Graphics That Keep You Up At Night

Don't Sleep is a small, portable program that prevents system shutdown, standby, hibernation, and restart. It also stops the deactivation of the monitor or the activation of the screensaver. The program does not need to be installed and can be run from the desktop or a USB stick. It has a timer that allows for time-controlled unblocking and shutdown.

Preventing system shutdown

"Don't Sleep" is a small, portable program designed to prevent system shutdown, standby, hibernation, and restart. It is especially useful for older programs running on Windows 7 or Vista, which have more aggressive power-saving features. In addition to preventing system shutdown, "Don't Sleep" also stops the deactivation of the monitor, the activation of the screensaver, and even logging off the computer.

The program is easy to use and can be executed from the desktop or carried on a USB stick or other memory device. It also has a timer that allows time control, such as unblocking or shutting down the computer at a specified time. With "Don't Sleep", you can save time and effort by avoiding the need to manually disable and reactivate power-saving options.

The application has been tested on MS Windows Server 2025 and has undergone necessary adjustments for the new operating system. The language files have also been updated, and the program has been tested for compatibility with upcoming updates of MS Windows 10 and 11, particularly regarding hibernation and shutdown functions.

Preventing standby mode

To prevent your device from going into standby mode, you can adjust your settings to keep your screen on or disable sleep mode entirely. Here are the steps to follow for various devices:

Windows 10 PC:

• Press the Windows + I keys on your keyboard to open the Settings window. Alternatively, click the Windows logo at the bottom of your screen, type "Settings" into the search bar, and click Open.
• Click on "Power & sleep" in the left sidebar. If you don't see this option, try expanding the window.
• Click on the drop-down boxes under "Sleep" and change them to "Never." You can also adjust the time it takes for your computer to go to sleep.
• If these steps don't work, you may need to change settings in the Control Panel. Click the Windows logo, type "Control Panel," and click Open. Then go to "System and Security > Change when the computer sleeps," and set all values to "Never" before clicking "Save changes."

IPhone (iOS 17):

• Go to the Settings app on your iPhone.
• Toggle off the "StandBy mode" switch.
• If this doesn't work, try force-restarting your iPhone: quickly press and release the Volume Up button, then quickly press and release the Volume Down button. Finally, press and hold the Sleep/Wake button until you see the Apple logo, then let go.

It's important to note that keeping your device out of standby mode may lead to increased battery drain and, in the case of iPhones, screen burn-in over time.

Preventing hibernation

If you are experiencing issues with your monitor not going to sleep, there are several things you can try. Firstly, check if there is a problem with your drivers. In some cases, downgrading to an older version of the driver may solve the issue. For example, for AMD Radeon graphics cards, it has been reported that downgrading to Radeon Software Adrenalin Edition 18.9.3 resolves the problem.

If you are using an AMD Ryzen processor, you may also want to try adjusting your power settings. Ensure that you have set a timeout for your monitor to turn off after a certain period of inactivity. Additionally, you can try disabling and re-enabling the monitor in your device settings.

Another potential solution is to use a third-party application like "Don't Sleep", which is a small, portable program that can prevent your system from hibernating, turning off, or going into standby mode. This application also allows you to control the activation of your screen saver and monitor deactivation. "Don't Sleep" does not require installation and can be executed directly from your desktop or a USB stick, offering an easy solution to prevent your system from sleeping.

Preventing log-off

"Don't Sleep" is a small, portable program that can help you prevent your system from shutting down, going into standby mode, hibernating, turning off, or restarting. It is especially useful for older programs running on Windows 7 or Vista, which tend to have more aggressive power-saving features.

In addition to the functions mentioned above, "Don't Sleep" also prevents you from logging off your computer and stops your monitor from deactivating or your screensaver from activating. The program saves you time by offering an easy alternative to manually disabling and re-activating these options. It also has a timer that allows you to control when your computer unblocks or shuts down.

"Don't Sleep" does not require installation. You can simply execute it from your desktop or carry it on a USB stick or other memory device. The program has been tested on MS Windows Server 2025, and language files have been updated for the upcoming Windows 10 and 11 updates.

Preventing monitor deactivation

To prevent monitor deactivation, you can try a few different methods. One user on the DisplayFusion forum reported that they were able to prevent monitor deactivation by ensuring that the program is focused when it is opening up. To do this, keep clicking on the screen as the game or program is opening.

Another user reported that they were able to resolve the issue by downgrading to Radeon Software Adrenalin Edition 18.9.3. This was done after wiping out the installed graphics driver with DDU.

If you are using DisplayFusion, you can also try setting up a regular key combination instead of using the Trigger.

If you are playing games, you can try the following workarounds:

• After the game is open, open the Steam overlay (Shift + Tab) and then press the hotkey for "Prevent Window Deactivation."
• Try switching the game to windowed mode, run the hotkey, then switch it back to full screen.

If you are using multiple monitors, you can try the following:

• Press the hotkey to ignore deactivation.
• Press the hotkey to lock/unlock the mouse cursor on the current monitor.
• Press the hotkey to move the mouse cursor on the previous monitor.

You can also try turning off Input Auto Switch in your monitor options.

Frequently asked questions