Remember when you used to autumn asleep while watching Television set in the living room? If so, you probably used the Sleep Timer feature on your Tv to automatically shut it off later on an hour or so (to prevent it from playing all through the night).

Well, what if you don't apply a Boob tube anymore? More and more of us access entertainment on laptops or desktops. Wouldn't information technology be cool if at that place was a sleep timer pick for the PC?

Well, there is! Here's how you utilise Windows built-in shutdown feature to set a slumber timer.

How to Set a Slumber Timer Shutdown in Windows

Y'all can set a Windows sleep timer to shut downward your reckoner after a certain menses. The easiest way to set your computer to shut down on a timer is through the Command Prompt, using the Windows shutdown command.

First upwardly, launch the Control Prompt. Type command into your Commencement Menu search box and select the All-time Match.

Now, type in the following command:

          Shutdown -s -t 3600

The -s parameter indicates that this should shut down your computer, and the -t 3600 parameter indicates that in that location should be a delay of 3600 seconds, which equals ane hr. Simply by typing this command, you can quickly schedule a one-time shutdown—the perfect sleep timer.

command prompt shutdown timer with warning

The sleep timer operates in seconds. If you desire to set up the timer for 2 hours, input 7200, so on.

Create a Slumber Timer Desktop Shortcut

Now, if you want to use the sleep timer regularly, you can relieve yourself a few clicks with a sleep timer shortcut. You tin can create a shortcut that starts the slumber timer without having to open the Command Prompt.

Ameliorate yet, you tin also create a shortcut that cancels the sleep timer for those moments you realize you weren't quite done.

shutdown timer shortcut

Beginning upwardly, create a new shortcut. Right-click your desktop and select New > Shortcut. Copy and paste the following:

          Shutdown -s -t 3600

Requite the shortcut a proper name and click End. There y'all have information technology: a custom shutdown slumber timer.

shutdown shortcut change icon

For the final impact, right-click your sleep timer shortcut, select Properties, then Change Icon. Click through the warning, and y'all tin can select a custom icon for your slumber timer.

1 other option is to assign a keyboard shortcut for your sleep command—just make certain not to press information technology unexpectedly or without realizing it!

Create a Sleep Timer Cancellation Shortcut

What about if you start your sleep timer inaugural, then realize that you need to proceed using your figurer for longer than i 60 minutes?

Thankfully, y'all can also create a shortcut that cancels the sleep timer.

Right-click your desktop and select New > Shortcut. Copy and paste the post-obit:

          Shutdown -a

Give the shortcut and proper name and click Stop. You tin can add a custom icon for the slumber timer cancellation shortcut—make it a different icon so you tin spot the departure.

Defended Sleep Timer Shutdown App for Windows ten

If you don't want to use a shortcut or simply adopt a graphical user interface, yous take several sleep timer shutdown app options.

1. SleepTimer Ultimate

ultimate sleep timer main screen and options

SleepTimer Ultimate is a free slumber timer program with heaps of functionality.

You tin use SleepTimer Ultimate to set a broad range of sleep timers, each with unlike resulting actions. For example, you could set a specific time and date in the future for your figurer to shut down or to log out of the Windows account if the CPU load reaches a certain level.

Some other cool SleepTimer Ultimate feature is the timed programme launcher. You lot can set a program to launch after a specific amount of time elapses. Also, yous tin can add customizable slumber timer overlays to your desktop to runway the timer, making certain you lot know when your fourth dimension is up.

Download: SleepTimer Ultimate for Windows (Gratuitous)

2. Sleep Timer

sleeptimer app main screen different options

From the extensive functionality of SleepTimer Ultimate to the basic arroyo of Sleep Timer. Nonetheless, Sleep Timer does what you want: you set up the timer, leave your figurer, and it volition shut down at the appropriate time.

The app developer originally envisaged Slumber Timer as the perfect tool for those wishing to heed to music as they fall asleep, simply not leave their estimator running all night, which it does.

There are also options for a timed restart or hide, and you can set the shutdown sequence to brainstorm later a timed duration or a menstruum of inactivity.

Download: Slumber Timer for Windows (Free)

3. Adios

adios shutdown timer app with settings

The aptly named Adios is a gratis sleep timer for Windows with a handy and easy-to-utilise UI. At that place are options for timed shutdown, restarts, user logoff, and switching a monitor off. You use the upwardly and down arrows to set the time, which can see days if yous require.

You'll also discover an option to enable a voice notification for your shutdown timer, which is an interesting option.

Like SleepTimer Ultimate, you tin can use Adios to run a plan on a timer. Furthermore—and this is really cool—yous tin can use Evict to set a download to brainstorm at a specific time.

Download: Adios for Windows (Complimentary)

Changing the Sleep Timer on Your Laptop

Windows 10 has a sleep timer, and you probably already employ information technology. When you exit your computer, laptop, or tablet unattended, it will enter sleep mode automatically later a certain amount of time.

To edit the amount of time earlier sleep, type slumber in your Start Menu search bar and select the Best Lucifer. You tin can edit the slumber timers from this menu.

windows shutdown power options

There are two things to know about these options:

  • Screen: Configure when the screen goes to sleep
  • Sleep: Configure when the computer hibernates

The beginning selection, and then, doesn't put your unabridged calculator into sleep mode. Instead, but the screen switches off. You can employ the second "Sleep" selection to configure a specific corporeality of time earlier the system powers downwardly into hibernation manner.

The same slumber and power settings are bachelor in Windows 11, though the settings menu looks different from Windows x.

windows 11 power and sleep settings

If you are using a portable device, you'll notice actress options for your device on battery or connected to a mains outlet. There are other options, as well, like using the laptop power push as a sleep control.

Yous Can Set Windows Sleep Timers Hands

You now have multiple options to set a slumber timer on Windows x. The shortcut option gives you a basic shutdown timer, while the dedicated Windows x sleep timer apps give you extensive shutdown timer functionality.

Paradigm Credit: Junpinzon/Shutterstock

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Gavin Phillips (1047 Articles Published)

Gavin is the Junior Editor for Applied science Explained, a regular correspondent to the Really Useful Podcast, and a frequent production reviewer. He has a caste in Contemporary Writing pillaged from the hills of Devon, and more than than a decade of professional writing experience. He enjoys copious amounts of tea, board games, and football game.

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