Do Windows 10 Updates Continue While Computer Is In Sleep Mode?

Will Windows 10 Update Even If I Put My PC On Sleep Mode?

The short answer is NO! The moment your PC goes into Sleep Mode, it enters into a low power mode & all operations go on hold.

Making your system fall asleep while it’s installing Windows 10 Updates is not recommended. In the worst-case scenario, doing such things could corrupt your Windows OS, and you might have to reinstall it. So, Avoid it!

Generally, users schedule ‘active hours’ so that Windows doesn’t install updates at inconvenient times. So, when your PC goes into Sleep Mode, automatically all the actions get stopped & if there are any unsaved docs or opened applications, they are put into memory, keeping the PC into low power mode. Technically, your system stays On but conserves very less power.

What happens further, depends entirely on your PC’s active power profile & wake timers. For people unaware, Wake Timers are your system’s Alarm Clock that pulls the PC out of sleep. If you’re working on a laptop, the Wake Timers can be disabled, which means your laptop won’t wake up unnecessarily to update & overheat while stuffed in a bag. You can configure your system to wake only for important scheduled tasks.

To do so: You can head towards your Power Options and find three types of Wake Timer Settings: Disable, Enable and Important Wake Timers Only. The Windows 10 Updates fall under the Wake Timers Only category.

Therefore, you have to determine which important tasks can push your system to be awake.

How To Prevent Windows PC From Waking?

To make sure that your PC doesn’t start downloading Windows 10 updates while into Sleep Mode, you can change certain Power settings. Go to Settings > Click on Update & Security > choose Advanced Options > You’ll be shown options to delay & pause “feature” & “quality” updates.

Go for deactivating the Wake Timers altogether, so that you can prevent your PC from waking up to insignificant tasks. To determine the Settings & let your PC to stay awake at the time of essential Windows 10 Updates, follow the steps below:

• Go to Control Panel
• Choose System and Security option
• Locate Power Options and click on “Change When the Computer Sleeps” link.
• On the next pop-up, choose the option – Change Advanced Power Settings
• Next, you have to click on the ‘+’ icon next to the Sleep settings to expand more options
• Further, you have to click the ‘Allow wake timers’ setting to expand more options
• Choose Disable option from the drop-down menu

How To Keep Your Laptop In Low-Power State While Downloading Windows 10 Updates?

Okay so, if you want your laptop to consume less power, continue Windows 10 Updates for longer duration & don’t even put your computer to Sleep Mode. Try reducing the display time-out & brightness. You can do so by simply toggling from balanced to Power Saver Mode. It’s also recommended to change the action “When I Close The Lid” from Sleep to “Do Nothing”.

This can be done via:

• Going to Control Panel
• Hardware and Sound
• Click on Power Options
• System Settings and then selecting your Power Plan

What Microsoft Has To Say About Queries Related To Will Windows 10 Update If My Computer Is in Sleep Mode?

To know more about Hibernating & PC goes into Sleep Mode, you can refer to our previous guide right here!

Hope this small guide was helpful to know the answer to whether you can download Windows 10 Updates while in computer Sleep Mode.

For more such stuff, you can subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on our Social Media Channels. Stay updated on the latest Windows Tips, Tricks, Troubleshooting guides and much more!