Does PowerToys Awake Keep Slack or Teams Active? No, Here Is Why

No. PowerToys Awake keeps a Windows PC from going to sleep, and with Keep screen on it keeps the display on too. It does not create keyboard or mouse input. Slack sets you away 10 minutes after your last keyboard or mouse input, and Microsoft Teams sets you away after 5 minutes of inactivity, whether the PC is awake or not. Awake fixes only one thing: the instant away you get when Windows sleeps or locks.

What PowerToys Awake does

Awake is a free utility in Microsoft PowerToys. Microsoft Learn describes it as a way to keep your computer awake without changing its power and sleep settings. While Awake runs, Windows does not go to sleep; when you turn it off, your normal power plan returns. If you would rather not install the whole suite, PowerToys Awake alternatives compares Caffeine, Don't Sleep and the built-in options.

How to set up PowerToys Awake

• Install PowerToys from the Microsoft Store, GitHub or winget (winget install Microsoft.PowerToys). A per-user installer is available if you have no admin rights.
• Open PowerToys Settings, select Awake, and turn on Enable Awake.
• Pick a mode, and turn on Keep screen on if you want the display to stay lit.
• Or right-click the Awake cup icon in the system tray and choose a mode there.

Does PowerToys Awake keep Teams active?

No. Teams shows you as Away after 5 minutes of inactivity. Awake keeps the PC from sleeping, so you avoid the instant away on sleep, but Teams still counts down because Awake sends no input. Other Teams options are in keep Teams and Slack active.

Does PowerToys Awake keep Slack active?

No. The Slack desktop app counts keyboard and mouse input anywhere on the computer (Slack desktop 4.52.178 code, checked 7 Oct 2026). We tested the same kind of tool on a Mac: with Caffeine running, Slack stayed green until minute 10 and then went away with the screen still on. See does Caffeine keep Slack active. The Windows rules are in keep Slack active on Windows.

The other popular keep-awake app on Windows is Caffeine, which presses an F15 key every 59 seconds instead of making a power request. Setup, switches and a side-by-side table: Caffeine app for Windows. A portable option with CPU and network rules and shutdown blocking is Don't Sleep for Windows.

PowerToys Awake vs mouse jiggler

A jiggler creates input, so it can reset the idle timers that Awake cannot. The most used Windows one is covered in Mouse Jiggler for Windows. For Slack it works too, in the desktop app, and jigglers leave traces on company PCs; see can a mouse jiggler be detected and a server-side presence tool vs a mouse jiggler.

PowerToys Awake not working

• It is in "Keep using the selected power plan" mode. That mode means off. Pick another mode.

• The display still turns off. Turn on Keep screen on.

• The screen still locks. A lock enforced by your IT policy is separate from sleep, and Awake does not override it.

• The PC slept anyway. Closing a laptop lid follows the lid setting in Windows power options, not Awake.

• PowerToys is not running. Awake runs only while PowerToys runs. Turn on Run at startup in PowerToys' General settings.

• The toggle is greyed out with "This setting is managed by your organization." Your IT team set a group policy for Awake; see PowerToys Awake managed by your organization.

For more ways to keep a PC awake, including methods with no install, see keep a work computer awake without admin rights. A script version is in keep a Windows PC awake with PowerShell. On a Chromebook, the same job is done by a keep awake Chrome extension.

FAQ

Does PowerToys Awake keep Teams active?

No. Teams sets you away after 5 minutes of inactivity. Awake stops sleep only.

Does PowerToys Awake keep Slack active?

No. Slack sets you away 10 minutes after your last keyboard or mouse input.

Is PowerToys Awake safe to use at work?

It is a Microsoft tool and changes no power settings. Your company may still restrict installing PowerToys.

What is the Mac version of PowerToys Awake?

The built-in caffeinate command; see our caffeinate guide. Amphetamine is the app equivalent.

How do I keep Slack active on Windows without a jiggler?

Use a server-side tool. Slack Green keeps your Slack presence active on its own side during the working hours you pick, so nothing runs on the PC and Windows can sleep as usual.