The fastest way to wake your PC from power save mode

Move your mouse, press any key on your keyboard, or press the power button once. Your PC should wake within a few seconds. If it does not, your monitor may be in sleep mode separately from your PC — try turning the monitor back on with its own power button or remote.

If your PC stays asleep no matter what you do, the problem is usually a disabled wake device or a BIOS setting that is blocking the wake signal. The fixes below address the most common causes.

Key Takeaways

  • Mouse movement or a keyboard press wakes most PCs from power save mode within seconds.
  • Your monitor may be asleep separately from your PC, so check its power button if the screen stays dark.
  • If nothing wakes your PC, check Device Manager to make sure your mouse and keyboard are set to wake the computer.
  • Some BIOS settings prevent wake signals from working, and you may need to restart your PC and enter BIOS to change them.
  • Unplugging and replugging your USB devices can reset their wake permissions if they have stopped working.

Check that your mouse and keyboard can wake the PC

Windows lets you choose which devices are allowed to wake your computer. If your mouse or keyboard is disabled for this purpose, moving or pressing keys will not work.

Open Device Manager by right-clicking the Start button and selecting Device Manager. Expand Mice and other pointing devices, then right-click your mouse and select Properties. Click the Power Management tab. Check the box next to Allow this device to wake the computer, then click OK.

Repeat the same steps for your keyboard. Expand Keyboards, right-click your keyboard, select Properties, go to the Power Management tab, and check Allow this device to wake the computer.

If you do not see a Power Management tab, your device does not support wake commands. Try waking the PC with a different device instead, or use the power button method described below.

Use the power button to wake your PC

Pressing the power button once (not holding it) should wake your PC from sleep. This works on almost all computers and does not depend on mouse or keyboard settings.

If the power button does not work, your PC may be powered off rather than in sleep mode. A powered-off PC requires you to hold the power button for a second or two until the lights come on. A sleeping PC wakes with a single quick press.

If the power button does nothing at all, check that your PC is actually plugged in. Look for a light on the power supply or motherboard — if there is no light, the PC has no power and needs to be plugged in or the outlet needs to be tested.

Restart your PC and check BIOS settings

Some computers have BIOS settings that block wake signals even when devices are set to wake the computer. Restarting your PC and entering BIOS can reveal whether this is the problem.

Restart your PC. As soon as it starts up, press Delete, F2, F10, or F12 repeatedly — the key depends on your motherboard brand and will usually appear on the startup screen. Once you are in BIOS, look for a setting called Wake on LAN, Power On by Mouse, Power On by Keyboard, or Resume by Mouse/Keyboard. These settings are usually in a Power Management or Advanced section.

If you find these settings and they are disabled, enable them. Save your changes and exit BIOS. Your PC should now wake when you move the mouse or press a key.

If you are not comfortable navigating BIOS, or if you cannot find these settings, contact your PC manufacturer's support line with your model number. They can tell you the exact steps for your machine.

Disconnect and reconnect USB devices

USB devices like mice and keyboards sometimes lose their wake permissions after a Windows update or driver change. Unplugging and replugging them can reset these permissions.

Unplug your mouse from its USB port. Wait 10 seconds, then plug it back in. Windows will reinstall the driver. Repeat this for your keyboard if you have a wired keyboard.

For wireless mice and keyboards, unplug the USB receiver instead. Wait 10 seconds and plug it back in. Your wireless devices should reconnect automatically.

After reconnecting, test whether your PC wakes. If it does not, go back to Device Manager and re-enable the wake permission as described in the second section above.

Check your monitor separately

Your monitor has its own power save mode, separate from your PC. If your PC is awake but your monitor is asleep, the screen will appear dark even though the computer is running.

Press your monitor's power button or use its remote control to turn it back on. Look for a light on the monitor's bezel — if the light is off or amber, the monitor is asleep.

If your monitor will not turn on, check that it is plugged in and that the power outlet works. Try plugging a lamp into the same outlet to confirm the outlet has power.

Disable sleep mode if you do not want it

If your PC keeps going to sleep and you would rather it stay awake, you can change your power settings instead of waking it each time.

Right-click the battery icon in your system tray and select Power settings. Click Screen and sleep. Under Sleep, change the dropdown to Never. Your PC will no longer enter sleep mode automatically.

Keeping your PC awake uses more electricity. If you want to save power but do not want to wake the PC manually, set the sleep timer to a longer period — 30 minutes or 1 hour — instead of disabling sleep entirely.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my PC go to sleep if I am not using it?

Windows is set to put your PC to sleep after a period of inactivity to save power. This is the default behavior. You can change how long before sleep happens by going to Settings > System > Power and battery > Screen and sleep, or disable sleep entirely by setting it to Never.

Can I wake my PC from another room?

Yes, if your PC supports Wake on LAN and your network is set up for it. This is an advanced feature that requires BIOS configuration and network settings. Contact your IT support or your PC manufacturer if you want to set this up.

What if my PC wakes up by itself at night?

Scheduled tasks, network activity, or USB devices can wake your PC unintentionally. Go to Device Manager and uncheck Allow this device to wake the computer for any USB devices you do not need to wake the PC. You can also disable Wake on LAN in BIOS if you do not use it.

Does sleep mode hurt my PC?

No. Sleep mode is designed to be safe and is used by millions of computers daily. It saves power without damaging hardware or data. Your work is saved to memory, not the hard drive, so there is no risk of data loss.

Is sleep mode the same as hibernation?

No. Sleep mode keeps your PC in a low-power state with memory still powered. Hibernation saves everything to your hard drive and powers off completely, using almost no electricity. Hibernation takes longer to wake from but uses less power during long periods away from your PC.