If your computer doesn’t display the screensaver no matter how much you wait, our guide will help you fix this. Additionally, we will show you what to do when the screensaver freezes or when you can’t exit screensaver mode.
1. Turn On the Screensaver via Settings
By default, the Windows screen saver is disabled. So if you don’t remember configuring its settings, there is a chance you need to turn it on from Windows settings for it to start. Follow these steps to enable the screensaver and personalize it:
Open Settings by pressing the Windows key + I keyboard shortcut. Head to Personalization. From the left pane, select Lock screen. Click Screen saver settings. Use the Screen saver drop-down menu to select the screensaver. You can check how the screensaver looks by clicking Preview. Use the field next to Wait to set after how many minutes of screen inactivity the screensaver starts. Click Apply > OK to save your new screensaver settings.
If you want to lock your computer once the screensaver starts, check the On resume, display logon screen option. Additionally, set the waiting time to one or two minutes when you first turn on the screensaver so you can test if it works properly.
Note: If you haven’t activated Windows, you can’t adjust the screensaver’s settings.
2. Disconnect Any External Devices You No Longer Need
If you set up the screensaver and it doesn’t activate, try removing some devices that you are no longer using. External devices such as joysticks, cameras, or headphones could stop your system from triggering the screensaver.
If you disconnect all unnecessary devices and the screensaver still doesn’t start, you should try other solutions from our list.
3. Change the Sleep Time on Your Computer
If it takes your computer less time to enter sleep mode than it takes to trigger the screensaver, you will never see the screensaver. This is because your computer is already in sleep mode before the screensaver should be triggered.
To fix it, you need to adjust the sleep time or the screensaver’s wait time. Go through the steps presented above to change the screensaver’s wait time. If you want to adjust the sleep time, follow these steps:
Open Settings. Head to System > Power & sleep. Below Sleep, use the drop-down menus to set a new time.
Note: You should set a new time both for On battery power, PC goes to sleep after and When plugged in, PC goes to sleep after options.
4. Check the Presentation Settings
Windows has many tricks that you may not know about and presentation mode could be one of them. While it’s great for a business environment since it doesn’t interrupt your speech, it turns off the screensaver.
To turn off presentation mode, right-click Start and head to Mobility Center. Then, click the Turn Off button below Presenting. If you want to check more setting, click the Projector icon.
5. Run the Power Troubleshooter
If you couldn’t find anything wrong with the screensaver settings, it’s time to move on to Windows troubleshooting tools. Running the Power troubleshooter could fix the screensaver issues.
Click Start and go to Settings > Update & Security. From the left pane, select Troubleshooter. Click Additional troubleshooters. Head to Find and fix other problems. Click Power > Run the troubleshooter.
The troubleshooter will fix on its own any detected issue. After that, check if the screensaver is working.
6. Run an SFC Scan
If there are damaged or corrupt system files that stop the screensaver from working properly, the System File Checker should fix the problem. Launch Command Prompt with administrative rights and use the sfc /scannow command to start the scanning process.
The process might take a while so make sure that you or anyone else doesn’t close the Command Prompt window. If it finds any corrupted or damaged files, the SFC will replace them automatically.
7. Reset Power Plan Settings
Because the screensaver is a power feature, some stray power settings can stop the screensaver from triggering. In this case, reverting the power plan’s settings to defaults should fix the problem. Here is how you can do it:
Open Control Panel. From the View by menu, select Large icons or Small icons. Open Power options. Click Change plan settings > Restore default settings for this plan.
8. Update Display Drivers
If your computer screensaver works, but the screensaver freezes, you should update the display driver. While graphic card drivers are usually updated through Windows updates, there is a chance you are using a driver that isn’t included in Windows updates.
In this situation, you can manually update the display drivers through Device Manager. Here is how you can do it:
Input device manager in the Start menu search bar and select the Best match. Extend the Display adapters list. Right-click the graphics driver and select Update driver. In the pop-up window, choose Search automatically for drivers.
You can also look for available updates on the manufacturer’s website as long as you make sure you are installing an update that is compatible with your system.
Is Your Computer Stuck in Screensaver Mode?
There is also the case when the screensaver works just fine until you want to get back to work and can’t exit it. If you tried using your mouse and nothing happened, your mouse might be at fault.
Try to disconnect and reconnect it or check its battery if you are using a Bluetooth mouse. Also, clean your desk or mouse pad so there isn’t any dust that stops your mouse from working properly.
If there is nothing wrong with your mouse and you still can’t exit screensaver mode, press Ctrl + Alt + Del and then Esc. Additionally, pressing the Windows key should help you.
Personalize Your Computer
Screen savers were developed to keep older monitors from getting burnt. On CRT monitors, if an image was displayed for a long time, it would get burnt in.
While modern monitors don’t have this problem, you can still use a screensaver to bring back some older systems nostalgia or personalize your screen when idle.
