You will probably not need to keep your computer on all the time, so it’s good practice to not always have your computer on to save energy. The computer’s state isn’t just “on and off” – it has different power modes depending on the user’s need. In this tutorial, we’ll cover 5 different settings your computer could be on: awake, sleep mode, locked, shut down, or be restarted.
Awake
You have times when you are awake and ready to do tasks and so does your computer! Your computer right now is awake, meaning it is fully functional and on.
How do you get your computer awake? When the computer is off (meaning the screen is black), press the power key!
Sleep Mode
The computer can also enter what is called sleep mode. This is done to decrease power usage. It acts like a pause button.
How to enter sleep mode? On a Windows laptop, you can first press the windows key or click on the Windows icon on the bottom left. Click the power button and then press sleep. On a Mac, click the Apple icon on the top left and then press sleep.
Logging Off
The computer can also be logged off. This is kind of locking a computer. It can help protect your privacy by locking away access to your computer, which can contain lots of personal data.
How to lock your device? On Windows: Ctrl + Alt + Delete.Putting you fingers on those keys in increasing order at the same time will allow you to lock your device. On a Mac: Control + Command + Q. Putting you fingers on those keys in increasing order at the same time will allow you to lock your device.
Fun fact: sleep mode, shutting down, and restarting will also allow you to log off.
Shutting Down
When a laptop is shut down, it is totally powered off. It uses little to no power and it is like an unconscious state
How to shut down your device? On a Windows laptop, you can first press the windows key or click on the Windows icon on the bottom left. Click the power button and then press shut down. On a Mac, click the Apple icon on the top left and then press shut down
Restarting
When a restarts, that means that it is shut down and turned back on automatically after by the computer. Often, restarts are used for updates and troubleshooting.
How to restart your device? On a Windows laptop, you can first press the windows key or click on the Windows icon on the bottom left. Click the power button and then press restart. On a Mac, click the Apple icon on the top left and then press restart.