As a Windows 10 user, you may have noticed that the screen of your computer can turn off automatically after a certain period of inactivity. This feature can be handy to save battery life on a laptop or to prevent screen burn-in on a desktop monitor, but it can also be annoying if it happens too quickly or too often, especially when you’re watching a video or giving a presentation. Fortunately, you can adjust the power settings of your Windows 10 device to stop it from turning off your screen, or at least extend the time before it does. Here’s how to do it.

1. Use the Control Panel

The easiest way to change the power settings of your Windows 10 device is to use the Control Panel. To access it, click on the Start menu, search for “Control Panel”, and open it. Then, go to the “Power Options” section. Here, you’ll see a list of power plans that you can choose from, such as Balanced, Power saver, or High performance. Click on the one you’re currently using or want to customize, and then click on “Change plan settings”.

In the next window, you’ll see two options: “Turn off the display” and “Put the computer to sleep”. The former controls how long the screen stays on before it dims or goes black, while the latter controls how long the whole computer stays on before it goes to sleep mode (which is different from turning off the screen). You can adjust these settings by using the drop-down menus next to them. For example, if you want to prevent the screen from turning off automatically, set the “Turn off the display” option to “Never”. Don’t forget to click on “Save changes” once you’re done.

2. Use the Settings app

If you prefer to use the modern interface of Windows 10, you can also change the power settings using the Settings app. To do so, open the Start menu, click on the gear icon to open the Settings app, and then go to the “System” section. Here, you’ll find a tab called “Power & sleep” that lets you customize the same options as in the Control Panel.

Simply select the desired values for “Screen” and “Sleep” based on how long you want your Windows 10 device to stay active before the screen turns off or the computer goes to sleep. You can also choose different times for when the device is plugged in and when it’s running on battery power. Additionally, you can enable or disable the “Turn off screen after idle time” feature, which lets you set a specific time limit for when the screen should turn off, regardless of whether there’s any activity on the device.

3. Use a third-party tool

If you want more control over your Windows 10 power settings, you can use a third-party tool that offers advanced features and options. One such tool is called “PowerToys”, which is a free and open-source software suite developed by Microsoft. Among its many utilities, PowerToys includes a “PowerRename” module that lets you bulk rename files, a “FancyZones” module that lets you organize and resize windows, and a “PowerPlan” module that lets you create and switch between power plans easily.

To use PowerToys, you’ll need to download and install it from the official website. Once installed, open the PowerToys app and go to the “Power” tab. Here, you’ll see the current power plan and its settings, including a graph that shows how much energy your device is consuming. You can create a new power plan by clicking on the “Create new” button and then customizing the values for “Monitor off”, “System standby”, and “System hibernate”. You can also edit an existing power plan by clicking on the “Edit” button and changing the values as you wish. Once you’re satisfied with the settings, click on “Apply” to save them.