Change Screen Timeout Settings: Windows, Mac, & Mobile

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Keep your screen active longer, or turn it off to save power

Co-authored by Travis Boylls Reviewed by Carter Keel

Last Updated: June 6, 2026 Fact Checked

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Using Windows

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Using Mac

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Using Android

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Using iPhone & iPad

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FAQ

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Screen timeout settings control how long it takes for your screen to turn off when your device is idle. Setting a shorter screen timeout can save battery life and prevent others from accessing your device. However, setting a longer screen timeout keeps your screen active longer, so you don’t have to keep unlocking your device. You can change your screen time settings in the settings menu on nearly all devices. This wikiHow article teaches you how to change your screen time settings on Android, iPhone, iPad, Windows, and macOS.

Change Screen Time Settings

Windows: Open Settings > System > Power & battery > Screen, sleep, & hibernate timeouts. Select your screen time-out settings for "On Battery" and "Plugged In."
Mac: Open System Settings > Lock Screen. Select your screen timeout settings when using a power adapter and on battery.
Mobile: Open Settings > Display > Screen timeout (Android) or Lock Screen (iOS). Select how long until your screen turns off when idle.

Section 1 of 5:

Using Windows

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To do so, Tech Expert Carter Keel says you can press Windows key + i to open the Settings menu or click the Windows Start button followed by the Settings/Gear icon.^{[1]
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Carter Keel
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In Windows 11, it’s the first option in the menu bar to the left. On Windows 10, it’s next to an icon that resembles a computer.

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Click Power & battery. It’s next to an icon that resembles a battery. This is where you can change your power-saving settings.
- On Windows 10, click Power & sleep in the menu bar to the left instead.
It’s the third option in the menu. It’s next to an icon that resembles a screen.
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Select how long to wait before your screen turns off. If you are using a laptop, you can change how long your computer waits before turning off the screen when plugged in or on battery power. Use the drop-down menu next to "Turn my screen off after" below both the "Plugged In" and "On Battery" headers to select how long your computer waits to turn off your screen.^{[2]
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- The default is "5 minutes" for plugged in, and "3 minutes" for battery.
- You can select as little as "1 minute" or as long as "5 hours."
- Select "Never" to disable screen timeout.
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Select how long to wait before your computer goes to sleep. When your screen turns off, all other processes still continue in the background. When your computer goes to sleep, it enters a low-power mode, and most background processes stop. If you are using a laptop, you can select a different sleep setting for when your computer is plugged in and for when your computer is using its battery. Use the drop-down menu next to "Make my computer sleep after" to select how long to wait before your computer goes to sleep, instructs Keel.^{[3]
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Carter Keel
Tech Expert

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- The default is "5 minutes" for plugged in, and "3 minutes" for battery.
- You can select as little as "1 minute" or as long as "5 hours."
- Select "Never" to disable sleep mode.
On Windows 11, your computer screen can turn off automatically when you leave your computer and wake automatically when you approach. Click the toggle switch next to "Turn off my screen when I leave" to toggle screen timeout when you leave on or off.
If you want your computer to wake or your screen to turn on automatically when you approach, click the toggle switch next to "Wake my device when I approach" to turn this feature on or off.
Lastly, you can allow your computer screen to dim when you look away to save more power. To toggle this feature on or off, click the toggle switch next to "Dim my screen when I look away."

Section 2 of 5:

Using Mac

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To do so, click the icon that resembles two silver gears in the Dock, or click the Apple icon, followed by System Settings.
It’s in the menu bar to the left. You may need to scroll down a bit to find it.
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Select your screen timeout settings for when your Mac is on battery. If you are using a MacBook, you can select a different screen timeout setting for when your Mac is using its battery power, or when it is plugged in to its AC power adapter. Use the drop-down menu next to "Turn display off on battery when inactive" to select how long your Mac waits to turn your screen off when using battery.
- You can select between "1 minute" and "3 hours."
- Select "Never" to disable screen timeout.
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Select your screen timeout settings for when your Mac is plugged in. Use the drop-down menu next to "Turn display off on power adapter when inactive" to select how long you want your Mac to wait before turning the screen off when it is plugged in.
- You can select between "1 minute" and "3 hours."
- Select "Never" to disable screen timeout.
Depending on what Mac model you are using, click Battery or Energy in the menu bar to the left.
If you prevent automatic sleep when your display is off, your Mac can run various background tasks while your display is turned off. When it sleeps, it enters a low-power mode with minimal processes. Click the toggle switch next to "Prevent automatic sleeping on power adapter when display is off" to prevent your Mac from going to sleep.

Section 3 of 5:

Using Android

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To do so, swipe down from the top of the screen. Then tap the Gear/Settings icon in the upper-right corner. You can also open the Settings in your Apps menu, which has an icon that resembles a gear.
Depending on your Android model, you’ll find Display or Display & touch in the Settings menu.
You should find this option in the Display menu a little ways down.
Depending on your device, you can select between 15 seconds to 10 minutes.^{[4]
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If you want your screen to stay on while you are actively viewing it, tap the toggle switch next to "Keep screen on while viewing" or "Screen attention," depending on what model you have. It should be below the screen timeout options.^{[5]
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Section 4 of 5:

Using iPhone & iPad

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To do so, tap the icon that resembles two silver gears on your home screen.
It’s next to an icon that resembles a sun. You may need to scroll down a bit to find it.
It’s at the bottom of the Display & Brightness menu.
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Select how long you want your display to stay on. You can select between 30 seconds to 5 minutes on iPhone, or 2 minutes and 15 minutes on iPad. Select "Never" to disable screen timeout.^{[6]
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- If you disable screen timeout, you’ll need to press the power button on your iPhone or iPad to turn off the screen.

Section 5 of 5:

Frequently Asked Questions

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Why does my screen timeout so quickly? There are a few reasons this may be happening:
- You may have your device’s power saving options turned on.
- You may have your screen timeout settings set low.
- Your device may not be plugged in.
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Why doesn’t my screen turn off? You may have your screen timeout set to never turn off, or a third-party app may be keeping your display on. Some devices have a setting that prevents your screen from turning off while you are viewing it.
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How can I keep my display on longer? Disable your screen timeout in the Settings menu, or set a longer timeout setting. Alternatively, you can use third-party apps or websites to keep your display on.
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Is keeping your display on bad for it? It can be. On some monitors, keeping your display on the same screen for long periods can cause burn-in. It can also result in dead pixels over time. This isn’t a huge problem for most modern LCD and LED monitors. At the very least, keeping your display on constantly consumes more power.
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Can I disable screen timeout on Android? Some Android models allow you to select "Never" in the screen timeout settings menu. If your model does not have this option, you can enable developer options and then enable "Stay Awake" in the developer options menu. This will disable the screen timeout settings while your device is connected to a charger.
- To enable developer options, open About Phone in the Settings menu. Then tab the Build number seven times. It may be under Software information on some devices.