How to Identify and Stop Apps Preventing Windows from Sleeping

Have you ever noticed that your laptop’s battery drains faster than expected? Or that your computer doesn’t go to sleep as scheduled even when you step away? The culprit might be certain applications or drivers preventing Windows from entering sleep mode. In this article, we’ll walk you through how to diagnose and resolve this issue using built-in Windows tools.

1. Using PowerShell to Detect Sleep Blockers.

Windows provides a built-in command to check which processes or system components are preventing sleep mode. The command is `powercfg /requests`, and it helps identify applications or drivers interfering with power management.

Steps to Execute the Command：

1. Open PowerShell:
   – Type `PowerShell` in the Windows Search bar.
   – Right-click Windows PowerShell and select “Run as Administrator”.
2. Run the Command:
   – Type the following command and press Enter:
   

   powercfg /requests
   

3. Interpret the Results:
   – The output will categorize processes into different sections:
   – display: Lists applications preventing the screen from turning off.
   – system: Displays apps stopping Windows from sleeping.
   – awaymode: Shows processes keeping the system in Away Mode.
   – execution: Lists tasks preventing sleep due to ongoing processes.
   – perfboost: Displays programs affecting low-power states.
   – activelockscreen: Lists apps preventing the lock screen activation.

If any section displays `None`, it means no apps are interfering with sleep. If an application is listed, it needs to be addressed.

2. Force Closing Apps Preventing Sleep.

If the command identifies an application blocking sleep, take the following actions:

Method 1: End Processes in Task Manager

1. Right-click the Taskbar and select “Task Manager”.
2. Locate the interfering process (based on `powercfg /requests` output).
3. Click “End Task” to close it.

Method 2: Override Using a Command

1. For persistent applications, you can override their ability to prevent sleep by using the following command:

   powercfg /requestsoverride SYSTEM MyApp.exe

2. Replace `MyApp.exe` with the process name found in `powercfg /requests`.

3. Additional Power Management Tips.

To further optimize sleep settings, try these methods:

1. Adjust Power Plan Settings
   – Go to Control Panel > Power Options and select Balanced or Power Saver mode.
   – Customize screen turn-off and sleep timer settings.
2. Disable Unnecessary Background Apps
   – Open Settings > Privacy > Background Apps and turn off apps you don’t need.
3. Update Drivers
   – In Device Manager, update key drivers, especially for display and power management.
4. Disable Wake Devices
   – In Device Manager > Network Adapters, disable “Allow this device to wake the computer” in the Power Management tab.

4. Conclusion.

By using `powercfg /requests`, you can quickly diagnose and fix sleep mode issues in Windows. Whether it’s closing interfering apps, tweaking power settings, or updating drivers, these steps will help restore proper power management and extend your battery life.

5. Demo Video.

You can watch the following demo video by select the subtitle to your preferred subtitle language.