Evie Summers
If your computer wakes up from sleep mode unexpectedly, you can use the Command Prompt or Windows PowerShell to determine which of your devices supports waking the computer. You can also use the POWERCFG command on Windows Terminal to find out what woke your PC from sleep mode. This will display the reason for your PC waking from sleep mode. For example, if the Wake Source says Power Button, that indicates that the power button on the PC was pressed to wake it up. If you don't want any programs waking your computer up automatically, you can disable wake timers entirely.
How to determine what can wake a computer from sleep
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Operating System | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Computer Type | PC, Laptop |
| Sleep Mode Settings | Sleep timer, power settings, sleep button |
| Wake Source | Mouse movement, key press, power button, USB device, network adapter, scheduled task, background process |
| Troubleshooting Tools | Command Prompt, PowerShell, Event Viewer, Device Manager, Powercfg |
| Power States | Sleep, hibernate, standby, full-power |
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What You'll Learn
Using the POWERCFG command on Windows Terminal
Unexpectedly, a Windows PC waking up from sleep mode is quite common. There are several reasons why this may occur, and you can use the POWERCFG command on Windows Terminal to find out what woke your PC from sleep mode.
POWERCFG is a command-line tool that has been available for years, allowing users to manage various aspects of power plans, also known as power schemes. Using this tool, you can create, modify, and delete power plans, as well as enable or disable power-related features like hibernation and the power button. It can also help identify which devices are waking your computer from sleep or hibernation, so you can disable them if needed.
To use the POWERCFG command to find out what woke your PC from sleep mode, first, ensure that the BIOS is set to allow the OS to control Sleep/Wake. Then, follow these steps:
- Right-click on the Start Menu and select Windows Terminal (Admin).
- In the Terminal, type or copy and paste the following command and press Enter: powercfg -lastwake.
- The command will display the reason your PC woke from sleep mode, for example, a USB drive or the File Explorer.
Additionally, you can use the Event Viewer app to find out why your PC woke from sleep mode. Type "Event Viewer" into the Windows search bar and click on the result to open it. Then, double-click on "Windows Logs" in the left pane and click on "System". This will provide you with more details about why your PC woke up.
By understanding what is waking your computer from sleep mode, you can take the necessary steps to prevent it from happening again if desired.
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Using the Event Viewer app
If you want to use the Event Viewer app to determine what woke your Windows computer from sleep mode, follow these steps:
Firstly, press the Windows logo key on your keyboard and the letter "R" at the same time. This will open the Run dialog box. In the box, type "eventvwr.msc" and press Enter. This will open the Event Viewer app.
Once the Event Viewer app is open, you need to expand the "Windows Logs" option. This can usually be found in the left pane of the app. Right-click on "System" and then click on "Filter Current Log". This will allow you to see all the times your computer woke up recently and what caused it to wake.
If you want to find out more details about a specific wake event, double-click on the event in the list. This will open a new window with detailed information about the event, including the time and date the event occurred, the source of the event, and any additional information that may be relevant.
You can also use the Event Viewer app to create custom views and filters to easily find the information you are looking for. To do this, click on the "Create Custom View" button in the top ribbon. This will allow you to specify criteria such as event level, event source, and keywords to filter the events displayed in the log.
By using the Event Viewer app, you can gain detailed insights into what is waking your computer from sleep mode and take the necessary steps to prevent it from happening again if needed.
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Using the Command Prompt
If your Windows computer wakes up from sleep mode on its own, you can use the Command Prompt to find out what caused it to wake up. Here's how you can do it:
- Press Win + R to open the Run dialog, or click on the Start button and type in "Command Prompt".
- Type "cmd" in the box and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to launch the Command Prompt with admin rights.
- In the Command Prompt, type "powercfg -lastwake" and press Enter. Alternatively, you can type "powercfg -waketimers" to see what might wake your computer up in the future.
- The output will show you the device or process that last woke your computer from sleep mode. It could be a USB device, a wireless device, your keyboard, mouse, or network adapter, for example.
- If you need more information, you can use the Event Viewer to get additional details. Press the Windows Key + R, type "eventvwr.msc", and press Enter. Expand Windows Logs, right-click on System, and click on Filter Current Log. Expand Event Sources and click on Power-Troubleshooter, then click OK. This will provide more insights into why your computer woke up.
For Mac users, you can use the Terminal utility to find out what woke up your Mac. Click on the Launchpad icon, type "Terminal" in the search field, and open it. Then, run the following command: "log show --style syslog | fgrep 'Wake reason'". It may take some time, but you should then see the reason for your Mac waking up.
Additionally, you can create a batch script that emulates keyboard keystrokes and schedule it with the Windows Task Scheduler to wake up your computer at designated times. This can be useful if you want to wake up your computer automatically.
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Using Windows PowerShell
If you want to determine what can wake your computer from sleep mode, you can use Windows PowerShell. Here's how to do it:
First, press the Windows key and 'S' together to open the search menu. Then, type 'Windows PowerShell' and select 'Run as administrator'. When the User Account Control (UAC) prompt appears, select 'Yes'.
Next, type the following command and press Enter:
Powercfg -lastwake
This command will display the device or process that woke your computer from its last sleep mode session. For example, you might see 'Device - HID-Compliant Mouse (or Keyboard)', indicating that mouse movements or key presses are configured to wake your computer. Alternatively, you might see 'Timer', indicating that a scheduled task woke the computer.
If you want to prevent certain devices or processes from waking your computer, you can do so through the Device Manager. Open the Device Manager and locate the device you want to manage. Right-click on the device and select 'Properties'. In the ''Power Management' tab, you can uncheck the 'Allow this device to wake the computer' option. Click 'OK' to save your changes.
You can also disable wake timers entirely. To do this, go to the Start menu, type 'Edit power plan', and hit Enter. Click on 'Change Advanced Power Settings', expand the 'Sleep' entry, and double-click on 'Allow Wake Timers'. Set the entries below to 'Disabled'.
By following these steps, you can use Windows PowerShell to determine what woke your computer from sleep mode and make any necessary adjustments to your settings.
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Using the Start menu
If you want to determine what can wake your Windows PC from sleep mode, you can use the Start menu to find this information.
First, open the Start menu and search for "Device Manager". This will allow you to see which devices are permitted to wake your computer from sleep mode. Right-click on the Windows logo and open Device Manager from the context menu. Find the device you want to change and double-click on it to open its Properties window.
In the Properties window, click on the Power Management tab. Here, you will see the "Allow this device to wake the computer" option. If this box is checked, the device is allowed to wake your computer from sleep mode. You can uncheck this box to revoke its permission. Click OK to save the changes. Repeat this process for any other devices you want to configure.
Aside from your devices, other factors can also wake your Windows PC from sleep mode. These include network connections, scheduled tasks, and background wake timers. To manage these settings, open the Start menu and search for "Edit Power Plan". Click on "Change Advanced Power Settings", then expand the "Sleep" entry. Double-click on "Allow Wake Timers" and set the entries below to "Disabled" if you want to prevent wake timers from waking your computer.
Additionally, you can use the Command Prompt or Windows PowerShell to determine which devices can wake your computer from sleep mode. To do this, press Win + R to open the Run dialog, then type "cmd" and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to launch Command Prompt with admin rights. Type the command "powercfg -lastwake" and press Enter to see which device or process woke your computer from sleep mode.
By following these steps, you can use the Start menu and associated tools to determine and manage what can wake your Windows PC from sleep mode.
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Frequently asked questions
You can use the Command Prompt or Windows PowerShell to determine which of your devices supports waking the computer. You can also use the POWERCFG command on the Windows Terminal to find out what woke your PC from sleep mode.
Some common reasons for a computer to wake from sleep mode include network connections, scheduled tasks, and background wake timers.
You can use the Device Manager to prevent specific devices from waking your computer. You can also disable wake timers entirely or set them to "Important Wake Timers Only".
A "Magic Packet" is useful if you use Wake-On-LAN to access sleeping computers remotely. It ensures that Wake-On-LAN still works without allowing just any network traffic to wake your computer from sleep mode.
To wake your computer from sleep mode, you can move the mouse, press any key on the keyboard, or press the power button.
