The Tool Desk
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To keep a spare Windows 11 PC awake overnight, plug it in and set its plugged-in sleep timeout to Never: open Settings > System > Power & battery > Screen, sleep, & hibernate timeouts, then change Make my device sleep after. You can still let the display turn off; screen-off and system-sleep are separate settings. These steps are for Windows 11, not macOS or other operating systems.
Set the spare PC to stay awake while plugged in
- Connect the PC to power. For a laptop, do not rely on its battery for an overnight stream.
- Open Settings > System > Power & battery > Screen, sleep, & hibernate timeouts.
- Under the plugged-in controls, set Make my device sleep after to Never for the period you plan to stream. Windows provides separate timeout choices for plugged-in and battery operation. Microsoft’s Windows power and sleep settings guide describes the control as the time the device waits before sleeping when unused.
- Choose Turn my screen off after separately. Set a shorter interval if you do not need the monitor lit overnight. Turning off the display does not, by itself, put the PC to sleep.
Check that the stream remains active
Changing the sleep timeout prevents the configured idle sleep behavior; it does not guarantee that a streaming app or platform will keep its connection overnight. The streaming software and destination are not specified here, so verify their behavior directly.
- Start the cartoon livestream as you normally would.
- Run a shorter unattended trial with the screen timeout set as intended and the PC plugged in.
- From another device, check that the stream is still active and playing after the trial. If it has stopped, investigate the streaming app, network connection, and platform status as well as the PC’s power settings.
- After the overnight stream, restore your usual sleep timeout if you want the PC to sleep when it is idle.
If the PC still sleeps
First make sure you changed the plugged-in sleep control, not only the battery setting, and confirm that the PC is receiving power. If the ordinary setting does not take effect, a device policy or advanced power-management configuration may be involved.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Microsoft documents policy controls for plugged-in standby timeouts and for whether applications, services, or drivers can prevent automatic sleep. Availability and behavior depend on the Windows edition and version. These controls are generally relevant to managed or advanced configurations, so check for an overriding device policy before changing policy-level settings. Microsoft’s power policy documentation describes those controls.
#1 Best Overall
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Windows also has an away mode for certain media applications that need background processing while the system appears asleep. Microsoft says this mode should be used only when absolutely necessary; it is not the starting point for an ordinary overnight livestream. Microsoft’s Windows power-state documentation explains the specialized use.
Or let it run in the cloud
If the goal is an always-on YouTube channel rather than keeping this particular PC running, StreamNeo is a cloud service for looping uploaded videos. Upload your recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live; the stream runs in the cloud, so nothing has to stay on at home. It plays uploaded videos rather than broadcasting a camera, and it streams to YouTube only.
Quick Recap
Best Value
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Rank #4
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Rank #3
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Rank #2
- SPACE-SAVING PERFORMANCE FOR HOME & OFFICE – The Dell OptiPlex 3070 Micro delivers dependable computing power in a compact footprint, making it ideal for desks with limited space or clean, minimal workstations.
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- Each slot streams the uploaded video as made, up to 4K 60fps, at one flat price per slot.
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- Monthly access is $9.99 per month.
Start your free StreamNeo day.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

