Windows 11: Computer Won’t Wake Up From Sleep [SOLVED]

If you are using a computer running Windows 11 and you find that it won’t wake up from sleep mode, you are not alone. There are various reasons why your computer might not wake up from sleep mode, and fortunately, there are steps you can take to troubleshoot and fix the problem.

Key-Takeaways

• Windows 11 users may encounter issues with their computer not waking up from sleep mode, which various reasons can cause.
• Common symptoms of the problem include a black screen, an unresponsive computer, fans and lights on but a blank screen, and the computer being stuck in sleep mode.
• Troubleshooting tips include checking for hardware and software issues, adjusting power settings, changing sleep mode settings, and updating BIOS or firmware.

Why Won’t My Computer Wake Up From Sleep In Windows 11? 

Following are some common symptoms you may experience if your Windows 11 computer won’t wake up from sleep mode:

Black Screen

When you try waking your computer from sleep mode, the screen may remain black or unresponsive.  This could mean a hardware issue, such as your graphics card or a monitor not working properly. It might also result from a software bug like a driver problem.

The Computer Fails To Respond To Any Input

Another symptom is when your computer doesn’t respond to input, such as mouse clicks or keyboard commands. This may indicate a more serious problem, such as a corrupted system file or a hardware issue with your motherboard or processor.

Fans And Lights Are On, But The Screen Is Blank

In this case, your computer may be partially awake, but the screen is still blank. This can be due to a power management setting that prevents the display from turning. It can also be a hardware issue with your graphics card or monitor that could cause it.

The Computer Is Stuck In Sleep Mode

If your computer is stuck in sleep mode and won’t wake up, you may need to manually shut down and restart your system. This can be caused by a corrupted system file or a hardware issue with your computer’s motherboard.

How To Fix Computer Won’t Wake Up From Sleep In Windows 11 

Let’s discuss some effective troubleshooting tips to cater to the problem of the computer won’t wake up from sleep.

Hardware And Software Issues

When troubleshooting a computer that won’t wake up from sleep mode, it’s important to check hardware and software components. This will help identify the problem’s root cause and find a solution quickly.

Hardware Issues

First, let’s take a closer look at tips to troubleshoot hardware issues that may be causing your computer to fail to wake up from sleep mode.

1. Checking all cables and connections is the first step. Check to ensure that your monitor, power supply, and USB devices are properly plugged in and working correctly.

   

2. If you are using a laptop, check the battery level. If the battery is low or not charged, it may be the reason why your computer is not waking up from sleep mode.
3. USB devices and peripherals can also be a cause of problems. If you suspect a specific device is causing the issue, try disconnecting it and see if it persists. If the computer wakes from sleep mode without the device connected, that device may be causing the issue.

Software Issues

Now let’s take a closer look at software issues.

1. If you have any programs or processes that are currently running, close them and try to wake up your computer again. This can be done by force shutting down the computer. Press and hold the power button on your computer until it completely shuts down to force a shutdown. To restart it, press the power button one more time.
2. Another common cause of sleep mode problems is outdated drivers or firmware. After force shutting down your computer once, if it reboots properly. Make sure to update your hardware components’ drivers and firmware to the latest version to avoid any conflicts with Windows 11.
3. If you have recently installed any security software or changed any settings, it’s also a good idea to check if they interfere with the computer’s sleep mode. Some security software can prevent your computer from entering sleep mode or waking up from it.

Adjusting The Power Settings

When a computer is in sleep mode, it saves power by turning off the display and reducing the power usage of components. The computer may not come out of sleep mode if the power settings are not configured correctly. Here are the steps to adjust the power settings:

1. Open the Control Panel or Settings app.

   

2. Click on “Power Options.“
3. Select “Active power plan.“
4. Click “Change plan settings.“
5. Ensure the “Put the computer to sleep” option is set to the desired time or “Never.”
6. Select “Change advanced power settings.”

   

7. Adjust the settings for components such as hard disk and processor.
8. Click “Apply” and “OK” to save changes.

Changing The Sleep Mode Settings

Changing the sleep mode settings is a troubleshooting tip that can help solve issues when a computer doesn’t wake up from sleep mode in Windows 11. Here’s a detailed explanation of how to change the sleep mode settings:

1. Open the Settings app: You can access the Settings app by clicking on the Windows Start button and selecting the gear icon or pressing the Windows key + I on your keyboard.
2. Select System: In the Settings app, click on the System option.
3. Choose Power & Sleep: In the left-hand sidebar, click the Power & Sleep option.
4. Adjust the sleep settings: Under the Sleep section, adjust the settings to your preferred sleep mode. You can choose from three different sleep modes: “Never,” “When plugged in, PC goes to sleep after,” and “When this PC is running on battery power, PC goes to sleep after.” Adjust the settings according to your preference.

   

5. Change the advanced sleep settings:  To open the Power Options in the Control Panel, select “Additional power settings” from the Related Options section. Here, you can customize the advanced power settings, including the sleep mode options such as hybrid sleep, hibernate, and sleep after.
6. Save changes and exit:  Click the “Save changes” button after selecting, then exit the Control Panel.

Updating The BIOS Or Firmware

Updating the BIOS or firmware of your computer can solve sleep mode issues caused by outdated software. Here are the steps to update the BIOS or firmware:

1. Identify your computer’s manufacturer and model number.  This information can be found in the computer’s manual or the manufacturer’s website.
2. Visit the support or download part of the manufacturer’s website.
3. Locate the BIOS or firmware update for your computer model and download it to your computer.
4. During the updating procedure, make sure your computer is powered on. Your machine could experience severe issues if the updating process is interrupted.
5. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to install the BIOS or firmware update. This usually involves running an executable file that will update the firmware.
6. Once the update is complete, restart your computer and test if the sleep mode issue is resolved.

For more help, consult our guide on how to reset BIOS settings.

Disabling Hibernation Mode

Hibernation mode is a power-saving setting that shuts down your computer after saving its present state to the hard drive.

Disabling hibernation mode can prevent the computer from getting stuck in this state and not waking up from sleep mode. Here are the steps to disable hibernation mode:

1. As an administrator, launch the Command Prompt. The Command Prompt can be opened by putting “cmd” into the Windows search box, right-clicking it, and choosing “Run as administrator.”

   

2. Type “powercfg.exe /hibernate off” into the Command Prompt and press Enter. Your computer’s hibernation mode will be turned off as a result.
3. Restart your computer to make sure the changes take effect.

Advanced Troubleshooting

Advanced troubleshooting techniques should be used when basic troubleshooting methods have failed to resolve the issue.

Checking The Event Log

Checking the event log is an advanced troubleshooting technique that can help identify the cause of the issue when a computer fails to wake up from sleep mode in Windows 11.

Here are the steps to check the event log:

1. Press the Windows key + X to open the Quick Link menu, and then select “Event Viewer” from the list or search it manually from the search bar.

   

2. Expand the “Windows Logs” folder in the left pane in the Event Viewer window.
3. Click on the “System” log, which records system events and errors.
4. Look for any events labeled “Critical,” “Error,” or “Warning” that occurred before or during sleep mode. These events may indicate the cause of the issue.

   

5. Double-click on an event to view its details, including the event description, date, time, and source of the problem.
6. Review the event descriptions and note any pertinent details that might assist in determining the problem’s root cause.
7. Use the information gathered to search for solutions online or to seek professional help.

Running System Diagnostics

Running system diagnostics is useful for identifying issues with a computer’s hardware and software components.

Here are the steps to run system diagnostics:

1. You can access the Run dialogue box by holding down the Windows key and R on your keyboard.
2. Type “msconfig” into the Run box, click on the “General” tab, and select “Diagnostic startup.“
3. Restart the computer in diagnostic mode.
4. Open the Run dialogue box again and type “mdsched.exe” to launch the Windows Memory Diagnostic tool.

   

5. Choose “Restart now and check for problems.“
6. The Windows Memory Diagnostic tool will immediately launch after the computer restarts and scan the system’s memory for any issues.
7. Once the diagnostic check is complete, Windows will restart automatically.
8. Check the results of the diagnostic check to identify any hardware or software issues that were detected.

Performing A System Restore

Performing a system restore is a troubleshooting technique that involves reverting the computer’s operating system to a previous state before the issue occurred. The steps to carry out a system restoration in Windows 11 are as follows:

1. Open the Control Panel.
2. Now, in the advanced recovery tool, click on “Open System Restore.”

   

3. Click “Next” on the initial System Restore screen.
4. Choose a restore point that was made prior to the problem occurring. You can choose from the list of recommended restore points or click “Show more restore points” to see additional options.
5. Click “Next” to continue.

   

6. Verify the restoration point you’ve chosen is the right one by reviewing its specifics.
7. To start the system restore procedure, click “Finish“.
8. A confirmation message will warn that the restore process cannot be interrupted. Click “Yes” to continue.
9. The system restore process will begin, and the computer will restart multiple times during the process.
10. Once the process is complete, a message will appear indicating that the system restoration was successful.
11. Check if the issue has been resolved.

Note that performing a system restore will remove any programs or updates installed after the selected restore point, so it is important to back up any important files beforehand.

Reinstalling Or Updating Windows 11

Reinstalling or updating Windows 11 is an advanced troubleshooting technique that should be a last resort if none of the other methods works. Here are the steps to reinstall or update Windows 11:

Reinstalling Windows 11

1. On an external storage device, make a backup of all vital files.
2. Put the DVD or USB drive containing the Windows 11 installation media into the machine.
3. Restart the computer and press the key to enter the BIOS setup.
4. To start from the installation media, change the boot order.
5. Exit the BIOS setup after saving it.
6. For Windows 11 installation, adhere to the on-screen directions.
7. Reinstall any required programs once the installation is finished, and then restore any backed-up files.

Updating Windows 11

1. Click the Start button and select “Settings.”
2. Click “Update & Security.“

   

3. Click “Windows Update” and select “Check for updates.”

   

4. Select “Download and Install” to start the update procedure if updates are available.

   

5. To finish the update, adhere to the instructions displayed on the screen.
6. Restart the computer after the update is finished.

Remember that updating or reinstalling Windows 11 may delete all installed programs and files, so backup any crucial information before continuing.

Final Words

Arsalan Shakil

[Errors Troubleshooting Expert]

Arsalan Shakil (aka GuyThatDoesEverything on YouTube) is a PC Tech Enthusiast and Electronic Geek. With over 10+ years of experience in Electronics, he then decided to explore Software Engineering to design embedded products and automate existing hardware solutions. 

When he started tearing down old cameras to understand how they worked, he was shocked (literally, when he got zapped by a flash discharge capacitor), giving him the power (debatable) to fall in love with videography/photography. He also started making some fun videos that later became YouTube tech reviews.

Skills:

• 10+ years of experience in Electronics design, embedded solutions, and prototyping
• Majored in Software Engineering
• Research paper publication in IEEE for Embedded Military Uniform & LoRa WAN wireless technology
• Specialized in IoT Solutions
• PC Enthusiast & PC Modder

In his local region, he’s known to expose cheap PSU brands, often claiming fake certification or false claims on the box. He’s a true nerd and needed some friends in his life. Then he met some guys who work at Tech4Gamers, and they also came out to be equal nerds who suggested he join Tech4Gamers as a Hardware Expert.