Why can't I adjust when the screen turns off?

Question

After the last update, I am not able to adjust the amount of time before the screen automatically turns off.

Answer 1

Dear Amy P, 

Thank you for your question and for sharing the details into Microsoft Q&A Forum. 

I understand it can be frustrating when, after an update, you can no longer change a basic setting like when the screen turns off / sleep timing on Windows 11 Home. To narrow down what is controlling the setting on your PC, could you please help with the checks below? 

• In Settings > System > Power & battery > Screen and sleep, is the screen timeout option greyed out, or can you change it, but it doesn’t save / keeps resetting after closing Settings or restarting? 
• Is this PC company-managed, for example, do you see anything under Settings > Accounts > Access work or school?  
• After the last update, did you install or update any OEM power/battery utility (e.g., Dell/HP/Lenovo/ASUS power manager tools)? 

While our initial response may not fully resolve the issue, we truly appreciate your cooperation as we work together toward identifying the most effective solution. Thank you so much for your understanding. 

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Answer 2

Thanks for your feedback! Take Care!

Answer 3

Hi! Where did you change the screen timeout options? There are two ways:

1. Open Windows Settings > System > Power & Battery > Screen timeout...
2. Press Windows + R > Type powercfg.cpl > Click on Change plan settings next to the selected plan.