choose a length of time that you want, such as “15 minutes”.
Similarly, to set the time when the PC automatically goes to sleep when it is plugged in (without using the battery), click the “When plugged in, put my device to sleep after” drop-down menu and select a landmark time.
Alternatively, you can also use the “Turn my screen off after” option to choose how long the screen automatically turns off when inactive (regardless of sleep mode).
Once customization is done, close Settings, and the changes you make are automatically saved.
