Here’s a quick guide to understanding whether your PC will keep downloading in sleep mode, covering Windows and macOS. By default, sleep mode pauses nearly all activity —including downloads—to save power. The network adapter, storage drives, and CPU are put into a low-power state. Exceptions & Workarounds 1. Wake timers (Windows) Some download managers or torrent clients can be set to wake the PC at scheduled times, download, then go back to sleep. Check your app’s settings. 2. “Away Mode” / “Keep network active” (older Windows) On some systems, you could enable Away Mode (via Power Options → Change plan settings → Change advanced power settings → Sleep → Allow away mode). Modern Windows often removes this. 3. Modern Standby (S0 Low-Power Idle) Newer PCs (Windows 10/11 on compatible hardware) use Modern Standby . Some network activity is possible, but downloads are not guaranteed —apps must specifically support background network activity (like email sync, updates). Large downloads typically pause. 4. macOS Power Nap On Mac laptops (2013 or newer) connected to power, Power Nap allows the Mac to check email, update iCloud, and install system updates while asleep. It does not continue user-initiated file downloads (e.g., in a browser or download manager). How to Keep Downloads Running Instead of sleep mode, use these options: