When you put your computer to sleep, it enters a low-power state. It cuts power to almost every component:
| Action | Download Continues? | After Wake | |--------|--------------------|-------------| | Downloading in Chrome → Click Sleep | ❌ No | Paused; manual resume needed | | Windows Update downloading → Sleep (Modern Standby) | ✅ Possibly | May finish in background | | Steam/Battle.net download → Sleep | ❌ No | Paused; auto-resumes when awake | | Torrent client → Sleep | ❌ No | Stops; needs reconnection | | File copy over network → Sleep | ❌ No | Fails or pauses |
Go to System Settings > Displays > Advanced . Toggle on "Prevent automatic sleeping when the display is off." For MacBook users, ensure "Wake for network access" is enabled in the Battery settings. 2. Use "Wake on LAN" or Power Nap (Mac) when computer is in sleep mode does it still download
Turn your monitor off manually (if using a desktop) or just let the screen time out.
If Sleep Mode is a light nap, is a deep coma. Hibernation saves your current session to the hard drive and cuts power entirely. A computer will never download anything while in Hibernate mode. Pro-Tip for Gamers (Steam & Epic Games) When you put your computer to sleep, it
If you want to leave your desk but keep your file downloading, you need to prevent the computer from fully sleeping.
If you truly need downloads to finish overnight without leaving the PC fully awake, here are your options: Toggle on "Prevent automatic sleeping when the display
Here is the breakdown of why this happens and how to get around it.