How to Change the Screen Timeout in Windows 11

To change the screen timeout in Windows 11, open Settings > System > Power & battery, expand Screen, sleep, & hibernate timeouts, and pick a time next to Turn my screen off after. Laptops show separate settings for Plugged in and On battery. Choose Never to keep the screen on.

How to Change the Screen Timeout in Windows 11

1. Press Windows key + I to open Settings.
2. Select System, then Power & battery. On a desktop PC without a battery, this page is called Power.
3. Select Screen, sleep, & hibernate timeouts to expand it.
4. Open the menu next to Turn my screen off after and pick a time. On a laptop, set it under both Plugged in and On battery.

The change takes effect right away. The Make my device sleep after menus on the same page control when the whole PC goes to sleep. If the sleep time is shorter than the screen time, the PC sleeps first. Microsoft covers the rest of this page in its power settings guide.

Change the Screen Timeout With a Command

If you manage several PCs or prefer the keyboard, open Terminal and use powercfg. The number is in minutes. This sets the screen to turn off after 10 minutes when plugged in:

powercfg /change monitor-timeout-ac 10

Use monitor-timeout-dc instead for the on-battery time. For settings beyond screen and sleep timers, see how to change advanced power settings in Windows 11. Microsoft lists these options in its powercfg reference.

If the Screen Turns Off After 1 Minute on the Lock Screen

That’s a separate, hidden setting. Microsoft says Windows turns the display off after 60 seconds on a locked screen, no matter what your normal screen timeout is. To change it:

1. Right-click Start and select Terminal (Admin).
2. Run this command to show the hidden setting:

powercfg.exe -attributes SUB_VIDEO 8EC4B3A5-6868-48c2-BE75-4F3044BE88A7 -ATTRIB_HIDE

3. Open Control Panel > Power Options > Change plan settings > Change advanced power settings.
4. Expand Display > Console lock display off timeout and set the minutes you want.
5. Select OK.

These steps come from Microsoft’s monitor powers off when PC is locked article.

Keep the Screen On for a While

If you only need the screen to stay on during a presentation or download, you don’t have to change the setting. Microsoft’s free PowerToys app includes Awake, which keeps the PC and screen on for a set time or until you turn it off.

Screen Timeout vs. Lock Screen Timeout

The screen timeout turns off the display. If you want the PC to ask for your password or PIN when you come back, that’s controlled separately in Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options under If you’ve been away, when should Windows require you to sign in again?

The Lock screen page in Personalization also has a Screen timeout link under Related settings. It opens the same Power settings shown above. The Screen saver link next to it is covered in how to change the screen saver in Windows 11.

If the Screen Timeout Isn’t Working

1. Check that Make my device sleep after isn’t set shorter than the screen timeout.
2. Check the Wait time in Screen Saver Settings, since a screen saver can start first.
3. Close video players, games, and presentation apps, which keep the screen on while running.
4. Unplug extra mice or game controllers that might be sending movement.
5. Run powercfg /requests in Terminal (Admin) to see which app is keeping the display on.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is screen timeout in Windows 11?

It’s how long Windows waits with no mouse or keyboard activity before turning off the display. The PC keeps running, and moving the mouse or pressing a key turns the screen back on. Sleep is a separate setting that pauses the whole PC.

Why is there no On battery option?

Desktop PCs without a battery only show one set of timeout options.

How do I change how long the PC waits before sleeping?

Use the Make my device sleep after menus on the same page. Our guide to power and sleep settings in Windows 11 covers sleep and hibernate in more detail.