Computer Shuts Down When Going to Sleep? Here’s the Fix

Has your desktop or laptop ever turned off while in hibernation mode? It's a common problem that most of us have encountered at least once in our lives, and it can be frustrating, especially if you lose any unsaved work. Fortunately, you can take steps to prevent this from happening again and fix the issue altogether.

This article will guide you through resolving the issue of your computer turning off when it goes to sleep and provide a way to safeguard your PC. Keep reading!

Why does my computer shut down instead of going to sleep?

If you're going to be away from your computer for a while but don't want to shut it down, the Sleep mode is a great option. In this mode, your computer is actually still on, but uses very little computing power.

The purpose of this feature is to allow users to resume work immediately without having to wait for their computer to boot up. However, the Hibernate function can sometimes malfunction and cause frustration for many users. Here are some reasons why your computer might be shutting down after waking up from Hibernate:

• Damaged system files
• Outdated drivers
• Outdated BIOS version
• Incorrect power settings configuration
• Overheating while idle

We'll show you how to fix this and prevent your computer from shutting down when you put it to sleep in the future.

Read more: Laptop Turns On Then Off Immediately

How to Solve the Problem of a Computer Shutting Down Instead of Sleeping

Here are potential solutions that have worked for other users facing similar issues. Try each of these in turn until you find the one that resolves your problem. Let's get started.

1. Solution 1: Check and Clean Dust
2. Solution 2: Update IMEI Driver
3. Solution 3: Update BIOS
4. Solution 4: Update Power Settings
5. Solution 5: Power Settings Troubleshooting
6. Solution 6: Disable Sleep Mode

Solution 1: Check and clean the dust

Dust buildup clogs computer fans and other exposed components, preventing a computer from expelling hot air and drawing in cool air, which can cause it to overheat.

Since the computer was running on low power, it may have been generating heat and automatically shutting down to prevent damage from overheating. Try cleaning your computer with a microfiber cloth to remove any dust that might be causing this issue.

If your computer is still turning off when it should be going to sleep, our next solution should help with that.

Solution 2: Update the IMEI driver

If you have an Intel processor in your PC, it will install the Intel Management Engine Interface (IMPI) driver, which helps the processor communicate properly with the motherboard and other components.

Outdated or corrupted IMEI drivers can cause your computer to crash and run poorly, as well as affect power settings. Updating your IMEI driver may help prevent your computer from shutting down when it goes into sleep mode. Here's how to update the driver:

Step 1. Right-click the Start button and select Device Manager.

Step 2: Expand "System Devices."

Step 3: Click on “Intel(R) Management Engine Interface,” and then right-click with your mouse or trackpad.

Click on “Intel(R) Management Engine Interface”.

Step four: Right-click on it, and select “Properties.”

Next up, just translate this into American English:

Step 5: Click “Driver” and then choose “Update Driver.”

Select "Update driver"

Step 6: Next, choose “Search automatically for updated driver software.”

Select "Search automatically for updated driver software."

Step 7: Windows will find and install the latest drivers.

Now, when you tell your computer to go to sleep, it should actually sleep instead of turning off.

Solution 3: Update the BIOS

An outdated System BIOS could cause your computer to shut down when it tries to go into sleep mode. BIOS updates aren't very common, but if you're not an advanced or professional user, proceed with caution. You may want to seek the help of an expert or consult your motherboard manual for instructions on how to update the BIOS.

If you're not sure how to update your BIOS, consult this article for help.

Solution 4: Update power settings

Windows PCs are highly customizable, which is part of why they're so popular around the world. If your computer is shutting down when it goes to sleep (or when you close the lid on a laptop), it might be an issue with your power settings. Try updating them with these steps:

Step 1: Click the “Start” button, search for “Settings,” and open it.

Step 2: In the Settings search bar, type “Power and sleep settings,” and open the Settings menu.

Step 3: Under Related settings on the right, choose Additional power settings.

Step 4: On the left side of the Power Options window, click on “What happens when I close the lid.”

Step 5: Set each of these to “Do nothing”: When I press the power button, When I press the sleep button, When I close the lid.

Step 6: Click “Save Changes” to save your edits.

Solution 5: Check Power Settings

If updating the power settings didn't help, there might be a problem with your power settings. Troubleshoot the power settings to fix any issues that might be causing your computer to turn off when it goes to sleep.

Step 1: Open Settings.

Step 2: Choose “Update & security.”

Select "Update & Security".

Step 3: In the left menu, choose “Troubleshoot.”

Step 4. In the right pane, choose “Other troubleshooters.”

Step 5: Search for and select Power, then expand it and choose Run troubleshooter.

Run the Troubleshooter

Solution 6: Disable Hibernation

Some computers are set to sleep by default, and if your computer has gone to sleep, you'll need to press the power button to wake it up. This can lead many users to believe their computer is off when it's actually just sleeping. Here's how to turn off the sleep function:

Step 1: Click the “Start” button, and then open the “Control Panel.”

Step 2: Click “Hardware and Sound,” then click “Power Options,” and then “Change plan settings.”

Click on "Change plan settings."

Step Three: Click on “Change advanced power settings.”

Click on "Change advanced power settings".

Step 4: Find and expand the “Sleep” option, and then choose “Hibernate after.”

Step 5: Change the “Battery Power (minutes)” setting to “Never.”

<Step 6> Click “Apply,” and then “OK.”

Appendix: How to Back Up Your Computer for Data Security

Famous for crashing and causing users to lose data, Windows; however, you can take steps to prevent this by regularly backing up your computer. Todo Backup is a cleverly constructed backup program that's easy to use for people of all ages, thanks to its user-friendly interface.

is a practical backup software that puts you in full control of your computer, allowing you to choose what to back up. You can opt to back up specific disks or partitions only, or perform a complete system backup to ensure the safety of your data.

Additionally, it lets you create different backup modes like full backups, incremental backups, and differential backups. Lastly, it offers 250 GB of free cloud storage and a secure vault to help you back up your files to the cloud.

With such backup software, users can also clone their main computer and run these data on multiple other machines. As a PC user, I recommend using Todo Backup to keep all your data safe. Download it and try it out to back up your computer.

Step 1: Launch Todo Backup on your computer. On the main screen, click “Create Backup” and then hit the big question-mark button to “Select backup content.”

Step 2: To back up the Windows OS, click "OS" to start the backup task.

Step 3: The system will automatically select the Windows operating system information and all system-related files and partitions, so you don't have to do it manually. Next, you need to click on the illustrated area to choose where you want to save your system image backup.

System Backup

Step 4: The backup location can be another local drive on your computer, an external hard drive, a network, the cloud, or a NAS. Generally, we recommend using an external physical drive or the cloud to save your system image files.

5. If you want, click on Options to customize your backup settings, such as scheduling daily, weekly, or monthly backups, triggering automatic backups on specific events, and creating differential and incremental backups. Click on Backup Now to begin the system imaging process. Completed tasks will appear as cards on the left side.

In short

That's it! The methods above should help you fix the "Computer Shuts Down Instead of Hibernating" error. While it's great that Windows introduced the hibernation feature, it's not very well-optimized and often leads to computers shutting down instead. However, by following our steps, you should be able to resolve the issue of your computer turning off when it's supposed to hibernate.

As a cautious computer user, you should regularly back up your computer to prevent data loss, whether due to unexpected shutdowns or other various reasons. Todo Backup is an excellent backup program that can save your computer files to an external drive or even the cloud. Give it a try! It won't disappoint you.

Frequently Asked Questions About "Turn Off Computer When Inactive"

Here are some common questions about shutting down after your computer goes to sleep.

Why does my computer shut down automatically?

Your computer might be shutting down automatically due to overheating or any other software or hardware issue. Please ensure that the fan vents are free from dust and clean them. Additionally, clean the interior of your computer to prevent overheating and spontaneous shutdowns.

2. Should You Shut Down or Sleep Your Computer?

Unlike hibernating, turning off your Windows computer actually makes it run better. Hibernation on Windows usually causes problems. Unlike macOS, which asks you not to turn off or restart your computer too often, Windows needs it. However, it's fine to put your computer to sleep for short periods.

What's the difference between sleep and hibernation?

Suspend and sleep may sound like the same thing, and they're similar, but they're not quite the same. When you put your computer to sleep, it saves whatever you're currently working on to RAM, so you can pick up right where you left off when you come back.

Hibernate, meanwhile, saves your information to your HDD or SSD, and it takes a little while for your computer to wake up from hibernation.

In sleep mode, a computer uses a small amount of power to keep its essential components active, so it can pick up where it left off when you're ready to resume work. In hibernation mode, the computer shuts down completely and uses no power. But when you turn it back on, it restarts where you left off.

4. Is it safe to put a computer into hibernation or sleep mode?

Yes, it's safe to put your computer to sleep or hibernate; however, make sure it's free of dust to prevent overheating. Additionally, remember to back up your computer regularly so that your data is safe in case anything goes wrong with your device.