Windows 10: Monitor turns off after 2 minutes of inactivity

Only been using Windows 10 for a week & yes, this little bug was starting to annoy me... The fix 'post above' worked for me perfectly for around 2 minutes! Turns out in the end to be VERY simple...
My screen saver was set to blank @ 2 minutes. Clicked/ selected screensaver to (none), Done, problem solved! *Thumbs Thanks all for taking the trouble to share!

 

In my case the solution was simple, but not easy to realize. I never use a lockscreen, but after the migration the updater changed my configs creating a blank lockscreen that runs after 1 minute of inactivity. My windows is in portuguese, then I do not know if in the english version the terms are the same I will describe below.

To change this configuration, click with the right button on the work area (where you have some icons and the wallpaper). Go in 'personalize' option (remember, I am translating from portuguese, the word in english can be other). At left bar, chose 'lockscreen'. At the end chose 'lockscreen configuration' (it is the last option). Then change the lockscreen to 'none' (first option) or change the wait time. If selected, unselect the option 'at restart, show logon screen'.

I hope this can help others.
Bruno

 

Stratowar I registered for this site just to let you know that you are AWESOME. I was ready to throw my computer out the window for this bug, but now it's fixed. That's one of about 100 down LOL.

BTW, I will never buy a Windows machine again. They were all I used at one point until a new job made me switch to Macs. I got a PC home computer just for fun after about 10 years away and I am so disappointed with what they've done with the system. Darned near useless. Just look at how deep they buried the fix to this trivial but highly annoying little hang-up.

/rant

 

I've read a lot of the responses to people with the same problem of the computer going to sleep after 2 minutes. I don't know the first thing about computers/coding/etc. Is there a simple solution for a non-tech person? I upgraded to Windows 10 and now think I may have to buy a whole new computer. I can't function with a computer that constantly goes to sleep. So frustrating.

 

This two-minute console lock was fixed with the (November) 1511 update to Windows 10.

HOWEVER, do not install the 1511 update. It corrupts the operating system! Read about this in other threads on the Windows 10 Forum. I'm a professional and spent all November trying to debug this on the first three releases. Microsoft re-released this update four times. On their third attempt, they pulled off the Internet and re-released it a fourth time on November 25. I have no confidence that the fourth attempt will work any better. Novice users don't stand a chance dealing with this. The only viable solution was to wipe the disk and install Windows 8.1. I'm waiting for Microsoft to provide a free recovery program before I try Windows 10 again. Other than that, the 1511 update to Windows 10 looked pretty good, but looks are deceiving.

 

This has saved the day! worked perfect and I no longer have to sign in after I get back from the printer that is 10 feet away! Maybe Microsoft should pay you a premium since they haven't done anything to help.

Edit: Aaaaaaaaaaaand it's gone...I shut down last night, started up this morning, and back to the same mess. I checked the settings and they are all still the same. It seems that the screen where you change your screen saver/preview overrides everything. I can set that to never, or the highest time amount, apply, close it, open it back up, and it is back to 5 minutes. THAT is the setting I need to know how to change.

 

This from another forum fixed this issue for me.

Got to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Power\PowerSettings\238C9FA8-0AAD-41ED-83F4-97BE242C8F20\7bc4a2f9-d8fc-4469-b07b-33eb785aaca0\DefaultPowerSchemeValues


Edit each of the sub-keys. Each corresponds to one of the power plans. If you choose ACSettings (Decimal value is 3600 seconds for 1 hour) you are choosing a behavior for when the machine is plugged in, DCSettings are for battery power.

 

So here's what I did, and it worked for me. I reset all power plans through the windows HP "?" search on my tool bar. When I did that, the "on battery" showed up as 5 min which is when my screensaver would timeout. I also removed my lock screen photo and let it default to windows scheme. I reset everything, but with times instead of selecting "never". I then set my screensaver for a time longer than what what the power management settings were, and it has worked. I can't explain exactly how since it was a lot of fist pounding and clicking, but two days and still working.

 

I had the same problem and I figured out an easier fix. select all your power setting that you want. then I went into screen saver menu, mine was set to blank. I selected another one then reselected blank and click apply. That is all it took.oh and by the way, my power settings, on battery and plugged in, were set to 15 minutes each, I switched them to 30. after that do screen saver, and apply settings. it should work. I was also on windows 7 and was upgraded to 10.

 

This was a stupid, simple fix that blessa figured out..... Go to your screen saver.... Select one..... Change the timeout to 3000 minutes.... then apply.....then change it to none and hit apply.... your time will still be there.... 3000 minutes albeit grayed out..... mine has not blanked out for 30 minutes after this change.....

 

nevermind

 

This was the fix!!!! Great job!!!

 

How did you even know this? And how is System unattended sleep timeout different than regular sleep timer?

 

Hi folks,

I have spent several days on and off investigating this and have gotten nowhere. Every single tip mentioned in the thread, from start to finish, has been performed, and my monitor still goes out after five minutes. No setting that I have been able to find is set to five minutes... This is the point where I give up for the time being.

The solution right now is that I have written a small Windows Application that prevents the system from going into any form of save mode regarding the monitor. I start it when I start work and I close it at night. A sad solution, but nonetheless working. I will clean up the code and post a link to the app here so that any of you sufferers can use it until it is resolved.

A good thing is that if someone could start a documentation of all parameters, registry or GUI, that affect this, and we can all add to it. I am a bit short of time, though...

So, now I can work my two computers without having to fiddle the mouse on the other every few minutes. Nice! Microsoft: bad mess!

All the best,

Per

 

Thanks and well done.
I'd like to know how you knew that too?
An example of Microsoft's security by obscurity, perhaps?