With the increasing size of files and programs, downloading large files can take a significant amount of time. When such downloads are in progress, you may want your computer to continue downloading while it’s in sleep mode, saving energy and reducing wear and tear on your hardware. In this blog post, we’ll guide you on how to configure your Windows 11 system to keep downloading files even when it’s in sleep mode.
Using Powercfg to Configure the Network Adapter
The first step in allowing your computer to download files while in sleep mode is to configure your network adapter settings. This can be done using the powercfg command in the Command Prompt.
- Press Win + X and select Windows Terminal (Admin) from the menu to open the command prompt with administrative privileges.
- Enter the following command to find your network adapter’s device ID:
powercfg /devicequery wake_programmable
This will display a list of devices that can wake your computer up from sleep mode. Locate your network adapter in this list and note its device ID. - Now, enter the following command, replacing “Your_Network_Adapter” with the device ID you found in the previous step:
powercfg /devicedisablewake “Your_Network_Adapter”
This command will configure your network adapter to stay active during sleep mode, allowing downloads to continue.
Adjusting Power Plan Settings
After configuring the network adapter, you need to modify your power plan settings to prevent your computer from sleeping while downloads are in progress.
- Right-click on the battery icon in the system tray and select Power Options.
- Click on Change plan settings next to your current power plan.
- Click on Change advanced power settings.
- In the Power Options window, expand the Sleep category and set Sleep after to a suitable time, such as 30 minutes or 1 hour. This will allow your computer enough time to download files before entering sleep mode.
- Expand the Multimedia settings category and set When sharing media to Prevent idling to sleep. This will prevent your computer from entering sleep mode while you have an active download.
- Click on Apply and then OK to save the changes.
Use a Download Manager
To ensure your downloads continue while your computer is in sleep mode, it’s a good idea to use a download manager. Download managers such as Free Download Manager and Internet Download Manager are specifically designed to manage and optimize download tasks, and they can automatically resume downloads in case of interruptions.
Conclusion
By following the steps outlined above, you can configure your Windows 11 system to continue downloading files even while it’s in sleep mode. This will not only save energy, but also reduce system wear and tear. Remember to use a download manager for the best results, and happy downloading!
