How to Put a Windows 11 PC to Sleep [With Detailed Steps]

What is Windows 11 Sleep Mode?

Sleep is a new mode added to Windows Vista and has been gradually refined in subsequent Windows versions. After the system switches to sleep mode, the operating system dumps all data in memory to a hibernation file on the hard drive, then cuts power to all devices.

When we wake up the computer, if there is no abnormality during the sleep process, we can directly restore all data from the memory, and the recovery speed is very fast. If an abnormal situation such as a power failure occurs during the sleep process, the data in the memory will be lost. But it is also possible to recover all data from the hard disk, but the recovery speed is relatively slow.

All in all, the Sleep Mode is very safe and will not cause data loss on your computer no matter what state your computer is in. Next, we'll show you how to put a Windows 11 PC to sleep.

How to Put a Windows 11 Computer to Sleep [8 Ways]

Here are 8 common ways to put your Windows 11 computer to sleep:

• Way 1. Use the Start Menu
• Way 2. Use a Dedicated Sleep Button
• Way 3. Use the Power User Menu
• Way 4. Use the Command Prompt
• Way 5. Use Sign-in or Ctrl+Alt+Delete Screen
• Way 6. Use the Shortcut Key (Alt+F4)
• Way 7. Use a Timer in Settings
• Way 8. Create Shortcut and Shortcut Keys for Sleep Mode

Way 1. Use the Start Menu

Like previous versions of Windows, Windows 11 can also put the computer to sleep through the Start Menu, which is the easiest way.

1. Find the Start button on the taskbar and click it.
2. In the Start Menu, click the power icon in the lower right corner, and select the Sleep option in the expanded menu to put your computer into sleep state.

Way 2. Use a Dedicated Sleep Button

How to sleep in Windows 11 PC? If you are using a laptop or tablet with Windows 11, you can use the dedicated sleep button or the dedicated sleep key on the keyboard to enter Sleep Mode. If you don't know, look for keys with a crescent moon logo, the word “sleep”, or multiple “Z” letters. If you're using a desktop computer, just tap the power button while it's on to go to sleep.

Way 3. Use the Power User Menu

You can also enter Windows 11 Sleep Mode through the Power User Menu. This method is also related to the Start button.

You can put your computer to sleep by right-clicking the Start button, selecting the Shut down or sign out option from the expanded menu, and then selecting the Sleep option.

Tip✍: You can also use the Windows + X key combination to open the Start menu.

Way 4. Use the Command Prompt

In the Windows system, the Command Prompt is a versatile tool, you can use specific commands to achieve different operations. You can also use it to put a Window 11 PC to sleep.

1. Click the magnifying glass icon on the taskbar, open the Search box, and enter cmd. Confirm that the Command Prompt is below the best match, and select Run as administrator in the right panel.

2. Type the following command in the Command Prompt window and press Enter to execute this command:

• powercfg -h off

Note✍: This command will disable Hibernate Mode. When you first try to initiate Windows 11 Sleep Mode from the Command Prompt, be sure to enter this command first. If you don’t run the powercfg -h off command, the following command will put your PC into Hibernate Mode instead of Sleep Mode.

3. Then continue to type the following command and press Enter to execute this command:

• rundll32.exe powrprof.dll, SetSuspendState Sleep

Then your Windows 11 computer will go to sleep.

Way 5. Use Sign-in or Ctrl + Alt + Delete Screen

Ctrl + Alt + Delete key combination is usually used to open the Task Manager, Shut down and Restart. But this key combination can also be used to enable Sleep Mode, which puts your computer to sleep.

To do so, use Ctrl + Alt + Delete to open the Windows sign in screen click the power icon in the lower right corner of the screen. Then select Sleep in the list. Your PC will enter in Sleep Mode instantly.

Way 6. Use the Shortcut Key (Alt+F4)

In addition to Ctrl + Alt + Delete, Alt + F4 is also a frequently used key combination for shutdown and restart. This method can also put your computer into Sleep Mode.

Use Alt + F4 to open Shut Down Windows window, select the Sleep option in the drop-down list, and then click the OK button to put your computer to sleep.

Way 7. Use a Timer in Settings

You can automatically put your Windows 11 computer to sleep when it is idle by changing the settings.

1. Use Windows + I key combination to open Windows Settings, select System -> Power (Power & Battery on laptops).

2. Click on Screen and sleep to expand it. Find the time next to “On battery power, put my device to sleep after”, “When plugged in, put my device to sleep after”. And change the time to automatically go to sleep according to your needs, such as 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes etc.

3. When your computer remains idle for a set period of time, it will automatically go to sleep.

Way 8. Create Shortcut and Shortcut Keys for Sleep Mode

In Windows, there is no separate shortcut for Sleep Mode, but we can create shortcuts to make it easier for your Windows 11 computer to enter Sleep Mode. If you are using a notebook computer, it is recommended that you master the creation method.

◆ How to Create Shortcuts for Sleep Mode

1. Right-click on an empty spot of ​​the Windows 11 desktop, select New -> Shortcut.

2. Windows will now launch the new shortcut wizard and ask you “What item would you like to create a new shortcut for?”. To create a Windows 11 sleep shortcut, type the following location field and click the Next button:

• C:\Windows\System32\rundll32.exe powrprof.dll,SetSuspendState

3. The wizard will now ask you to enter a name for the new shortcut. Here you can pick any name you like. Then click Finish to proceed. When you double click it, it will work and your computer will go to Sleep Mode.

If you want to change the icon for the sleep shortcut or pin it to the taskbar, read on.

◆ Change the Icon for Sleep Shortcut

1. Right-click the sleep shortcut and select Properties from the expanded menu.
2. In the Sleep Properties window, navigate to the Shortcut tab and click Change Icon button. Then click OK in the warning popup.

3. You just need to select a favorite icon in the icon list and click OK.

◆ Pin the Windows 11 Sleep Shortcut to the Taskbar

1. To pin the Sleep Mode shortcut to your taskbar, right-click the icon and select “Show more options”.
2. Then select Pin to taskbar to pin your Sleep Mode shortcut to your taskbar.

◆ How to Create Shortcut Keys for Sleep Mode

1. Right-click the sleep shortcut created earlier, and select Properties from the expanded menu.
2. You can see that the shortcut key is displayed as "None", now you need to click it, and press the key combination you want to set (eg Ctrl + F5), and then click Apply and OK.

How to Disable Sleep Mode on Windows 11?

If you want to put a Windows 11 PC to sleep, there is always one of the 8 methods above that works for you. However, not all users need Sleep Mode, and if you don't want your computer to go to sleep, here's how to disable it.

1. Use Windows + I key combination to open Windows Settings, select System -> Power (Power & Battery on laptops).
2. Click on Screen and sleep to expand it. Find the time next to “On battery power, put my device to sleep after”, “When plugged in, put my device to sleep after” and change the time to Never.

If you want to turn on Sleep Mode, just follow the steps above and change the sleep state to another time.

Windows 11 Computer Won't Go Into Sleep Mode?

According to a large number of user feedback results, after upgrading to Windows 11, their computers will not automatically enter Sleep Mode. If you happen to have a similar problem, you can solve it according to the following 6 methods.

Method 1. Turn on Sleep Mode Manually

1. Use Windows + I key combination to open Windows Settings, select System -> Power (Power & Battery on laptops).
2. Click on Screen and sleep to expand it. Find the time next to “On battery power, put my device to sleep after”, “When plugged in, put my device to sleep after” and change the time Never to a different time.

Method 2. Disable Hybrid Sleep Mode

1. Type Control Panel in the search box and open it. Navigate to Hardware & Sound -> Power Options -> Edit Plan Settings. In the Edit Plan Settings window, click the Change advanced power settings button.

2. Click the Sleep option, select Allow hybrid sleep in the expanded menu, and click Setting to change it to Off.

3. Go to Multimedia settings -> When sharing media -> Setting -> Allow the computer to sleep, click Apply and OK to save the changes.

Method 3. Disable the Wake Timer

1. Open the Power Options in the Control Panel, and enter the advanced power settings as the above method.
2. Go to Sleep -> Allow wake timers -> Setting -> Disable, tap Apply and OK to save the changes.

Method 4. Disable Fast Startup

Open the Control Panel. Go to Hardware and Sound -> Power Options -> Change what the power buttons do -> Change settings that are currently unavailable, uncheck the box for Turn on fast startup (recommended), click Save changes options.

Method 5. Disconnect All Peripherals

Disconnect your peripherals such as mouse, keyboard, headset, bluetooth, etc. But printers, scanners, cameras, etc. should not be disconnected, otherwise it may cause your computer to stay awake for hours.

Method 6. Check Power Request

1. Type cmd in the search box and select Run as administrator.
2. Type the following command in Command Prompt and press Enter to execute this command:

• powercfg /requests

3. If any problematic application is detected, find and disable the application in the Task Manager.

The Difference Between Sleep Mode, Hibernate, and Standby in Windows 11

Standby and Hibernate are modes that have been added to the Windows system very early. The main effect is to save power consumption and minimize the time for the system to return to normal state.

In Standby mode, the power supply of the computer except the memory will be interrupted. Computer data is maintained solely by memory. When the computer is woken up, it can be directly restored to the state it was in before Standby. Fast recovery speed is the biggest advantage of Standby mode. This mode still consumes power. And if there is a power outage in Standby mode, a restart is required, and any data not saved before standby is lost.

In Hibernate mode, the system will automatically transfer all data in the memory to the hibernation file on the hard disk. When the computer wakes up, the system reads the data from the hibernation file into memory and returns to the state it was in before hibernation. This mode uses absolutely no power, so you don't have to worry about power outages. However, it requires a hard disk storage space that is the same as the physical memory capacity. Also, Hibernate mode resumes slower, usually around a minute, depending on memory size and hard drive speed.

So what is the difference between Sleep Mode, Hibernate and Standby in Windows 11? The following is a detailed comparison:

It can be seen that Sleep Mode basically combines the advantages of Standby and Hibernate, and is a better choice in comparison. Furthermore, the Sleep Mode is not maintained all the time. When your computer goes into Sleep Mode for a period of time without being woken up, it automatically goes into Hibernate Mode. And the computer will disconnect the power supply to the memory, which can further save energy.

Backup Windows 11 to Protect Data

Problems such as sudden power failure during Sleep can result in data loss. But the computer can still restore data from the hard drive, allowing you to pick up where you left off. However, for the sake of data security, it is recommended that you back up your files regularly. AOMEI Backupper Standard can provide you with free and professional file backup service.

AOMEI Backupper Standard is a free and professional file backup software with a clear interface and easy operation. It only takes a few simple steps to complete file backup, so you don't have to worry about losing files or folders. Next, the detailed steps of AOMEI Backupper Standard File Backup will be introduced for you. First, you need to download the software:

1. Run AOMEI Backupper Standard, select Backup in the left menu, and select File Backup in the right panel.

2. You can choose to Add Folder or Add File to select the folders or files you want to back up. In addition, you can click the pencil icon in the upper left corner to name this backup task.

3. Select the destination path for the backup files. In addition to local disks, you can also backup files NAS devices, cloud drives, external hard drives, and more. Confirm everything is OK and click Start Backup to backup files.

Tips✍: Before starting the backup, you can click Options, Schedule and Scheme at the bottom left.
✡ Options: You can comment this backup task, enable encrypted backup and email notification. To enable the encrypted backup function, you need to upgrade to the professional version.
✡ Schedule: When the scheduled backup function is enabled, you can choose from the following 5 scheduling modes: Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Event Triggers and USB Plug In. The last two modes require an upgrade to the professional version.
✡ Scheme: You can choose between Incremental Backup, Full Backup and Differential Backup, among which Differential Backup needs to be upgraded to the professional version. If you upgrade to the pro version, you can also turn on automatic cleanup backups.

4. During the system backup process, you can click the setting icon in the lower left corner to select the corresponding operation after the job is completed according to your needs. After waiting for the system backup to complete, click the Finish button.

Tips✍:
✾ After the file backup is complete, you can use the File Restore function to restore the file backup image.
✾ If you only want to view the contents of the file backup and do not want to restore the file backup image, you can use the View Image feature.

Conclusion

How to put a Windows 11 PC to sleep? Through this article, you can learn about 8 ways to go to sleep. And learn 6 ways to fix your computer won't go into Sleep Mode. In addition, this article shows you how to disable Sleep Mode and let you know the difference between Sleep, Hibernate and Standby. Although Sleep Mode is very safe, in order to avoid unexpected situations in your files, it is recommended that you use AOMEI Backupper Standard for file backup.

Besides File Backup, AOMEI Backupper Standard has other features that may interest you. You can use the File Sync feature to easily synchronize files that have changed in the source directory to the target directory. This saves you time compared to backing up again. In addition, you can also use the Disk Backup and Partition Backup functions to ensure the safety of your computer data.