4 Fixes for Screensaver Not Working on Windows 11

Quick Tips

• Update Display Drivers to help boost the graphic performance of your PC.
• Check Power settings and ensure that if your Screensaver Wait time is 5 minutes, the Sleep Mode should activate after 10 minutes.
• Run Power Troubleshooter to check and fix any issues with the battery usage on your Windows 11 laptop.

Basic Fixes

• Check Screensaver settings: You should check the wait time selected for your screensaver.
• Keep your mouse on a polished surface: The Screensaver activates when your mouse pointer remains stationary. That’s why using a polished surface like a Mousepad is recommended so that the mouse pointer doesn’t get activated automatically.
• Check connected devices: Ensure that other programs or connected devices (especially gaming controllers) are not preventing the screensaver from activating.
• Update Windows 11: Installing the latest version of the OS will remove the bugs causing this issue.

Fix 1: Update Display Drivers

Since we are talking about Screensaver, you need to check if the Display Drivers on your Windows 11 PC or Laptop have been updated to the latest version.

Step 1: Open Device Manager and then select Display Adapters.

Step 2: Right-click on your Display Driver and then select Update Driver.

Step 3: Follow the on-screen process to finish updating the Display Drivers.

Fix 2: Check Sleep Mode Settings

The Sleep settings may have been set to turn off the screen or Sleep before the Screensaver gets activated.

Step 1: Open Settings and then scroll down to select Power and Battery (Laptop) or Power (PC) from the right pane.

Step 2: Click on Screen and Sleep. Then click the drop-down menu next to When plugged in, turn off my screen after, and then select a time slightly more than that of your Screensaver.

For example, if your Screensaver Wait time is 5 minutes, the Sleep Mode should activate after 10 minutes.

Step 3: After that, close the window and wait for some time to check if the problem is solved.

You can also read our post if Sleep Mode is not working on Windows 11.

Fix 3: Run Power Troubleshooter

Step 1: Open Settings and then click on Troubleshoot on the right side.

Step 2: Click on Other Troubleshooters.

Step 3: Scroll down and then click on Run next to Power.

Step 4: Wait till the Power Troubleshooter has finished running and detecting the issues.

Step 5: Follow the on-screen instructions to finish the troubleshooting process.

Fix 4: Run SFC Scan

SFC or System File Checker scan is another repair tool that scans and fixes the corrupted system files on your Windows 11 computer. Such damaged files may be causing this issue.

Step 1: Open Command Prompt as administrator.

Step 2: Type the following command and press Enter to begin the SFC scan.

sfc / SCANNOW

Step 3: Wait till the process is completed. You will be notified of all the corrupt files that were found and fixed.

Step 4: After that, close the window and check if the problem is solved.