FREE · OPEN SOURCE · PORTABLE
Caffeine for Windows: keep your PC awake
One click on the coffee cup and Windows stops sleeping, turning off the screen and locking you out. Click again and everything is back to normal.
- Open source on GitHub
- No installation, no admin rights
- No ads, no telemetry
What changes when the cup is on
Caffeine asks Windows to stay awake the same way a video player does. Your power settings stay exactly as they are.
Sleep
The PC sleeps after a few idle minutes and long downloads, backups or renders stop
The PC stays awake until you turn Caffeine off or the timer ends
Screen
The display turns off while you read, present or watch a dashboard
The display stays on (or turn that off and keep only the PC awake)
Lock screen
Windows locks after inactivity and you type your PIN again and again
With “Prevent auto-lock” on, Windows sees you as active and doesn’t lock
Teams and Slack
Your status turns yellow “Away” after a few minutes without typing
You stay “Available” while Caffeine is on
How to keep your PC awake with Caffeine
Three steps, no installer and no settings to learn.
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Step 1
Download & extract
Extract the ZIP and double-click Caffeine.exe. If SmartScreen appears, choose More info, then Run anyway.
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Step 2
Click the cup
A coffee cup appears next to the clock. Click it: orange with steam means your PC stays awake, grey means normal sleep.
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Step 3
Set a timer if you like
Right-click the cup and pick Keep awake for: 15 minutes up to 8 hours. Caffeine switches itself off when the time is up.
Everything is in one small tray menu
No window to manage and nothing running in the background except the cup next to your clock.
Stop sleep, screen off and auto-lock with one click
Left-click toggles Caffeine. Right-click opens the menu with the timer and a few options you set once.
- Keep the display on, or keep only the PC awake with the screen allowed to turn off
- Prevent auto-lock and the “Away” status in Teams, Slack and other chat apps
- Start with Windows and switch on automatically
Keep awake for an hour, then sleep as usual
Starting a long download before bed? Pick Keep awake for 2 hours. The tooltip on the cup shows the time left.
When the timer ends, Caffeine turns itself off and Windows goes back to your normal sleep settings. Nothing to remember.
Works on Windows 10 and Windows 11
Including the latest Windows 11 updates. It’s a single portable .exe that runs from any folder or USB stick and never goes online.
Doesn’t touch your power plan
Caffeine uses SetThreadExecutionState, the Windows API made for this. It doesn’t edit power settings, so there is nothing to undo later.
Why not just change the power settings?
You can set sleep to “Never”. Most people then forget to set it back, and the laptop drains overnight.
| Caffeine for Windows | Changing power settings | Mouse jiggler apps | |
|---|---|---|---|
| On and off in one click | Yes | Several screens in Settings | Usually |
| Switches itself off on a timer | Yes | You have to remember | Some do |
| Stops Teams “Away” and auto-lock | Yes | No | Yes |
| Leaves your cursor alone | Yes | Yes | Moves it every few seconds |
| Power plan stays untouched | Yes | You change it | Yes |
Caffeine keeps the PC awake through the official Windows API and only presses the unused F15 key when you ask it to prevent auto-lock.
Questions before you download
Can’t find your answer? Open an issue on GitHub.
How do I keep my PC from going to sleep without changing power settings?
Run Caffeine for Windows and click the coffee cup next to the clock. While the cup is orange, Windows won’t sleep or turn off the screen. Your power plan isn’t changed, so closing Caffeine brings back your usual settings instantly.
Does Caffeine work on Windows 11?
Yes. It works on Windows 10 and Windows 11, including the latest updates, because it uses the documented SetThreadExecutionState API rather than tricks that break between Windows versions.
How do I stop Teams from showing me as Away?
Right-click the cup and turn on Prevent auto-lock and “Away” status. After 59 seconds without input, Caffeine presses F15, a key no app uses, so Teams, Slack and Windows see you as active. It never moves your mouse or types anything.
Is it safe? Does it need admin rights?
It’s a small open source program with no installer, no network access and no admin rights. It only stores its options under your user account in the registry. Follow your company’s rules before turning off the lock screen on a work PC.
Can I keep the PC awake but let the screen turn off?
Yes. Untick Keep display on in the menu. The screen then turns off as usual, while downloads, backups and remote sessions keep running.
Is this the Caffeine app by Zhorn Software?
No. Caffeine for Windows is an independent open source project. It is not affiliated with Zhorn Software, and it’s built for Windows 10 and 11 from the ground up.
Keep your PC awake with one click
Free and open source. Download the ZIP, run Caffeine.exe, click the cup.