There are occasions when it is necessary to leave the computer on even in our absence, so as to complete a longer operation (rendering an image or converting a video) or a particularly heavy download. In all these cases it can be useful to set the PC to lock and shut down after a certain period of time, also using programs that can automatically shut down the computer after a certain period of inactivity or when a process operation has ended .
In this guide we will show you both the energy saving settings offered by Windows 10 and some valid programs to turn off the computer after a certain period (obviously we try to set a sufficiently long period, so as to cover the entire activity that we leave pending) .
READ ALSO: 8 Programs to turn off the computer automatically with timer
Windows power saving settings
Windows 10 offers various energy saving settings, so you can turn off the monitor and then hibernate your PC after a programmable period of inactivity. The settings are valid for both fixed PCs and notebooks (on the latter it is even more useful to set these "timers" so as to save battery).First let's go to the Start menu at the bottom left and open the Settings app (this menu is also accessible from the gear icon). Once the settings panel is open, let's go to the System -> Power and suspend path.
From here we can configure the shutdown of the monitor and the subsequent suspension of the computer after a certain period of inactivity, modifying the various parameters proposed. In order to obtain a good compromise between waiting time and execution of the suspension, we recommend setting the parameters as follows:
Screen section
- If battery powered, disable after 10 minutes
- If connected to the mains, deactivate after 20 minutes
Suspension Section
- If battery powered, the PC goes to sleep after 15 minutes
- If connected to the mains, the PC goes to sleep after 30 minutes .
To lock the PC until we return, we configure a login password by going to Settings -> Accounts -> Login options .
We can also configure dynamic lock, so that we can lock the computer as soon as we move away from the location (using the Bluetooth connection between phone and computer).
The same items can also be configured on Windows 7 and Windows 8.1, by opening the Control Panel -> Hardware and Sound -> Power Options and clicking on the Change computer sleep settings item.
Programs to turn off the PC after a certain amount of time
To lock the computer after a certain amount of time, we can also use free programs that can be installed on any version of Windows.Auto Lock
Auto Lock is a free mini tool for all versions of Windows that allows you to configure the automatic shutdown or lock of the PC .
Autolock is a light and simple program to configure. First we can choose between two modes: If Idle and Force .
With the If Idle mode, you can specify a time of inactivity of the computer (when the PC does not work on anything and does not touch either the mouse or the keyboard) within which the PC must disconnect, must shut down or lock with a password. With the Force mode, however, the timer is inexorable and when it drops to zero (whatever activity we are doing), the computer will lock or shut down.
As settings to be made, we can choose whether to shutdown the computer, lock it, log it off, restart it or do nothing (the screen will only be turned off). At the same time, you can choose to turn off the screen and turn off computer sounds when the countdown ends. For example, you can simultaneously select the Windows lock and the screen dimming.
Autolock can be minimized in the notification area but is closed if you press the X button in the configuration window. It cannot be set automatically because the timer start can only be set manually by pressing the Start button.
This tool is very simple but adds a few more options than the Windows power saving settings which can only turn off the screen or suspend the computer.
PowerOff Timer
On Windows 10 we can also install the PowerOff Timer program, available directly from the Store App.
With this simple program we can set the shutdown (but also the restart, the suspension or the hibernation) of the computer at a precise time of the day (configurable in AM / PM mode).
By setting an operation, a specific time and pressing the Activate button, we will be able to start a comfortable timer that will turn off or lock the PC at the set time, without the need to be around to complete the operation.
Conclusions
By using the settings offered by Windows and supporting one of the two recommended programs, we will be able to control the shutdown of our computer, so as to prevent it from being left on too long or that someone can use it without our permission. To this we add that many programs offer the possibility to set the shutdown of the computer at the end of the operation (for example the burning programs, the rendering programs, the video editing programs and the programs to download P2P files), so as to have the absolute certainty that at the end of the task, the program itself will shut down the computer for us!In other articles we have seen How to set the automatic shutdown of the PC with a sleep timer, How to shutdown the computer remotely and in another guide we showed you How to shutdown the computer with automatic restart and hibernation .
