How to Change Computer Sleep After Time in Windows 10


The Sleep after setting in Power Options allows users to specify how long in minutes the computer is inactive (idle) before automatically going to sleep.

Sleep uses very little power, your PC starts up faster, and you’re instantly back to where you left off. You don’t have to worry that you'll lose your work because of your battery draining because Windows automatically saves all your work and turns off the PC if the battery is too low. Use sleep when you’re going to be away from your PC for just a little while – like when you’re taking a coffee break.

This tutorial will show you how to specify how long your computer is inactive before automatically going to sleep in Windows 10.


Contents

  • Option One: Change Computer Sleep After Time in Settings
  • Option Two: Change Computer Sleep After Time in Power Plan Settings
  • Option Three: Change Computer Sleep After Time in Advanced Power Plan Settings
  • Option Four: Change Computer Sleep After Time in Command Prompt






OPTION ONE

Change Computer Sleep After Time in Settings


This will change the sleep after settings in your currently selected default power plan.


1 Open Settings, and click/tap on the System icon.

2 Click/tap on Power & sleep on the left side, and select the Sleep time you want in the On battery power, PC goes to sleep and When plugged, PC goes to sleep drop menus on the right side. (see screenshot below)

If you PC doesn't have battery power, then you will only see one option.

How to Change Computer Sleep After Time in Windows 10-sleep_after_settings.jpg

3 When finished, you can close Settings if you like.






OPTION TWO

Change Computer Sleep After Time in Power Plan Settings


This will change the sleep after settings in your currently selected default power plan.


1 Open the Control Panel (icons view), and click/tap on the Power Options icon.

2 Click/tap on the Change when the computer sleeps link on the left side. (see screenshot below)

How to Change Computer Sleep After Time in Windows 10-sleep_after_edit_plan_settings-1.png

3 Select the Put the computer to sleep times you want in the On battery and Plugged in drop menus, and click/tap on Save changes. (see screenshot below)

If you PC doesn't have battery power, then you will only see one option.

How to Change Computer Sleep After Time in Windows 10-sleep_after_edit_plan_settings-2.png

4 You can now close the Edit Plan Settings window if you like.






OPTION THREE

Change Computer Sleep After Time in Advanced Power Plan Settings


1 Open the Control Panel (icons view), and click/tap on the Power Options icon.

2 Click/tap on the Change plan settings link of the power plan (ex: "Ultimate Performance") you want to apply this to. (see screenshot below)

How to Change Computer Sleep After Time in Windows 10-sleep_after_power_options-1.png

3 Click/tap on the Change advanced power settings link. (see screenshot below)

How to Change Computer Sleep After Time in Windows 10-sleep_after_power_options-2.png

4 Scroll down and expand Sleep and Sleep after. Select the On battery and Plugged in times you want, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)

If you PC doesn't have battery power, then you will only see one option.

How to Change Computer Sleep After Time in Windows 10-sleep_after_power_options-3.png

5 You can now close the Edit Plan Settings window if you like.






OPTION FOUR

Change Computer Sleep After Time in Command Prompt


This will change the sleep after settings in your currently selected default power plan.


1 Open a command prompt.

2 Type the command(s) below you want to use into the command prompt, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)

(On battery)
powercfg -change -standby-timeout-dc <minutes>

OR

powercfg /SETDCVALUEINDEX SCHEME_CURRENT 238C9FA8-0AAD-41ED-83F4-97BE242C8F20 29f6c1db-86da-48c5-9fdb-f2b67b1f44da <seconds>

AND/OR

(Plugged in)
powercfg -change -standby-timeout-ac <minutes>

OR

powercfg /SETACVALUEINDEX SCHEME_CURRENT 238C9FA8-0AAD-41ED-83F4-97BE242C8F20 29f6c1db-86da-48c5-9fdb-f2b67b1f44da <seconds>

Substitute <minutes> in the commands above with how many minutes you want for how long your computer is inactive before automatically going to sleep.

Substitute <seconds> in the commands above with how many seconds you want for how long your computer is inactive before automatically going to sleep.

Using 0 (zero) minutes or seconds will be the same as Never.


3 When finished, you can close the command prompt if you like.

How to Change Computer Sleep After Time in Windows 10-sleep_after_command.png


That's it,
Shawn


Related Tutorials



  • Windows 11 Tutorials