Instead of turning our PC on or off every time we need it, many users prefer to simply let it go into sleep mode. It is much more comfortable, although according to experts, it is not the most advisable. They recommend you Prevent your PC from going into sleep mode. We explain the reasons here and what we can do about it.
This is especially interesting for those who regularly handle a Windows laptop. Many users, when they finish using the computer, simply lower the screen (that is, fold the laptop), thus remaining automatically suspended.
Doing this is very practical, since, by not having turned off the computer, the boot process when we use it again is faster. In addition, all the applications and browser pages that we had left open are there, waiting for us. There is no need to start everything from scratch.
But there is a danger that many users ignore. When we abuse sleep mode there is the possibility of entering a state called "deep suspension" which can be detrimental to our team.
What is sleep mode
Sleep mode can be defined as a state in which a computer is halfway between off and on. It is like a lethargy in which the computer is no longer operational, but is ready to perform all its functions again without needing to restart.
What is the purpose of this Windows sleep mode? It is actually a very effective way to reduce energy consumption. It is a resource that other operating systems also use. In the case of Microsoft, it was implemented in the operating system as early as 1996.
Important: Sleep mode should not be confused with hibernation mode. This is a totally different process although, from the outside, the two are indistinguishable because their immediate effects are similar.
Why should you not abuse sleep mode?
But beware: It is only advisable to use sleep when we plan to stop using the PC for a few hours and, after this time, use it again. If, for example, we stop using the computer on a Friday afternoon and we don't plan to return to it until Monday, it is best to turn it off.
Most of the time nothing happens, but the truth is that we are taking unnecessary risks. What can happen? By leaving the PC in sleep mode, without actually turning it off, for a more or less prolonged period of time, there is a possibility that the memory will not be restored correctly. This could translate, among other things, into the following:
- Un slower running.
- Others blue screen errors.
- The logician component wear, which are working when they are not needed.
This is not about raising alarm: it is okay to use sleep mode a little more than necessary on certain occasions, although in the long term it can be a source of problems. Better to avoid it.
Prevent sleep mode from going to sleep in Windows
So that our PC does not go into sleep mode too frequently, the solution, although it may be obvious to say it, is to deactivate said mode. We explain two ways to do it:
From the Settings menu
These are the steps to follow:
- We open the windows start menu and we click on the gear icon that gives access to the page Configuration.
- Then we select the option System.
- Next we go to the section Home/Energy and Suspension.
- There we go to the screen settings to configure Screen with these actions:
- On battery, turn off after: Never.
- If plugged in, turn off after: Never.
- In the same window, we change the settings of Suspension in this way:
- On battery, the device suspends after: Never.
- If plugged in, the computer suspends after: Never.
And that's it. These settings will disable automatic sleep mode.
Create a new power plan
The second method to prevent our computer from going to sleep after a certain time has passed is to create a new power plan. This is how we can do it:
- First we go to Control panel of Windows.
- There we select "Energy options".
- Then we go to the option "Change plan settings."
- In the new screen that opens we will find the same settings options. First of the Screen:
- On battery, turn off after: Never.
- If plugged in, turn off after: Never.
- And then the settings Suspension:
- On battery, the device suspends after: Never.
- If plugged in, the computer suspends after: Never.
Better to turn off than suspend
When in doubt, if we must choose between suspending and shutting down, it is always best to turn off the PC completely. That not only means a notable saving of space on disk and RAM, but also extends component life of our team and se limits energy consumption. Obviously, when we want to turn the PC back on, the startup will be a little slower.
Many users turn to sleep mode because they don't want to lose the work at hand after a break. But that is no longer an excuse, since there is the possibility of making backup copies in the cloud to save everything we want to save or recover.