Don't Sleep: The Power Nap App For Productivity

Don't Sleep is a free utility application that prevents your computer or phone from entering sleep mode, turning off, hibernating, or restarting. It is designed to override power-saving measures that can cause unexpected shutdowns, which can be especially useful when running older software. The app also has a timer that allows time-controlled blocking or shutting down of your device. Don't Sleep is available for Windows and Android.

Preventing system shutdown

"Don't Sleep" is a free, portable application designed to prevent unexpected system shutdowns on Windows computers. It is particularly useful when running older software on modern operating systems, such as Windows 7 or Windows Vista, which have more aggressive power-saving features.

Here's how Don't Sleep works:

How Don't Sleep Prevents System Shutdown

Don't Sleep operates on a simple principle. When it senses that the screensaver is about to activate or the computer is about to enter sleep mode due to inactivity, it convinces the operating system that important tasks are still in progress, effectively aborting the shutdown process. This prevents unexpected shutdowns, standby mode, hibernation, and other power-saving measures from interrupting your work.

Additional Features of Don't Sleep

In addition to preventing system shutdown, Don't Sleep offers a few extra features:

• Timer: The app includes a timer that allows you to control when your computer blocks or shuts down. This is especially useful for long downloads or software installations.
• Portability: Don't Sleep does not require installation. It can be executed directly from your desktop or carried on a small USB stick or other memory devices, making it convenient and accessible.
• Screen Saver Prevention: Don't Sleep also prevents the activation of the screen saver, ensuring your screen remains active.

Potential Drawbacks of Don't Sleep

While Don't Sleep is effective at preventing unexpected shutdowns, it's important to note that frequent usage of this application can drain your battery quickly. Therefore, it is recommended to use it sparingly or only when necessary to avoid excessive battery drain.

Preventing standby

The 'Don't Sleep' application is a free-to-use utility that prevents a computer from entering sleep mode, standby mode, or hibernation, and also prevents system shutdown, restart, and log-off. It is especially useful when running older software on modern operating systems, such as Windows 7 or Windows Vista.

To prevent your computer from entering standby mode, you can use the 'Don't Sleep' application or manually adjust power and sleep settings. Here are some detailed instructions for preventing standby mode on your device:

Windows

On Windows 11, you can adjust power and sleep settings by selecting Start > Settings > System > Power & Battery > Screen, Sleep, & Hibernate Timeouts. Here, you can choose how long you want your device to wait before turning off the screen or going to sleep when idle and when it is plugged in or on battery power.

On Windows 10, go to Start, then select Settings > System > Power & Sleep. Under Screen, select how long you want your device to wait before turning off the screen when idle. Under Sleep, choose how long the device should wait before going to sleep.

Mac

Macs automatically enter a low-power sleep mode when idle for several minutes or when you close the lid. By default, Macs made in 2013 or later will enter standby mode after three hours of sleep, while older Macs will enter it after about 70 minutes.

To change the standby delay or disable standby mode entirely on a Mac, you will need to use the Terminal. First, open a Terminal window by pressing Command+Space to open Spotlight search, then type "Terminal" and press Enter. In the Terminal window, run the following command to check your standby delay time:

`pmset -g | grep standby`

If you see a "1" next to "standby", your Mac supports standby and it is enabled. The number next to "standbydelay" indicates how long your Mac waits before going into standby mode after sleep, in seconds.

To change the standby delay, use the following command, replacing # with your desired delay in seconds:

`sudo pmset -a standbydelay #`

For example, to set your Mac to go into standby mode 60 minutes after entering sleep mode, use the command:

`sudo pmset -a standbydelay 3600`

Enter your password when prompted.

To disable standby mode entirely, set the "standby" value to "0" with the following command:

`sudo pmset -a standby 0`

To re-enable standby mode later, use the following command:

`sudo pmset -a standby 1`

Preventing hibernation

The Don't Sleep application is a simple, free, and portable software tool that prevents a Windows computer from entering hibernation mode, as well as other power-saving modes such as sleep mode, standby, shutdown, and restart. It is especially useful when running older software on modern operating systems, such as Windows 7 or Vista, which have more aggressive power-saving features.

To prevent hibernation specifically, you can use the 'Blocking' feature under the 'Preferences' tab in the Don't Sleep application. Here, you can individually select which power-saving modes you want to block, including hibernation. This will ensure that your computer does not enter hibernation mode as long as the blocking feature is active.

Additionally, the Don't Sleep application provides a timer option that allows you to schedule power options at a specific date and time. This feature can be useful if you want to prevent hibernation during certain periods or for specific tasks.

It is important to note that while Don't Sleep is effective at preventing unexpected shutdowns and keeping your computer active, it can also drain your battery more quickly than usual. Therefore, it is recommended to use this application only when necessary, especially if you are running on battery power.

Furthermore, you can also manually disable hibernation on your Windows computer through the Command Prompt. To do this, open the Command Prompt with administrator privileges and type "powercfg.exe /hibernate off" followed by "Enter." This will make hibernation unavailable until you choose to re-enable it by typing "powercfg.exe /hibernate on."

Preventing log-off

"Don't Sleep" is a free, portable application designed to prevent system shutdowns, standby, hibernation, turn-off, restart, and logging off. It is especially useful for users running older software on modern operating systems, such as Windows 7 or Windows Vista, which have more aggressive power-saving features.

The application operates on a simple principle: when it senses that the screensaver is about to activate or the computer is about to enter sleep mode, it convinces the operating system that important tasks are in progress, thus preventing the computer from logging off or shutting down.

To prevent logging off, "Don't Sleep" can be set to run automatically upon startup and can be minimised to the taskbar. Additionally, it can be carried on a small USB stick or other memory devices, making it easily accessible. The application also includes a timer that allows for time-controlled unblocking or shutting down of the computer.

While "Don't Sleep" is a valuable tool for preventing unexpected shutdowns, it is important to note that frequent usage can drain the battery quickly. Users should also be aware that disconnecting from any network can prevent updates and reduce the likelihood of unexpected restarts.

Preventing deactivation of the monitor

The Don't Sleep application is a free utility that prevents a computer from entering sleep mode, activating power-saving measures, shutting down automatically, or taking any other action triggered by periods of inactivity. It is particularly useful when running older software on modern operating systems.

Don't Sleep operates by convincing the operating system that important tasks are in progress, thus preventing the activation of the screen saver or the computer from going to sleep. This can be useful when running long downloads or software installations.

To prevent deactivation of the monitor, Don't Sleep can be set up to notify the system that it has very important tasks to complete. This prevents the monitor from turning off and ensures that the computer remains active. The app also has a timer that allows time-controlled blocking or unblocking of the monitor, providing further control over the system's power settings.

Don't Sleep is a lightweight and portable application that does not require installation. It can be executed directly from the desktop and carried on a small USB stick or other memory devices. It is compatible with various Windows operating systems, including Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, and Windows 7.

While Don't Sleep is a valuable tool for preventing unexpected shutdowns and maintaining system activity, it is important to note that frequent usage can drain the battery quickly.

Frequently asked questions