Suppose, you leave your computer for a few minutes, and when you come back, the monitor is black. You frantically move your mouse around, but nothing happens. Sigh! Your monitor has entered power-saving mode again.
This can be annoying if it happens constantly, disrupting your workflow. But don’t worry, there are several potential causes of this issue and solutions to make your monitor stop going into power saving mode so frequently.
In this article, we’ll discuss common reasons why your monitor keeps entering power saving mode and how to troubleshoot and fix the problem for good. The goal is to resolve the issue so you can get back to an uninterrupted computing experience. We’ll go over basic troubleshooting steps, display settings adjustments, Windows tools to use, and some other tweaks that may get your monitor to stop turning itself off all the time. Let’s get started!
Power Saving Mode
Power saving mode is a key feature of computers and monitors that automatically reduces power consumption when the device is idle. It works by decreasing the brightness, contrast or shutting down non-essential components after a certain period of inactivity.
The main benefit of power saving mode is reducing energy use and saving electricity, which is better for the environment. It also helps extend battery life for laptops.
For desktop PCs, entering power saving mode can save on electricity bills. This feature is useful when you need to step away from your computer for a while but don’t want to fully shut it down and interrupt your work.
However, power saving can be inconvenient if it activates too aggressively or frequently. Having your monitor suddenly go black multiple times per day can disrupt workflows. Some users may prefer having their computers remain fully powered on even when briefly idle for maximum productivity.
There can also be compatibility issues with certain hardware and software that causes problems coming out of power saving mode. Finding the right balance requires adjusting power settings appropriately for your usage needs.
Why A Monitor Keep Entering into Power Saving Mode
There are a few common reasons for why your monitor aggressively go black and enters low-power mode. Identifying the specific trigger will lead to the best solution for keeping your display awake.
Defective Connection
Flaky connections or incorrect display settings might be the reason your monitor keeps reverting to power-saving mode.
Double check that all the connections between your graphics card and display are properly fastened. Give the cables a gentle jiggle to verify they are plugged in securely on both ends.
If you have spares, try swapping in different display cables one by one like HDMI, DisplayPort, USB-C, VGA, or DVI. This will reveal any faulty cables triggering power saving mode.
Lastly, turn off Auto Source Detection in your monitor’s settings menu. Manually select the display input that matches the cable you are using, whether HDMI, DisplayPort, etc. This forces the expected video input signal rather than relying on auto-detection.
With all connectors firmly attached, no bad cables, and the correct input mode chosen, any connection-related issues that were causing uncontrolled power saving should be eliminated.
Long Periods Of Idleness
Frequently, a monitor will enter power-saving mode when your PC sits inactive long enough to stop outputting any video signal. You can prevent this by tweaking your timeout settings.
Open the Settings app and go to the Display section. Under Power & Sleep, change the Screen Timeout and PC Sleep Time settings to Never.
You should also modify the Power Plan controls in the Control Panel. Click Additional Power Settings on the right, choose High Performance mode, and select Change Plan Settings. Now set both “Turn off Display” and “Put Computer to Sleep” sliders to Never.
Further, go to Change Advanced Power Settings. Under the Sleep section, change the “Sleep After” value to Never and click Apply.
With extended timeouts prevented, your monitor should no longer enter power saving just because your system has been idle. Only actions like manually putting the PC to sleep will trigger it.
GPU Driver Incompatibility
Incompatible or buggy graphics drivers can randomly trigger your monitor to enter power saving at odd times.
You can try uninstalling the current GPU driver from Device Manager. But for a thorough cleaning, use a specialized utility like Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU).
After installing DDU, select the “Clean and Restart” option to fully remove the problematic driver. If swapping in a new GPU, choose “Clean and Shutdown” to clear the old card’s driver before the hardware change.
With a fresh slate, head to your GPU manufacturer’s website and download the newest driver available. Reinstalling the latest driver should prevent any conflicts that were causing unintended power saving mode.
Dead Motherboard Battery
A drained CMOS battery on your motherboard can lead to your monitor entering power saving mode at startup.
Without enough charge, the battery won’t retain BIOS settings. You’ll see an error like “Devices changed or CMOS has been cleared” on boot. This halts the process before sending a video signal, so the monitor goes to sleep.
To fix, you can either press F2 on boot to reset BIOS which may allow booting to continue. Or replace the CR2032 CMOS battery on the motherboard.
Replacement is easy – just release the lock mechanism and swap in a new battery. This will allow proper BIOS operation and video signal on startup, preventing the monitor from going to sleep.
With a fresh CMOS battery, your PC can restore settings on restart so your display won’t lose signal and enter power saving unexpectedly.
Fix Monitor Keeps Entering Power Save Mode
If your monitor constantly reverts to power saving mode, it’s time to take action to resolve this nuisance. There are several practical troubleshooting steps you can take to identify the trigger and prevent your display from going black unexpectedly. With the right solution, your monitor can finally stop cycling into power saving needlessly.
However, you might also want to know what if your monitor stucks in power saving mode.
Basic Troubleshooting
When a monitor keeps reverting to power saving, start troubleshooting with some simple fixes.
Ensure all display cables are securely plugged into the correct ports on both the monitor and computer. Cables can work loose over time.
Also try swapping display cables, power cycling the monitor, and restarting your system. Different cables can rule out defects. A reset or power cycle forces hardware to re-initialize properly.
After checking connections, cables, and doing a reboot or power toggle, see if the issue is resolved. These basic steps provide an easy first line of defense against power saving mode.
If the problem persists, don’t worry. More advanced troubleshooting can get your monitor to stop entering power saving unnecessarily. But it’s wise to cover the basics first.
Modify Display Sleep Settings
If your monitor enters power saving mode frequently, the culprit could be aggressive sleep timers in your Windows power settings.
Open the Control Panel and go to Power Options. Select “Change when computer sleeps” on the left.
Now increase the display and sleep timers to 5-10 minutes minimum. This keeps the system active longer before idling out. Hit Save Changes.
You can also update timeouts via Command Prompt. Open it and type –
powercfg -change -standby-timeout-ac <minutes>
It will set a new sleep timer, substituting your desired minutes.
Or use –
powercfg /SETACVALUEINDEX SCHEME_CURRENT 238C9FA8-0AAD-41ED-83F4-97BE242C8F20 29f6c1db-86da-48c5-9fdb-f2b67b1f44da <seconds>
It will change the display shutoff timeout in seconds instead.
Extending these timeouts appropriately prevents quick power saving and lets you remain productive.
Run Windows Troubleshooter
The built-in Windows troubleshooting tools can help diagnose and fix monitor power saving problems stemming from power management misconfiguration.
Open Settings and go to System > Troubleshoot > Other Troubleshooters. Scroll down and select the “Power” troubleshooter, then click Run.
This will start the automated troubleshooter, which checks for common power-related problems and attempts to identify and resolve any issues that are triggering your monitor to inadvertently enter power saving mode.
The troubleshooter may fix misconfigured settings, update power drivers, or make other adjustments to restore proper power management behavior. While not a cure-all, it’s a convenient way to detect and rectify any obvious power management causes of unwanted monitor sleep.
Screen Resolution
Sometimes a monitor entering power saving mode can be caused by an incompatible or overly demanding screen resolution setting.
Try lowering your display resolution as a potential fix. Right click the desktop background, go to Display Settings, and adjust the Resolution slider to a lower value.
Your monitor may be having trouble maintaining higher resolutions, causing intermittent signal loss that triggers power saving mode as a result. Reducing the resolution puts less load on the monitor, which could prevent unexpected blackouts.
Switch GPU
An incompatible or failing GPU could potentially be causing your monitor to improperly enter power saving mode.
Attempt switching to another graphics processor as a troubleshooting step. Right-click the desktop and open your graphics control panel. Go to 3D Settings > Manage 3D Settings.
In the Preferred Graphics Processor dropdown, select Integrated Graphics. This utilizes your CPU’s built-in graphics instead of your dedicated GPU. Click Apply to save the change.
Finally, restart your computer for the new setting to take effect. Test if the monitor still goes into power saving mode randomly with the integrated graphics enabled.
If the issue disappears, it points to a problem with your regular GPU that was causing signal loss. Integrated graphics may provide a stable alternative if you can’t replace the main graphics card.
Check RAM Sticks
If your monitor enters power saving mode right when booting up, the issue may lie with faulty RAM sticks.
Try removing and reseating the RAM modules. Turn off and unplug the PC, then open the case. Locate the RAM slots on the motherboard and press the release tabs to eject the sticks.
Give the sticks a cleaning with a dry cotton swab. Then reinsert them firmly into the slots by applying even pressure on both sides until they click into place.
With clean connections between the RAM and motherboard, as well as an adequate CMOS battery, your monitor should be able to receive signal properly when booting rather than entering power saving.
Tweak the Display Timeout
If your monitor keeps entering power saving despite adjusting the basic settings, try modifying the Console Lock display timeout. This controls how long the lock screen remains on before the display turns off.
To access this hidden option, you’ll need to update the Registry:
Open the Registry Editor and navigate to the following path –
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Power\PowerSettings\7516b95f-f776-4464-8c53-06167f40cc99\8EC4B3A5-6868-48c2-BE75-4F3044BE88A7.
Double click on “Attributes” and change the value data from 1 to 2.
Now open Additional Power Settings in the Control Panel again. Under the Display tab, you should see a new “Console Lock Display Off Timeout” slider. Change this from 1 minute to something very high like 1000000. Hit Apply and OK.
With the lock screen timeout essentially disabled, your display should no longer turn off after just idling at the lock screen. Tweak as needed to prevent unwanted power saving.
Change Idle Policy
If you’ve tried everything and your monitor still enters power saving mode, change the Device Idle Policy to Performance as a last resort.
This hidden setting must be enabled via the Registry first. Open the Registry Editor and go to –
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Power\PowerSettings\4faab71a-92e5-4726-b531-224559672d19.
Double click “Attributes” and set the value data to 0.
Now reopen Additional Power Settings in the Control Panel. Under your active power plan, you’ll see a new option for “High Performance” or “Balanced”. Click the + to reveal Device Idle Policy and switch it from Power Saving to Performance. Hit Apply and OK.
With the policy set to Performance, your hardware should not be put into low power states even when idle. Monitor power saving mode should no longer initiate unexpectedly.
Troubleshooting a Secondary Monitor in Power-Saving Mode
If you find yourself facing the issue of your secondary monitor entering power-saving mode, while the primary monitor continues to function as usual, it’s crucial to begin by verifying the quality of the connection to your GPU.
Take the following steps:
- Open the Settings menu and navigate to the System section.
- Within the Display sub-menu, you should see both monitors listed, including your secondary monitor alongside the primary one.
- If, however, your second monitor is missing from the list, click on the “Detect” option to prompt your system to locate it.
If these initial steps don’t resolve the problem, it’s advisable to revisit all the previously mentioned troubleshooting methods one by one.
Addressing Power-Saving Mode During Gaming
If you’re encountering a situation where your monitor repeatedly enters power-saving mode or displays a “No Signal” message when you’re immersed in gaming or other resource-intensive activities, the likely culprit could be GPU instability.
This instability might arise due to various factors, such as an unstable GPU overclock, insufficient cooling in your PC, or inadequate power supply to your GPU.
Here’s what you can do:
- If you suspect an unstable GPU overclock is the issue, remove all overclock settings. Then, cautiously increase the GPU’s clock speeds while running stress tests to achieve a stable overclock.
- To prevent thermal throttling from causing monitor-related problems, ensure your PC stays adequately cooled. This can involve tasks like replacing thermal paste and increasing the GPU fan speed to dissipate heat more efficiently.
- Keep a close eye on your GPU’s temperature using monitoring software like MSI Afterburner, and make sure it doesn’t surpass 85 degrees Celsius.
Moreover, to eliminate potential conflicts, reset your monitor’s refresh rate and resolution to their default values. Here is how –
- Go to settings and click on System tab.
- Under the Display sub-menu, adjust the Display resolution to the value recommended by Windows.
- Next, click on the Advanced Display Settings option, where you can reset the refresh rate of your monitor.
If this doesn’t work, maybe you have a defective GPU.
By addressing these factors, you can minimize the chances of your monitor entering power-saving mode during your gaming sessions and enjoy a smoother gaming experience.
Wrapping Up
A monitor that constantly enters power saving mode can disrupt work, but with the right troubleshooting, there are solutions to this annoying problem. By methodically checking connections, software settings, drivers, and hardware, you can identify what’s triggering unwanted sleep and prevent your display from going black unexpectedly. Don’t tolerate a jittery monitor – implement these fixes to resume an uninterrupted and productive computing experience.
