Laptops have become essential tools for both work and leisure, and one of the most important maintenance tasks you’ll encounter is updating your system. Updates help ensure your operating system runs smoothly, but a common question users often ask is: Can I close my laptop while updating? In this detailed guide by Techy Smart Guide, we’ll explore the answer to this question, and provide tips and best practices for handling laptop updates, so you don’t run into any issues during or after the update process.
What Happens When You Close Your Laptop During an Update?
When you initiate an update on your laptop, the system starts downloading and installing new files that are crucial for the smooth operation of your software. Now, the question remains—can closing your laptop during this process cause any issues?
- Temporary Suspension of Processes
In most cases, when you close the lid of your laptop, the system will go into sleep mode. In sleep mode, the update process will temporarily halt. While it’s not ideal to close the laptop during an update, it won’t cause permanent harm as the update will pick up where it left off once the laptop is opened again. - Interrupting the Update Process
If you leave your laptop in sleep mode for an extended period while updating, the update may fail to complete correctly. This could lead to incomplete installation, missing updates, or even corrupt system files. Techy Smart Guide advises against closing your laptop during a critical update unless you are sure the update process has finished or paused.
When Can You Safely Close Your Laptop During an Update?
While closing your laptop during the update is generally not recommended, there are certain situations where it may be safe to do so:
- If Your Laptop Is Set to Stay Awake During Updates
Some laptops are configured to stay awake during updates even when the lid is closed. If your laptop is running Windows 10 or later, macOS, or another modern OS, it might continue downloading and installing updates in the background even if the lid is closed. In this case, you can close the laptop without worrying about interrupting the update. - Updates That Require Restarting
Many updates, especially system updates or driver updates, require a restart to complete. If you’re in the middle of such an update and the laptop has already restarted, closing the lid may not have any significant effect. The update will complete during the restart process, and closing the laptop at that stage should be fine.
Techy Smart Guide recommends checking your laptop’s power settings to see if updates are allowed to run while the laptop is in sleep mode or when the lid is closed.
What to Do to Avoid Issues When Closing the Lid During Updates?
If you need to close your laptop during an update (for instance, to save battery or prevent distractions), there are several precautions you can take to minimize the risk of update failure:
1. Adjust Power Settings to Keep Laptop Awake
If you’re on Windows, you can adjust the Power & Sleep Settings to make sure your laptop stays awake during updates. Here’s how to adjust these settings:
- Go to Start > Settings > System > Power & Sleep.
- Under Sleep, choose Never for both On Battery Power and Plugged In options.
- You can also go to Advanced Power Settings and set your laptop to stay awake while plugged in.
For macOS users, go to System Preferences > Energy Saver, and set your laptop to avoid going to sleep during updates.
Techy Smart Guide recommends keeping these settings temporarily adjusted if you’re planning to run updates while closing the lid.
2. Enable “Plugged In” Settings for Updates
If your laptop is plugged into power, you’re less likely to experience interruptions during an update. If you want to be extra cautious, consider leaving your laptop plugged into the charger during updates. This ensures that the update process isn’t interrupted due to power loss, which is crucial for lengthy system or OS updates.
Techy Smart Guide advises always ensuring that your laptop is plugged in during the update process to avoid any interruptions, especially if you plan to close the lid.
3. Wait Until the Update is Completed
If possible, it’s best to leave the laptop open and not close the lid until the update process is fully completed. If the update requires a restart, ensure that it has rebooted successfully and that the update has finished before closing the lid. This reduces the chances of any errors or issues during installation.
Techy Smart Guide recommends keeping an eye on the update progress and avoiding closing the laptop until the system has restarted or shown that it’s finished updating.
How to Know When It’s Safe to Close the Laptop During Updates?
Here are some signs to look out for to ensure it’s safe to close your laptop while updating:
- Update Has Reached the Restart Phase
If your laptop restarts on its own and the update continues after the restart, it’s usually safe to close the lid. At this point, the update process has typically progressed past the critical stages. - Power Settings Allow Updates While the Lid Is Closed
If you’ve enabled your laptop to stay awake or allow updates to run even with the lid closed, you can feel more confident in closing it without causing issues. - System Indicators Show Update Completion
If your laptop displays a message like “Update Completed” or “Restarting”, it’s safe to assume that the critical update processes are over, and closing the lid at this stage should not disrupt anything.
Techy Smart Guide suggests always looking for system notifications or visual indicators that show the update has progressed or is finished before closing the lid.
Conclusion: Should You Close Your Laptop While Updating?
While it’s generally better to keep your laptop open during updates to avoid interruptions, it is sometimes safe to close the lid if certain conditions are met. Techy Smart Guide advises adjusting your laptop’s power settings to prevent it from going to sleep during updates, ensuring that the laptop is plugged in, and waiting for the update to finish before closing the lid. If you follow these guidelines, you can update your laptop without worrying about damaging your system or disrupting the update process.
For more troubleshooting tips and expert advice on laptop maintenance, make sure to visit Techy Smart Guide for all the latest guides and solutions.