Steam does not download games when your computer is in sleep mode
When your computer enters sleep mode, Steam pauses all downloads. The application itself goes dormant along with most system processes, so no data transfers happen until you wake the computer back up. If you start a download and then put your computer to sleep, the download will resume from where it stopped once you move the mouse, press a key, or wake the machine manually.
This is different from leaving your computer fully powered on with Steam running in the background. If Steam is active and your monitor is off but the computer is still running, downloads continue normally. Sleep mode cuts power to most components to save energy, which is why it stops active processes like downloads.
Key Takeaways
- Sleep mode pauses Steam downloads completely because the application cannot run when the system is dormant.
- Downloads resume automatically when you wake your computer, picking up from the exact point where they stopped.
- If you want downloads to continue overnight, you need to leave your computer fully powered on, not in sleep mode.
- You can configure Steam to stay awake during downloads by adjusting power settings or disabling sleep mode temporarily.
How to keep downloads running overnight
If you want a large game to download while you are away or sleeping, you have two main options. The first is to disable sleep mode entirely before starting the download. On Windows, go to Settings, then System, then Power & battery. Select "Screen and sleep" and change the "When plugged in, put my device to sleep after" setting to "Never." On Mac, open System Settings, then click General, then Energy Saver, and uncheck "Put display to sleep when inactive."
The second option is to use a third-party tool to prevent sleep mode during downloads. Some users run a simple program that moves the mouse cursor every few minutes or presses a key periodically, which keeps the computer awake. However, the simplest approach is just to change your power settings before you start the download, then change them back when the download finishes.
Be aware that leaving your computer fully powered on uses more electricity than sleep mode. If you do this regularly, you may notice a small increase in your power bill, but for occasional overnight downloads it is usually negligible.
What happens if you close Steam entirely
If you close the Steam application completely rather than just putting your computer to sleep, downloads stop immediately and will not resume until you open Steam again. This is different from sleep mode, where the download pauses but remembers its progress. When you close Steam, the application shuts down, so there is nothing running to continue the transfer.
You can close Steam and put your computer to sleep at the same time without losing progress on a download that was already in progress. The next time you open Steam and wake your computer, it will ask if you want to resume the download, and you can pick up from where you left off.
Checking download status after waking your computer
When you wake your computer from sleep, Steam may take a few seconds to reconnect to the internet and resume the download. You will see the download speed jump back to normal once the connection is re-established. If the download does not resume automatically, check that Steam is still running and that you are still connected to the internet.
If your internet connection dropped while the computer was asleep, Steam may need to restart the download from the beginning or from the last checkpoint. This is rare, but it can happen if your router lost power or your internet service had an outage. You can check the download status by opening the Downloads section in Steam and looking at the progress bar.
Why some users think downloads continue in sleep mode
The confusion often comes from the fact that Steam can be set to download updates automatically in the background. If you have automatic updates turned on and your computer is fully powered on (not in sleep mode), Steam will download game updates without you doing anything. Some people mistake this for downloads happening during sleep mode, when really the computer never went to sleep in the first place.
Another source of confusion is that some computers have a "hybrid sleep" mode that keeps certain components powered while others sleep. On these systems, network connections may stay active even though the display is off. However, standard sleep mode on most computers does shut down the network adapter, which stops all downloads.
Adjusting Steam download settings for your needs
Steam has a few settings you can adjust to control when and how downloads happen. Open Steam, go to Settings, then Downloads. You can set a bandwidth limit to slow down downloads so they do not use all your internet speed, or you can set a specific time window for downloads to occur. However, these settings only work when Steam is actively running and your computer is awake.
If you want to download during specific hours, you can use the "Limit bandwidth to" option and set it to a low number during times when you are using the internet for other things. This keeps the download running without slowing down your browsing or video calls. You can also set Steam to download only when you are not using your computer by enabling the "Only auto-update games when" option and choosing "I'm not playing or using the Steam client."
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my download resume if my computer wakes up accidentally?
Yes. If your computer wakes from sleep for any reason — a network activity, a scheduled task, or someone moving the mouse — Steam will resume downloading if it was in the middle of a download when sleep mode started. The download will continue until it finishes or until you manually pause it.
Does putting my monitor to sleep stop downloads?
No. Turning off just the monitor while the computer stays powered on does not stop downloads. Steam continues running and downloading normally. Only full sleep mode, which powers down most system components, pauses downloads.
Can I download games on my phone while my computer sleeps?
No. The Steam mobile app does not download games. You can use the mobile app to manage your library, check download progress on your computer, and purchase games, but actual game downloads only happen on a computer or Steam Deck running the full Steam application.
What if I want to download multiple games overnight?
Steam downloads one game at a time by default. You can add multiple games to the download queue, and Steam will download them in order. To do this, right-click each game in your library and select "Install," then disable sleep mode before going to bed. Steam will work through the queue automatically.
Does sleep mode affect downloads on Steam Deck?
Steam Deck behaves the same way as a computer. Downloads pause when the device enters sleep mode and resume when you wake it. If you want to download games overnight on your Steam Deck, you can disable sleep mode in the device settings before starting the download.