If you use external devices like a mouse, keyboard, or USB storage while working on your laptop, you’ve likely noticed that some laptops turn off USB power when the lid is closed. This can be frustrating if you need to keep devices running, such as charging your phone, transferring files, or using a USB hub while the laptop is closed. Luckily, this issue can be easily fixed by adjusting power settings on your laptop.
In this guide from Techy Smart Guide, we will show you step-by-step how to stop your laptop from turning off USB devices when the lid is closed. Whether you use your laptop for work or entertainment, keeping your USB devices active is essential for seamless operation.
Why Does the Laptop Turn Off USB When the Lid Is Closed?
Before diving into the solution, it’s important to understand why this issue occurs. Most laptops have power-saving features that automatically turn off non-essential components when the lid is closed. This is done to conserve battery life and reduce power usage. However, these settings can sometimes turn off power to USB ports, even when you need them to stay active.
Here are some of the reasons why your USB devices might stop working when the lid is closed:
- Power Management Settings
Laptops are equipped with power management settings that allow them to switch to a low-power state when not in use. When you close the lid, the laptop often enters sleep mode or shuts down non-essential functions like USB ports to save power. - Sleep Mode or Hibernate Settings
By default, closing the laptop lid may trigger sleep or hibernation, which can disable USB ports. This is particularly common in laptops running on battery power to preserve energy.
Techy Smart Guide recommends adjusting these settings to ensure your USB devices remain powered on, even when the laptop lid is closed.
How to Stop Your Laptop from Turning Off USB When the Lid Is Closed – Step-by-Step Fixes
Let’s now look at how you can change the settings to prevent your laptop from turning off USB devices when the lid is closed. Follow these steps from Techy Smart Guide to keep your devices powered on:
1. Adjust Power Settings in Control Panel
The first step to fixing this issue is to adjust the laptop’s power settings in the Control Panel. Here’s how to do it:
- Open Power Options
- Go to the Control Panel and select Power Options.
- Click on Choose what closing the lid does from the left-hand menu.
- Change Lid Closing Action
Under When I close the lid, you’ll see options for On battery and Plugged in. By default, the laptop may be set to put the computer to sleep or hibernate when the lid is closed. Change these settings to Do nothing for both On battery and Plugged in. - Save Your Changes
Click Save Changes to apply the new settings. This will ensure that the laptop does not enter sleep mode and keeps USB devices active when the lid is closed.
Techy Smart Guide advises saving your power plan settings after this change to prevent future issues.
2. Modify Advanced Power Settings
If adjusting the basic power settings doesn’t work, you may need to dive deeper into advanced settings. Here’s how to modify the advanced power settings to prevent USB ports from turning off:
- Open Advanced Power Settings
- Go back to Power Options in the Control Panel.
- Select Change plan settings next to your current power plan.
- Click on Change advanced power settings.
- Adjust USB Settings
- Scroll down and expand the USB settings option.
- Under USB selective suspend setting, make sure it is set to Disabled. This will prevent Windows from turning off USB ports to save power.
- Apply and Save
After making these changes, click Apply and then OK to save your settings. Now, your laptop will keep USB ports powered on even when the lid is closed.
Techy Smart Guide recommends checking these settings regularly, especially after Windows updates, as they can sometimes reset power settings.
3. Update Your Drivers
In some cases, outdated drivers can cause issues with USB power settings. Ensuring that your USB drivers are up to date can help resolve the problem of devices turning off when the lid is closed. Here’s how to update your drivers:
- Open Device Manager
- Right-click on the Start Menu and select Device Manager.
- Update USB Drivers
- Expand the Universal Serial Bus controllers section and right-click on each USB device.
- Select Update driver and choose Search automatically for updated driver software.
- Restart Your Laptop
After updating the drivers, restart your laptop to ensure the changes take effect. This should help ensure your USB ports stay powered even when the laptop lid is closed.
Techy Smart Guide recommends keeping all your device drivers updated for optimal performance and compatibility.
4. Disable Fast Startup Feature
In some cases, the Fast Startup feature in Windows can interfere with USB power settings. Disabling this feature can help prevent USB devices from turning off when the lid is closed. Here’s how you can disable Fast Startup:
- Go to Power Options
- Open Control Panel and go to Power Options.
- Change What the Power Buttons Do
- Click on Choose what the power buttons do on the left sidebar.
- Click on Change settings that are currently unavailable to unlock the greyed-out options.
- Uncheck the box next to Turn on fast startup.
- Save Settings
After unchecking the box, click Save changes. This should help your laptop function normally, with USB devices staying powered on when the lid is closed.
Techy Smart Guide suggests this step if you’re using Windows 10 or 11 and experiencing issues with USB power while the lid is closed.
5. Use External USB Hub (Optional)
If none of the above solutions work and you still need to keep your USB devices powered when the lid is closed, an external USB hub with its own power supply might be a good solution. This allows you to connect multiple USB devices to the hub, which will remain powered even when your laptop is in a low-power state.
Techy Smart Guide recommends choosing a hub that supports USB-powered devices for continuous performance.
Conclusion: Keep Your USB Devices Active When the Laptop Lid Is Closed
There’s no need to let your USB devices turn off when you close your laptop lid. By following the tips and tricks from Techy Smart Guide, such as adjusting power settings, updating drivers, and disabling the Fast Startup feature, you can ensure that your laptop continues to supply power to USB ports even when the lid is closed. These simple steps will enhance your user experience, making it easier to use your external devices without interruption.
For more solutions to common laptop issues and tips on optimizing your laptop’s performance, be sure to check out Techy Smart Guide, your trusted resource for tech solutions.