How to stop Windows 11 from sleeping or locking the screen
Windows 11 turns off the screen, goes to sleep and asks you to sign in again after a few minutes without use. You can change all of that in Settings, for free. This guide covers each setting, what changes on a work computer, and why some apps still mark you as idle even when the PC is awake.
1. Stop the screen from turning off and the PC from sleeping
- Open Settings > System > Power & battery.
- Open Screen, sleep, & hibernate timeouts (on older versions, Screen and sleep).
- Set Turn my screen off after and Make my device sleep after to Never, or to the time you want. Laptops have separate values for battery and plugged in.
2. Stop Windows from asking you to sign in again
- Open Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options.
- Under Additional settings, find If you've been away, when should Windows require you to sign in again? and choose Never.
- If you use a screen saver, open Settings > Personalization > Lock screen > Screen saver and untick On resume, display logon screen.
If Dynamic lock is on, Windows also locks when your paired phone moves away. You can turn it off in the same Sign-in options page.
3. Keep the PC awake only when you need it
If you'd rather keep the normal settings and stay awake only during a long download, a render or a presentation, use a keep-awake tool such as PowerToys Awake (free, from Microsoft). It keeps the PC on while it's active, without changing your power plan, and everything goes back to normal when you turn it off.
4. On a work computer
On a company PC, these settings may be locked or reset by your IT department. A common one is a Windows policy that locks the screen after a set number of minutes without mouse or keyboard input. If you can't change a setting, that's intentional: ask IT, and don't try to work around it.
5. Why time-tracking apps still mark you as idle
Keeping the PC awake doesn't change one thing: many apps, including time trackers like Hubstaff or Time Doctor and chat apps, decide you're idle by measuring the time since your last mouse or keyboard input. That clock keeps running even with sleep turned off. That's why you can be marked idle while you're reading, on a call or in a meeting.
What to do:
- Check the app's own idle settings. Many trackers let you or your admin adjust the idle timeout, or keep time during calls.
- Ask your manager or admin to adjust the idle timeout if it's too short for your work.
- Add the time manually or with a note when you were working away from the keyboard, if the tracker allows it.
Using an activity simulator to make a tracker record work you didn't do can breach your contract, and Zuturno's Terms prohibit it.
When an activity simulator makes sense
If what you need is for the computer to register activity, not just stay awake, a simulator like Zuturno generates mouse, scroll, click, app-switching and keyboard activity on your own computer while you step away, and you stop it with one shortcut. If you're not sure which one you need, see Keep your computer awake vs. simulate activity.
FAQ
Why does Windows 11 lock even though I set sleep to Never?
Sleep and sign-in are separate settings. Also set If you've been away, when should Windows require you to sign in again? to Never, and check the screen saver and Dynamic lock.
Is it bad to never let my PC sleep?
It uses more energy and, on a laptop, more battery. Many people set a long timeout instead of Never, or use a keep-awake tool only when they need it.
Why can't I change these settings on my work PC?
Your company manages them with policies. Only your IT department can change them.
Does keeping my PC awake stop Teams or a time tracker from marking me idle?
No. Those apps measure the time since your last input, not whether the PC is awake. See Why Teams shows you as Away.