Shut down, Sleep, Hibernate, or Change the Power Plan in Windows 11 and Windows 10

Table of Contents

1. Shut down
2. Sleep
3. Hibernate
4. Change the power plan
5. Stopping your computer from turning itself on while in hibernation
6. Frequently asked questions

Shut down - How to shut down your computer in Windows Properly

To turn your computer off completely:

1. Select Start , then select > Shut down.

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Sleep - How to put your computer to sleep mode in Windows

Sleep mode uses little power. Your computer technically stays on, but all actions on your computer are stopped, any open documents and applications are put in memory. You can quickly resume normal operation within a few seconds. Use sleep mode when you are going to be away from your computer for a short time.

To make your computer enter sleep mode:

1. Select Start , then select > Sleep.
2. Or, in the Search box, type Control panel > Control panel > Hardware and Sound > Change what the power buttons do.
3. Using the drop-down menus, select what you want each button to do when pressed.
4. Select Save Changes.

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Hibernate - How to put your computer in hibernate mode in Windows

Hibernate mode uses less power than sleep mode and is available for laptops. It takes a bit longer to resume than sleep mode does, but it resumes everything where you left off once the computer is powered back on. Use hibernate mode when you will not be using your computer for an extended time.

To hibernate your computer:

1. You can hibernate your computer by selecting Start , then select > Hibernate.
2. Or, in the Search box, type Control panel > Control panel > Hardware and Sound > Change what the power buttons do.
3. Using the drop-down menus, select what you want each button to do when pressed.
4. Select Save Changes.

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Edit the power plan in Windows

To change the power plan in Windows 11 and Windows 10, perform these actions:

1. You can edit the power plan in Windows by selecting Start , then select Settings > System > Power & battery, using the drop-down menu under Power mode change to the power mode you want.

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Stopping your computer from turning itself on while in hibernation

1. Update the computer's BIOS to the latest version.
   NOTE: Learn more about Dell BIOS Updates.
2. For optimum performance, it is recommended that you install the latest drivers on your computer.
   NOTE: Using the SupportAssist application provides automatic computer updates. For more information about SupportAssist, browse to the SupportAssist for PCs and tablets page.
3. Be sure that your computer is running with the latest updates for Windows. Browse to the Windows Update website to be sure that your computer is fully updated.
4. You can prevent your network adapter from waking your computer up automatically. To change the network settings, perform the following steps:
   1. Press and hold the Windows () key, and then press the q key.
   2. In the Search box, type device manager.
   3. Click or touch Device Manager (Control panel) in the list of programs.
   4. Click the plus (+) to the left of Sleep.
   5. Click the arrow to the left of Network adapters.
   6. Right-click the Wireless or Ethernet and select Properties.
   7. Click the Power Management tab and ensure the Allow this device to wake up the computer box is cleared.
      NOTE: Do this for both the Wireless and Ethernet adapters.
   8. Click OK.
   9. Close out of the Device Manager.
5. You can prevent any program from waking your computer up automatically or allow for major Windows computer events only by changing the wake timers. To change the wake timers settings, perform the following steps:
   1. Press and hold the Windows () key, and then press the q key.
   2. In the Search box, type power options.
   3. Click or touch Power & sleep settings (System settings) in the list of programs.
   4. Click Additional power settings.
   5. Click Change plan settings.
   6. Click Change advanced power settings.
   7. Click the plus (+) to the left of Sleep.
   8. Click the plus (+) to the left of Allow wake timers.
   9. Click On battery and using the dropdown menu and change to the wanted setting.
   10. Click Plugged in and using the dropdown menu and change to the wanted setting.
       NOTE: In Windows 11 and Windows 10, the Important Wake Timers Only option wakes your computer only for major Windows computer events. Try setting your wake timers to Important Wake Timers Only to see if it solves your issue. When your computer is still waking up more often than wanted, you can always set the wake timers to Disabled.
   11. Click OK.

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Frequently asked questions

Question: Is it better to turn off my computer or put it in hibernation?
Answer: If you must quickly resume your work from a short break, hibernation is more convenient. For extended periods of inactivity, shutting down is better for saving power and preventing any file corruption.

Question: Should I put my computer to sleep or shut it down at night?
Answer: Shutting down at night saves energy and ensures a fresh start the next day. But, if you must quickly get back to your work in the morning, sleep mode can be more convenient.

Question: What is the difference between sleep and shut-down?
Answer:

• Shut Down: This is the power-off state. When you shut down your computer, all open programs close, and the Operating System shuts down. The computer uses almost no power in that state. However, when you turn it back on, you must wait for the boot-up process, which can take from a few seconds to a few minutes, depending on your computer.
• Sleep: In sleep mode, the computer enters a low-power state, keeping its current state in memory while other components shut down. When you wake the computer, it quickly resumes where you left off, with all running apps and open documents intact. The computer cannot stay in this state for long periods of time if it is using battery power, when the battery runs low the computer shuts itself off.
• Hibernate: This mode saves your computers current state to the hard drive, storing the contents of its memory to a file. When you power it back on, it restores the previous state from the hard drive to memory. Resuming from hibernate takes longer than from sleep, but it uses little to no power. A hibernating computer uses about the same amount of power as one shut-down.

Question: Can I turn off power supply in hibernate mode?
Answer: Yes, Hibernation saves your current state to the hard drive and then completely powers down the computer, using no power. When you turn the power back on, your computer resumes from where you left off.

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Recommended Articles

Here are some recommended articles related to this topic that might be of interest to you.

• Windows 11 and Windows 10: Troubleshooting sleep and hibernation issues on your Dell Computer
• Windows 11: Troubleshooting sleep and hibernation issues on your Dell Personal Computer
• Steps for Fixing Windows Computers that Do Not Wake Up or Resume from Suspend or Hibernate Mode but Will Power On
• How to Wake a Computer or Monitor From Sleep, Standby, Suspend or Hibernate

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