To allow a device to wake your computer through Device Manager, you need to access the device's properties and enable the "Allow this device to wake the computer" setting, typically found under the Power Management tab.
Understanding how to configure your devices to wake your computer is useful for tasks like remote access, scheduled maintenance, or simply resuming from sleep or hibernation with a specific action (like moving the mouse or pressing a keyboard key). This setting is managed within the Windows Device Manager for individual hardware components.
Steps to Allow a Device to Wake the Computer
The process involves locating the specific device in Device Manager and adjusting its power management settings. Based on the provided reference and standard Windows functionality, here are the detailed steps:
- Open Device Manager: Press the Windows key + R, type
devmgmt.msc, and press Enter, or search for "Device Manager" in the Windows search bar and click the result. - Locate the Device Category: In the Device Manager window, expand the category that contains the device you wish to configure. For example, to configure a keyboard, expand "Keyboards". For a mouse, expand "Mice and other pointing devices".
- Access Device Properties: Double-click or tap on the specific device within the category list (e.g., "HID Keyboard Device" or "USB Optical Mouse"). This opens the device's Properties window.
- Navigate to Power Management: In the Properties window for the selected device, look for and click on the Power Management tab.
- Enable Wake Option: On the Power Management tab, you will typically see a checkbox labeled "Allow this device to wake the computer". Check this box to enable the device's ability to wake the computer from a low-power state (like sleep or hibernation).
- Save Changes: Click OK to apply the changes and close the device properties window.
Example: Enabling Keyboard Wake-up
Let's apply these steps to a common scenario: allowing your keyboard to wake the computer.
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1. Open Device Manager | Press Win + R, type devmgmt.msc, Enter. |
| 2. Find Device Category | Expand "Keyboards". |
| 3. Access Device Properties | Double-click on your specific keyboard device (e.g., "HID Keyboard Device"). |
| 4. Go to Power Management | Click the "Power Management" tab in the properties window. |
| 5. Enable Wake Option | Check the box: "Allow this device to wake the computer". |
| 6. Save Changes | Click "OK". |
Note: Not all devices will have a Power Management tab, or the tab might not include the option to wake the computer. This functionality is hardware-dependent. For instance, some USB hubs or internal components might not offer this option.
For more details on managing device wake settings in Windows, you can refer to resources like the Ten Forums tutorial on allowing or preventing devices to wake the computer, which provides a visual guide to these steps.
By following these steps, you can configure specific hardware devices, such as your keyboard or mouse, to bring your computer out of sleep mode, enhancing convenience and control over your system's power states.
