Every 59 seconds, it simulates the press of the F15 key to keep your machine out of screensaver/standby mode. True to its name, Caffeine is like coffee for your computer. How about a software solution instead? Windows may not be smart enough to know when there's a movie playing or a projector connected, but at least two utilities will simulate the actions needed to keep the OS alert and active: Caffeine and Mouse Jiggler. If only you could hire an intern to jiggle the mouse every few minutes! And if you don't remember to undo those settings, your laptop's battery life will tank.įurthermore, some businesses don't allow employees to alter their PCs' power-saving settings, so you might be stuck with, say, a 30-minute time-out. Sure, you could monkey around with Windows' power settings, forcing the system to avoid screen-dimming, standby, and other power-saving modes - but that's a hassle. Why does this happen? Because Windows hasn't logged any mouse or keyboard activity, so its power-saving settings kick in. Or you step away from the PC for an extended period and come back to find it locked out or in standby mode. We've all been there: You're watching a video or running a slide deck, when suddenly the screen dims.
