How to Keep Screen On in Windows 11: Easy Tips for Continuous Display

Have you ever been working, streaming, or presenting on your PC — only to have your screen suddenly turn off? Don’t worry, you’re not alone! Windows 11 is designed to save power by automatically turning off the display after a period of inactivity.

While that’s great for battery life, it can be frustrating when you need the screen to stay on continuously — for example, during long downloads, presentations, or when you’re monitoring a process.

In this step-by-step guide, we’ll show you how to keep your screen on in Windows 11 using different settings and tools — from simple system tweaks to advanced power options.

Why Does Windows 11 Turn Off the Screen?

By default, Windows 11 automatically turns off your display after a certain idle period to save power and extend battery life.

This feature is controlled by Power & Sleep Settings, which determine how long your screen stays on when your PC is idle — both when plugged in and on battery power.

Typical reasons your screen turns off:

• You’ve hit the screen timeout limit (e.g., 5 or 10 minutes).

• Power plan is set to Balanced or Power saver.

• The system is in battery-saving mode.

• A background policy (like in workplaces) enforces sleep/timeout rules.

But the good news is — you can easily change all that!

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How to Keep Screen On in Windows 11 (Quick Summary)

Here are all the ways to keep your screen awake:

Now, let’s explore each method step by step.

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Method 1: Change Power & Sleep Settings

This is the simplest and most direct way to keep your screen on.

Steps:

1. Press Windows + I to open Settings.

2. Go to System → Power & battery.

3. Under Screen and sleep, click the dropdown arrows.

4. Adjust these two options:

   • On battery power, turn off my screen after: → Select Never or a long duration.

   • When plugged in, turn off my screen after: → Select Never or preferred duration.

Tip:

Selecting Never ensures the screen stays on continuously, ideal for presentations or downloads.

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Method 2: Adjust Screen Timeout for Battery and Plugged In Modes

Windows 11 lets you set different timeouts for when your PC is on battery or plugged in.

Steps:

1. Open Settings → System → Power & battery.

2. Click Screen and sleep.

3. Under Battery mode, choose a shorter timeout if you want to save power.

4. Under Plugged in mode, set Never to keep the display on continuously.

Why it matters:

This helps balance between battery efficiency and continuous display when needed.

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Method 3: Prevent Screen from Turning Off Using Control Panel

If you prefer the classic interface, you can change this through Control Panel.

Steps:

1. Press Windows + R, type control, and hit Enter.

2. Go to Hardware and Sound → Power Options.

3. Click Change plan settings next to your active power plan.

4. Set Turn off the display to Never for both battery and plugged-in modes.

5. Click Save changes.

Pro Tip:

This method also works for older versions of Windows, making it perfect for users upgrading from Windows 10.

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Method 4: Keep Screen On Using Power Plans

Windows 11 includes multiple power plans like Balanced, Power saver, and High performance. You can modify or create your own to keep your screen awake.

Steps:

1. Open Control Panel → Hardware and Sound → Power Options.

2. Click Create a power plan on the left.

3. Choose High performance as a base plan.

4. Set Turn off the display and Put the computer to sleep to Never.

5. Name it something like “Always On Mode” and click Create.

Now you can switch to this plan whenever you want the screen to stay on indefinitely.

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Method 5: Use Command Prompt or PowerShell (Advanced)

You can also change screen timeout using commands — useful for automation or remote management.

Using Command Prompt:

1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator.

2. Run the following commands:

• The first command (ac) applies when plugged in.

• The second (dc) applies on battery.

• “0” means Never turn off the display.

Using PowerShell:

You can easily revert by setting the values to a number (e.g., 10 for 10 minutes).

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Method 6: Keep Screen Awake Using Third-Party Tools

If you want a more flexible solution, you can use free third-party utilities that keep your screen awake automatically.

Popular Tools:

• Microsoft PowerToys (Awake):
  Built-in utility from Microsoft that keeps your PC awake for a specific time or indefinitely.

• Caffeine:
  Simulates activity to prevent the system from sleeping.

• NoSleep:
  Lightweight app that prevents the screen from turning off while running tasks.

Using PowerToys (Recommended):

1. Download PowerToys from Microsoft Store.

2. Open PowerToys → Select Awake from the sidebar.

3. Toggle Enable Awake → Choose Keep screen on.

4. You can even set a timer duration or keep it awake indefinitely.

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Method 7: Stop Screen from Turning Off When Watching Videos

Windows 11 has a built-in feature to keep your screen on during video playback.

Steps:

1. Open Settings → Apps → Video playback.

2. Scroll down and enable:
   ✅ Don’t turn off display when watching video on battery power.

3. Optionally, toggle Automatically process video to enhance it for better playback performance.

This ensures your screen stays active during long YouTube or Netflix sessions.

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Method 8: Keep Screen On When Laptop Lid Is Closed

By default, laptops sleep when you close the lid. But you can change that behavior.

Steps:

1. Open Control Panel → Hardware and Sound → Power Options.

2. Click Choose what closing the lid does on the left sidebar.

3. Set When I close the lid to:

   • Do nothing (for both battery and plugged in).

4. Click Save changes.

Now, your laptop will stay on even with the lid closed — perfect for docking stations or external monitors.

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Troubleshooting: Screen Keeps Turning Off Despite Settings

If your screen keeps turning off even after changing settings, try these fixes:

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FAQs

1. How do I stop my screen from turning off automatically in Windows 11?

Go to Settings → System → Power & battery → Screen and sleep, and set both “turn off screen” options to Never.

2. Does keeping the screen on affect battery life?

Yes — the display consumes significant power. It’s best to use this setting only when necessary or when plugged in.

3. Can I schedule when the screen stays on?

Yes, you can use PowerToys Awake or Task Scheduler to keep your screen on at specific times.

4. How can I keep my screen on during downloads or file transfers?

Set screen timeout to Never or use PowerToys Awake while the task is running.

5. What’s the best setting for presentations?

Set your screen and sleep timers to Never while plugged in, then revert to normal afterward.

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Conclusion

Keeping your screen on in Windows 11 is simple once you know where to look. Whether you want your display to stay awake during work, video playback, or file transfers — Windows gives you multiple easy options.

You can adjust power settings, create a custom plan, or use PowerToys Awake for quick control.

Just remember to balance between convenience and power efficiency, especially if you’re on battery power.

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Key Takeaways

✅ In short:
If you want to keep your screen on in Windows 11, just head to Settings → Power & battery → Screen and sleep → Never — or use PowerToys Awake for a smarter solution. It’s that simple!