Monitors

How To Get Monitor Out Of Power Saving Mode (DIY Guide)

by Andrew White

Laptops and PCs have become an invaluable part of everyday life for many, both at home and work.

It is so easy to get things done on your Dell computer tower, but some settings, like your monitor's power save mode, can interrupt your workflow.

Need to stop your Windows PC from entering power save mode? We have plenty of tips and fixes for most computer monitors down below.

Stopping Your Monitor From Entering Power Saving Mode (4 Easy Steps)

Dell Monitor Entering Power Save Mode

Image from dell.com

The power saving mode on your computer is designed to automatically switch off the monitor when the computer is not in use for a certain amount of time.

The most common reason is that you have walked away from it for a time.

It turns your monitor completely black and suspends activity on your laptop. This feature can help you save on your energy bills and prevent screen burn from damaging your display.

To disable power save mode, we recommend following these simple steps.

1. Waking your monitor from power saver mode

  1. 1
    Move your mouse or press any key on your keyboard to turn off power saving mode
  2. 2
    Click or move the mouse again to activate your screensaver
  3. 3
    Enter your username and password to access your account
  4. 4
    Now that you are back in your profile, you can adjust your power settings to adjust or cancel power save mode from happening again.

2. Adjusting Your Sleep Settings

  1. 1
    Open Settings
  2. 2
    Go to Sytem > Battery > Power and Sleep Settings
  3. 3
    Once there, you will see two screens and sleep sections with two drop-down bars each. You can choose to adjust or cancel sleep mode by choosing anything from one minute to never

3. Checking Battery Settings

Another way to do it is to check your battery settings.

  1. 1
    Open your control panel
  2. 2
    Go to Power Options
  3. 3
    Select Change Plan Settings
  4. 4
    Switch the sleep option to never or anything over 1 minute and click save changes

4. Battery Toolbar Method

  1. 1
    Right-click on your battery icon
  2. 2
    Go to power options
  3. 3
    Click change power plan settings
  4. 4
    Once there, you will see the screen and sleep sections with two drop-down bars each. You can choose to adjust or cancel sleep mode by choosing anything from one minute to never

Why Is My Monitor Entering Into Power Save Mode?

Entering power save mode after the preset amount of time elapses in the display settings is perfectly normal and means your monitor is working fine.

It helps your PC and external monitor to conserve energy and save power.

However, if you have followed our steps above and decided to never allow power save mode from activating and your system still chooses to enter power saving mode, there are a few common problems that may be the cause.

Here are a few common reasons for it and how to resolve them.

On Start-Up

One of the most common reasons why you are having issues with power save mode is down to limited signals coming from a faulty connection.

  1. 1
    Unplug and replug your monitor connections to your computer, ensuring that they connect snugly once plugged in
  2. 2
    While you disconnect and connect these cables, inspect them for damage and try them in other ports or outlets to ensure that they are working.
  3. 3
    Replace any power cable that is no longer functional with different cables.

If it continues, you may need to power cycle your monitor.

  1. 1
    Turn off the monitor and PC at the power button and unplug the monitor and PC
  2. 2
    Wait for at least 30 seconds
  3. 3
    Plug in and turn your system back on again
  4. 4
    You may need to do this 1-3 times
Monitor No Input Signal Entering Power Save Mode

Image from forums.tomshardware.com

Finally, more tech-savvy PC users with a Thinkvision monitor or another brand like Samsung or LG monitor may try to get stuck in.

To try a more hands-on method, you may want to inspect your RAM sticks and CMOS battery to confirm that they are connected and communicating effectively.

Users who experienced similar issues with stand-by mode or safe mode found that reconnecting these solved the issue.

  1. 1
    Power off your system by holding the power button and unplug everything
  2. 2
    Unscrew and remove your case panel
  3. 3
    Expose the motherboard and firmly press on the DIMM slots tabs to remove the RAM modules[1]
  4. 4
    Gently wipe the modules clean with a cotton swab or dry microfiber cloth
  5. 5
    Replace the RAM modules
  6. 6
    Consider replacing your CMOS battery if you have not done so in a long time[2]
  7. 7
    Replace the casing and peripheral connections to your PC
  8. 8
    Plug it in and turn it on to confirm if that fixed the power-saving mode issue

During Use

One of the most common problems can occur after changing your monitor.

Getting a new one or adjusting the monitor settings can cause your system to revert to power save mode to indicate a resolution error.

You can fix this by:

  1. 1
    Open Display Settings
  2. 2
    Go to Resolution
  3. 3
    Try lowering the resolution
  4. 4
    Keep adjusting until you find the right one for you

Many users find that a faulty GPU may be the case when it comes to troubleshooting their computer's Lenovo monitor.

  1. 1
    Right-click on your desktop
  2. 2
    Go to your control panel
  3. 3
    Find your graphics card settings
  4. 4
    On the left-hand panel, click 3D settings>Manage 3D settings
  5. 5
    Choose Integrated Graphics in the Preferred Graphics menu
  6. 6
    Select Apply to save those changes
  7. 7
    Restart your computer to see if that helped

Another option to consider is to update all your software and, if you are a Dell monitor or PC user, update the BIOS from the Dell site.

Customize the settings to best suit you and see if that helps with the stuck-in-power problem.

BIOS settings can also be fixed another way.

  1. 1
    Shut down your system
  2. 2
    Boot it back up and click the F8 key on your keyboard
  3. 3
    Select Hibernation from the boot options
  4. 4
    Turn off Hibernation
  5. 5
    Click Apply
  6. 6
    Save changes and exit
  7. 7
    Reboot your computer again to see if that helped

Another potential fix for your power saving mode issue is to adjust the integrated graphics card or GPU connection setup.

  1. 1
    Examine your monitor and PC’s ports carefully to ensure that you have the right cables and ports[3]
  2. 2
    Connect your monitor to the DVI (Digital Visual Interface), DisplayPort, or the HDMI cable that came with the monitor.
  3. 3
    If you only have a VGA port to work with, you may need to get an adapter to convert the signal to DVI or DP/HDMI

After all of this, if you still find that you are having no video signal or limited signals that lead to power save mode, you may want to use Troubleshooter.

  1. 1
    Go to System Settings>Troubleshoot Settings
  2. 2
    Select Additional Troubleshooters
  3. 3
    Select Power
  4. 4
    Click Run
  5. 5
    Follow the required instructions suggested by your Troubleshooter

What Is The Purpose Of Power Saving Mode?

Power save mode was originally designed to save energy while your system was not in use. By letting your Dell monitor blackout, your Dell computer could use less residual energy.

By using less energy in the LCD and monitor itself, you can save money on your electricity bills and keep your system working efficiently for a long time to come.

So why is using power save mode and residual power a problem for some?

When power saving mode is activated, it takes longer to get back into your system and get back to what you were doing before.

Power save mode suspends these tasks, taking time to reload the software and re-establish communication with your monitor's driver.

This can cost you time but also data if you do not save before leaving your desk.

All of this adds up to compelling reasons for some to choose to delay or suspend power save mode entirely.

Dell Monitor in Power Save Mode

Image from dell.com

Monitor Power Saving Mode FAQs

Why won’t my monitors turn on after sleep?

There could be a few contributing factors, including an incorrect power options window setting or a faulty wire.

We recommend following our instructions above or getting in touch with a tech professional for aid.

Related: Computer Turns On But There's No Signal To The Monitor

Which key is the sleep button?

On Windows systems, you can hold Alt + F4 to sleep both individual windows and the system.

Just hold those keys over your desktop and select "Sleep" from the dialogue box drop menu. For Apple keyboards, press Option+Command+Media Eject keys.

How do I force restart my monitor?

If you have a flat-panel LCD, we recommend trying the following:

  1. 1
    Unplug your monitor power cable
  2. 2
    Wait 30 seconds or more
  3. 3
    Reconnect the cable
  4. 4
    Turn on the monitor

Conclusion

When you find your system automatically entering power save mode repeatedly, it can be a real disruption to your workflow.

By following our steps above, you can delay or prevent your Lenovo monitor display from showing you that dreaded black screen.

If none of the above can fix the issue, we recommend contacting a qualified professional to help you with your computer display or control panel issues.

References:

1. https://www.pcgamer.com/the-visual-pc-parts-guide/
2. https://www.hp.com/us-en/shop/tech-takes/what-is-cmos-battery-how-to-remove-and-replace
3. https://it.nmu.edu/docs/common-hardware-ports