Windows desktops typically have a few different options that allow users to power down their computer. We've already discussed the traditional shut down, sleep and hibernation modes, but there's one other feature that's worth noting – hybrid sleep. It's just another way users can preserve their machine's life and cut down on computer repair visits.

What is hybrid sleep?

As we noted in previous posts, sleep mode – also known as standby – saves a computer's data to memory and then puts the machine in a low-power state. Many computers – especially laptops – also include hibernation, which saves all data to the hard drive and then shuts down the computer completely. Both modes are designed to allow users to quickly resume work on startup, conserve PC life and avoid seeking computer repair in Virginia.

Hybrid sleep can be viewed as a combination between the two. It saves information both to memory and to the hard drive while putting the computer to sleep. That way, users benefit from the quick load times found in sleep mode and also multiple save locations, which could prevent data loss if the computer were to lose power.

How to enable hybrid sleep on a desktop

If activated, computers will automatically enter hybrid sleep when a user clicks "sleep" in the Start menu. They can check to see if the mode is active by following these steps.

1. In "Control Panel," find "Power Options." It's usually under the "System Maintenance" or "System and Security" heading.
2. A list of default power options should appear in "Power Options." Click "Change plan settings" next to the active power plan.
3. Click "Change advanced power settings."
4. A dialog box with the heading "Power options" will pop up. Scroll through to find "Sleep" and click the plus sign (+) next to it.
5. An option titled "Allow hybrid sleep" should now appear. Expanding this menu will bring up an option that reads "Settings," and users can set it to "on" to activate hybrid sleep.