Evie Summers
By default, most laptops are set to automatically go to sleep when the lid is closed. This is not ideal if you want to use your laptop as a desktop computer, with an external monitor, keyboard, and mouse. However, you can change this setting on Windows 10 and Windows 11 by going to the Control Panel and selecting Choose what closing the lid does from the Power Options settings. On older Mac OS versions, you can enable the Prevent computer from sleeping automatically when the display is off option in System Preferences > Battery > Power Adapter.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Default action when closing laptop lid | Sleep |
| How to prevent laptop from sleeping when lid is closed | Change settings in Control Panel (Windows 10 and 11) or System Preferences (older OS versions) |
| Recommended settings when lid is closed | "Do Nothing" when the computer is charging and "Sleep" when using battery power |
| Other options for when lid is closed | Hibernate, Shut down |
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What You'll Learn
Change settings to Do Nothing when charging and Sleep when using battery power
To change settings on your laptop so that it does nothing when charging and sleeps when using battery power, follow these steps:
For Windows 10 and Windows 11, open the Start menu and search for "lid". From the results, select the "Choose what closing the lid does" entry, which will open a new menu within the Power Options settings. Here, you will be able to set different actions for when your laptop is plugged in and when it is running on battery power.
In the Power Options settings, you can also adjust the timing of when your device sleeps when you're not using it by going to Start > Settings > System > Power & Battery > Screen, Sleep, & Hibernate Timeouts. You can then select how long you want your device to wait before turning off the screen and going to sleep, for both when it is plugged in and when it is running on battery power.
If you are using an older OS version, open System Preferences > Battery and choose the Power Adapter tab on the sidebar. Enable the "Prevent computer from sleeping automatically when the display is off" option to stop your laptop from automatically going to sleep when the display turns off.
By changing these settings, you can have your laptop remain active and functioning when plugged in, while still conserving power when using battery power.
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Adjust Power Options in the Windows Control Panel
To prevent your laptop from sleeping when you close its lid, you can adjust the power options in the Windows Control Panel. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to do it:
- Go to the Start menu by clicking the Windows logo in the bottom-left corner of your screen.
- In the Start menu, search for "lid" or power options.
- From the search results, select "Choose what closing the lid does" or "Power Options". This will open a new menu within the Power Options settings.
- In the Power Options settings, you'll find various options to customize the behaviour of your laptop when you close its lid. Look for the "When I close the lid" section.
- In this section, you can set different actions for when your laptop is plugged in and when it's running on battery power.
- To keep your laptop from sleeping when the lid is closed, set it to "Do Nothing" when the computer is plugged in. This will prevent the laptop from going to sleep and allow it to continue functioning while connected to power.
- For when your laptop is unplugged and running on battery power, you can set it to "Sleep" to conserve power when you're on the go.
- Make sure to review other power and sleep settings in the same menu to customize your laptop's behaviour according to your preferences.
By adjusting the power options in the Windows Control Panel, you can control how your laptop behaves when you close its lid, allowing you to use it as a desktop alternative or conserve power while maintaining your desired settings.
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Prevent your Mac from sleeping by enabling the Power Adapter tab
If you want to prevent your Mac from sleeping, you can enable the Power Adapter tab in the System Preferences. Here's how to do it:
For older OS versions, go to System Preferences, then select Battery from the menu. From the options in the sidebar on the left, choose Power Adapter. Here, you can enable the setting that says "Prevent computer from sleeping automatically when the display is off." This will stop your Mac from automatically going to sleep when you close the lid, and it will remain active and ready to use.
For macOS Ventura and Sonoma, click on the Apple logo in the upper-left corner of the screen and select System Settings. From the sidebar, choose Lock Screen. Find the line "Turn display off on power adapter when inactive" and select your preferred option from the drop-down menu. You can set the sleep time or choose "Never" to prevent your Mac from sleeping.
For macOS Big Sur, Monterey, and earlier versions, click on the Apple logo and go to System Preferences. Select Energy Saver or Battery, depending on your macOS version. Here, you can find the option to "Prevent your Mac from automatically sleeping when the display is off." Check the box next to this option and confirm your choice.
Additionally, you can use third-party applications like Amphetamine, Lungo, and OneSwitch to customize your sleep mode settings and prevent your Mac from sleeping. These apps offer flexible customization options and are available on Setapp.
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Right-click the battery icon to access Power settings
To access the Power settings on your laptop, right-click the battery icon in the taskbar. If you can't see the battery icon, it may be hidden. On Windows 10, right-click the taskbar and select 'Taskbar Settings'. In the Settings window, scroll down and click 'Turn system icons on or off' under the Notification area. Locate the 'Power' icon in the list and toggle it on. Alternatively, you can head to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar. From here, you can also toggle the Power icon on.
If you're using a Windows 10 laptop, and the battery icon is missing, try the following: Select Start > Settings > Personalization > Taskbar. If the Power toggle is greyed out or not visible, type 'Device Manager' in the search box on the taskbar and select it from the list of results. Under 'Batteries', right-click on the battery for your device, select 'Disable', and then 'Enable'. Finally, restart your device.
If you're still unable to see the battery icon, try disabling and then re-enabling the "Microsoft ACPI-Compliant Control Method Battery" device in the Battery section of Device Manager. This usually works without the need to restart your device, but in some cases, you may have to.
Once you've accessed the Power settings, you can change the power mode by dragging the slider to your preferred mode. Please note that this setting isn't available on all Windows 10 PCs and depends on your hardware and manufacturer. Your PC must be running Windows 10 version 1703 or later for this option to be available.
Additionally, you can set what happens when you close the lid of your laptop. By default, your PC goes to sleep when you close the lid, but you can change this setting. In Windows 10 and 11, open the Control Panel and search for "lid" in the Start menu. Select "Choose what closing the lid does" to access a new menu within the Power Options settings. Here, you can specify what happens when you press the power or sleep button.
For older OS versions, open System Preferences > Battery and choose the 'Power Adapter' tab on the sidebar. Enable the option to prevent your computer from sleeping automatically when the display is off. Now, when you close your laptop lid, it will remain active and won't automatically go to sleep.
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Use an external monitor, keyboard, and mouse
If you want to use your laptop with the lid closed, you can do so by connecting it to an external monitor, keyboard, and mouse. This setup can give you a more comfortable and ergonomic desktop experience, allowing you to keep your laptop out of sight while it's docked on your workspace.
To achieve this, you'll need to purchase an external monitor, keyboard, and mouse that are compatible with your laptop. Ensure that you have the necessary cables or adapters to connect the peripherals to your laptop. Once you have the required equipment, set up the external monitor by connecting it to your laptop using the appropriate cable, such as an HDMI, DisplayPort, or VGA cable. Position the monitor at a comfortable height and distance to improve your viewing experience.
Next, connect the external keyboard and mouse to your laptop. Usually, these peripherals can be connected via USB ports or wirelessly through Bluetooth. Adjust the keyboard and mouse settings to your preference, including language, layout, and cursor speed and sensitivity.
With the external monitor, keyboard, and mouse set up, you can now configure your laptop's settings to prevent it from going to sleep when you close the lid. The specific steps may vary depending on your operating system. For Windows 10 and Windows 11, open the Start menu and search for "lid." From the results, select "Choose what closing the lid does" to access the Power Options settings. Here, you can specify what happens when you close the lid, with options such as "Do Nothing" or "Sleep." Set the desired behaviour for both when your laptop is plugged in and when it's running on battery power.
For older versions of Windows or macOS, you can adjust these settings by accessing the Power or Battery settings. On Windows, right-click the battery icon in the bottom right corner and navigate to the Power section. On macOS, open System Preferences, select Battery, and choose the Power Adapter tab. Here, you can enable the option to "Prevent the computer from sleeping automatically when the display is off." This will keep your laptop active even when the lid is closed.
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Frequently asked questions
For Windows 10 and Windows 11, open the Start menu and search for "lid". Select "Choose what closing the lid does" to open a new menu within the Power Options settings. From here, you can change the settings for when you close the lid.
For older OS versions, open System Preferences > Battery and choose the Power Adapter tab on the sidebar. Enable "Prevent computer from sleeping automatically when the display is off".
Keeping your laptop active when the lid is closed can provide a more desktop-like experience, especially if you use an external monitor, keyboard, and mouse. It also allows you to conserve power when you're on the go.
In the Power Options settings, set the action for when the laptop is on battery power to "Sleep" and set the action for when it's plugged in to "Do Nothing".
No, it is not recommended to close the lid of your laptop and put it in your bag while it's still running. This can waste battery power and generate dangerous heat. It is best to shut down or put your laptop to sleep before closing the lid and putting it in your bag.
