To prevent your HP computer from automatically turning off (entering sleep mode or hibernation), you need to adjust your power settings in Windows.
The most common way to stop your computer from "turning off" automatically is by changing the sleep and display timeout settings in your power plan. This ensures your computer stays active for longer periods or indefinitely while plugged in.
Understanding Why Your Computer Turns Off Automatically
When people say their computer is "turning off" automatically, they are usually referring to it entering:
- Sleep Mode: A low power state where your computer quickly resumes when you return.
- Hibernation: Saves your work to the hard drive and turns off the computer entirely, using less power than sleep but taking longer to resume.
- Display Timeout: The screen turns off to save power, but the computer remains on.
By default, Windows is configured to enter these states after a certain period of inactivity to conserve energy.
Adjusting Power Options to Prevent Automatic Turn-Off
The direct way to control when your computer goes into sleep mode is through the Power Options settings in Windows. This is where you can modify your current power plan.
Here are the steps, incorporating the method described in the reference:
- Open Power Options: In Windows, search for and open Power Options. You can do this by typing "Power Options" in the Windows search bar (usually near the Start button).
- Access Plan Settings: In the Choose or customize a power plan window, you'll see your currently selected power plan (e.g., Balanced, Power saver, High performance). Click Change plan settings next to the plan you want to modify.
- Change Sleep Settings: To change the sleep settings, click the drop-down arrow or arrows next to Put the computer to sleep.
- Select New Time: Choose a new time from the drop-down list. To prevent the computer from going to sleep automatically while on battery or plugged in, select Never.
- Save Changes: Click Save changes to apply your new settings.
Example Settings
You'll typically have options for when the computer goes to sleep while on battery and while plugged in. Setting both to "Never" will prevent automatic sleep.
| Setting | On battery | Plugged in |
|---|---|---|
| Put the computer to sleep | 15 minutes | Never |
| (Example configuration) | (Change this) | (Change this to Never) |
Note: Setting "Plugged in" to "Never" is common if you want your computer to stay on continuously while connected to power.
Other Relevant Settings
While preventing sleep is the main action to stop the computer from "turning off," you might also want to adjust the display settings:
- Turn off the display: Also found in the "Change plan settings" window, this controls when your screen turns off. You can set this to a longer time or "Never" if you don't want the screen to go black automatically.
- Change advanced power settings: Clicking this link in the "Change plan settings" window allows access to more granular options, including settings for hibernation, hard disk turn off, and USB selective suspend. Here, you can also set "Hibernate after" to "Never."
By configuring these settings, you can gain full control over when your HP computer enters low-power states or turns off its display, effectively stopping it from turning off automatically based on inactivity.
