Unsleeping

To save energy and lower your carbon footprint, Windows is configured to turn off the screen or put the device to sleep after a period of inactivity. You can easily change these options in the Windows Settings dialog and change the power settings as you wish. While it is advisable to go for the recommended settings when it comes to power consumption and carbon emissions, there might be situations when you need the PC to stay awake. Unsleeping is a lightweight and simple application that can help you in this matter.

There is no need to install Unsleeping, as the application delivers a standalone, portable tool. Double-clicking on the main executable is enough to have the application up and running. Upon first launch, Unsleeping displays its settings window, notifying you that, from now on, the application will start up minimized to the system tray. The purpose is to avoid interfering with your work or occupy space on your desktop.

What Unsleeping actually does is simulate user activity by sending a keystroke to the system. What is interesting is that it does not use an existing key on the keyboard. Instead, you can choose one of the non-existing F13 through F16 keys. If, by any chance, you have a unusual keyboard with more than the default dozen functional keys, then you have alternatives.

The Settings window can be opened again anytime you need to via the right-click menu in the system tray. Unsleeping can be configured to pause its actions while the computer or the laptop is on battery power, so as to avoid battery depletion. Moreover, the application can be paused with a click via the context menu in the system tray, if you need it to cancel its keystroke simulations.

Unsleeping is designed to keep your computer awake, preventing you from having to log back in each time you go away from the PC for a period of time. Its keystroke simulations, while not actually generating input, prevent the screensaver from loading or the monitor from turning off, surpassing the Windows’ settings.