Change your sleep settings in Windows or Mac
Your computer goes to sleep to save power, but you can turn that off or set it to wait much longer before sleeping. On Windows, open Settings, then go to System > Power & battery (or Power & sleep on older versions). Look for Screen timeout and Sleep timeout. Set both to Never, or pick a time like 30 minutes if you want the computer to sleep eventually.
On Mac, open System Settings, then General > Sleep. You'll see separate controls for when the display sleeps and when the computer sleeps. Change Computer sleep to Never, or pick a longer interval. If you're plugged in, you can set different times for battery power versus plugged-in power.
These settings take effect when ready — you don't need to restart. If your computer still sleeps after you change the settings, a background program or power plan may be overriding them, which the sections below will help you fix.
Key Takeaways
- Windows and Mac both have sleep timeout settings in their main settings menu that you can set to Never or a longer time.
- Plugged-in computers can have different sleep times than battery-powered ones, so check both if your settings don't stick.
- Power plans on Windows and power adapters on Mac can override your sleep settings if they're set to aggressive power-saving modes.
- Keeping your computer awake all the time uses more electricity and can shorten your hardware's lifespan, so consider a long timeout instead of Never.
- Third-party programs like presentation software or media players often have their own "don't sleep" options that work without changing system settings.
Check your power plan on Windows
Windows power plans control when your computer sleeps, and they can override your sleep timeout settings. Right-click the battery icon in your system tray (bottom right), then select Power settings. Look for Power plan and check which one is active — it's usually Balanced or Power saver.
If you're on Power saver, switch to Balanced or High performance. Power saver mode forces sleep and screen timeouts to be very short, even if you've set them to Never in Settings. If you want to keep Power saver but need your computer awake, you'll have to change the timeout settings within that plan itself — click Change plan settings next to the active plan, then Change advanced power settings, and look for Sleep in the list.
After you change the power plan, test by leaving your computer idle for the timeout period you set. If it still sleeps, move to the next section.
Turn off sleep on battery power
If your computer is a laptop, it may have different sleep settings for battery power and plugged-in power. Even if you set sleep to Never while plugged in, it might still sleep when running on battery. Open Settings > System > Power & battery, then look for Battery saver or Low battery settings.
On Windows, you can also check by going to Settings > System > Power & battery > Battery saver and turning it off, or setting it to turn on only at a very low percentage like 5%. Battery saver mode aggressively shortens sleep timeouts to preserve power. If you're plugged in most of the time, this shouldn't affect you, but it's worth checking if your laptop keeps sleeping unexpectedly.
Use a third-party program to prevent sleep
If you need your computer awake for a specific task — like a presentation, a read, or a video call — you can use a program that tells Windows or Mac not to sleep without changing your system settings permanently. Caffeine (free, for Mac) sits in your menu bar and prevents sleep with one click. Don't Sleep (free, for Windows) does the same thing and lets you set a timer so the computer wakes up after a certain time.
These programs work by simulating keyboard or mouse activity, which tricks your computer into thinking you're using it. They're useful if you want to keep your computer awake for one task but don't want to change your system settings. Most presentation software like PowerPoint and Keynote also have built-in options to prevent sleep during a presentation — look in the settings or preferences menu.
Check for programs that override sleep settings
Some programs — like video players, music apps, or remote desktop software — automatically prevent your computer from sleeping while they're running. If you've set sleep to Never but your computer still sleeps, a background program may be interfering. On Windows, open Task Manager (press Ctrl + Shift + Esc), go to the Processes tab, and look for programs you don't recognize or programs that should be preventing sleep.
On Mac, open Activity Monitor (search for it in Spotlight), and look at the list of running processes. If you see a program that shouldn't be running, select it and click the X button to quit it. After you close any suspicious programs, test whether your computer still sleeps as expected.
Adjust your monitor sleep separately from your computer
Your monitor (the display) and your computer (the machine itself) have separate sleep settings. If only your monitor is going dark but your computer is still running, that's normal and saves power. If your monitor is sleeping but you want it to stay on, go to Settings > System > Power & battery > Screen timeout and set it to Never or a longer time.
On Mac, this setting is in System Settings > General > Sleep under Display sleep. A dark monitor uses almost no power, so leaving it on the default setting (like 10 or 15 minutes) is usually fine even if you want your computer to stay awake.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will keeping my computer awake all the time damage it?
Running your computer 24/7 uses more electricity and generates more heat, which can shorten the lifespan of components like the hard drive or battery. If you're on a laptop, consider setting a longer sleep timeout (like 2 hours) instead of Never. If you need it awake for a specific task, use a third-party program that you can turn off when you're done.
My computer still sleeps even after I set it to Never — what's wrong?
Check your power plan on Windows (it may be overriding your settings) or your battery saver mode on a laptop. On Mac, make sure you're changing the right setting — there are separate controls for display sleep and computer sleep. If you're using a docking station or external monitor, those can sometimes trigger sleep settings too.
Can I set different sleep times for different times of day?
Windows and Mac don't have built-in scheduling for sleep times, but you can use third-party programs or automation tools. On Mac, you can use Automator or a third-party app to change settings on a schedule. On Windows, Task Scheduler can run scripts that change power settings at specific times, though this requires some technical knowledge.
Does turning off sleep affect my internet connection?
No. Your internet connection stays active as long as your computer is awake and connected to Wi-Fi or ethernet. If your computer sleeps, the connection pauses until it wakes up again. Some routers will drop a Wi-Fi connection after a long period of inactivity, but that's a router setting, not a computer setting.
What's the difference between sleep and hibernation?
Sleep pauses your computer but keeps power flowing to memory, so it wakes up in seconds. Hibernation saves everything to your hard drive and turns off completely, using almost no power but taking longer to wake up. On Windows, you can enable hibernation in power settings if you want a middle ground between sleep and staying awake.