Keep your PC awake.
Control power plans.
Free tray utility — don't let your PC sleep, manage power schemes, and automate everything with smart triggers.
Six power modes, one click away
Switch instantly from the tray icon or let triggers do it for you.
System default behavior. BuhoSleep is idle and does not interfere with sleep or power settings.
Prevents both sleep and display turn-off. Perfect for presentations, video calls, or long reads.
Keeps the PC awake while allowing the display to turn off. Ideal for downloads, renders, or backups.
Switches Windows to the Power Saver plan. Reduces CPU frequency and brightness to extend battery life.
Activates the High Performance power plan. Maximum CPU frequency, no throttling, no power limits.
Adapts on its own: Balanced plan on AC power, Power Saver on battery. Set and forget.
Smart features for power users
More than just keeping your PC awake — and every bit of it is free.
Triggers
Activate modes automatically based on running apps, CPU load, battery level, time schedule, or power adapter state. Timers and schedules are everywhere — triggers react to what your PC is actually doing.
Global Hotkeys
Assign keyboard shortcuts to any mode. Switch power plans without touching the mouse.
Drive Alive
Prevents external USB drives from spinning down with lightweight keepalive pings. No more reconnection delays.
Session Statistics
Track how long each mode was active. View session history and export data as CSV for analysis.
Crash Recovery
If the app exits unexpectedly, your original power plan is automatically restored on next launch. No stuck settings.
Session Timer
Keep the PC awake for 30 minutes, up to 8 hours, or until the end of the day — then everything switches off by itself.
Free. All of it.
Every feature is included — no purchases, no subscriptions, no ads. If BuhoSleep helps you, a 5-star review on the Store is the best thank-you :)
| Feature | Included |
|---|---|
| All 6 power modes | |
| Smart Triggers (app, CPU load, battery, schedule, adapter) | |
| Drive Alive (USB keepalive) | |
| Global hotkeys | |
| Session statistics & CSV export | |
| Session timer (incl. until end of day) | |
| Crash recovery | |
| Start with Windows |
Buho — the portable little brother
Just a tiny don't-sleep tool, from a USB stick, with no store and no installer? That is Buho: the same owl, one job, 1.3 MB.
What you get
- Keep Screen On, Keep PC Awake, Power Saver, High Performance, Off — plus an awake timer up to 8 hours or until end of day
- Global hotkeys: Pause or Alt+` cycles the modes, Ctrl+Shift+Alt+S/A/P/H jumps straight to one
- 12 languages, follows your Windows display language
- Native code, no .NET, no runtime: ~2.7 MB on disk, ~20 MB RAM, instant start
- Crash-safe: your power plan is restored even after an unexpected shutdown
Truly portable
Unzip anywhere and run buho.exe. Settings live in buho.ini next to the exe — nothing in the registry, nothing in your profile, no temp files, no network. Move the folder to another drive or PC and your settings come along.
Download
Buho 1.0.1 — 64-bit Buho 1.0.1 — 32-bitSHA-256 (SHA256SUMS.txt)
520652bb…c22140 64-bit · 7e4a2d9d…56f09a 32-bit
Windows 10 / 11 · free forever · no telemetry
- Prefer an installed app? Buho is also on the Microsoft Store
- PortableApps.com Format package: in development test, coming to the PortableApps.com directory
Which owl is for you?
| Feature | Buho | BuhoSleep |
|---|---|---|
| Power modes | 5 | 6, incl. Auto |
| Session timer (incl. until end of day) | ||
| Global hotkeys | ||
| Crash recovery | ||
| Smart Triggers (app, CPU load, battery, schedule, adapter) | ||
| Drive Alive (USB keepalive) | ||
| Session statistics & CSV export | ||
| Portable zip (USB, no installer) | ||
| Microsoft Store |
Both are free forever, with no ads and no telemetry. Buho is the keep-awake core; BuhoSleep adds the automation.
Privacy first
BuhoSleep runs entirely on your device. Zero data collection.
Frequently asked questions
Why a power manager, when Windows already has power settings? Fair question.
Windows already has power settings. Why do I need BuhoSleep?
Windows power settings are global defaults buried deep in menus: change them, and your PC behaves that way always — until you remember to change them back. BuhoSleep is situational. One click keeps the PC awake for this download or this presentation; a timer or a trigger ends it; your normal settings return automatically. Your defaults are never touched.
What does it do that Windows itself can't?
Automation. Windows has no way to change power behavior when a specific app is running, when CPU load rises, when the battery crosses a threshold, on a weekly schedule, or when you plug the adapter in — BuhoSleep triggers do exactly that. On top of it: session timers, one-click power plan switching from the tray, global hotkeys, keep-awake statistics, and Drive Alive for external drives.
Can't I just set Sleep to Never?
You can — and then the PC never sleeps: overnight, on battery, while you're away. BuhoSleep keeps the machine awake only while it's actually needed — for a session, for a timer, or while a trigger condition holds — and then everything reverts on its own.
How is it different from PowerToys Awake, Don't Sleep or Caffeine-style tools?
Those solve one task: don't let the PC sleep. BuhoSleep covers the whole power workflow: two keep-awake modes, Windows power plan switching with an Auto mode, triggers, timers with an until-end-of-day preset, global hotkeys, session statistics, and Drive Alive — in one small tray app.
Does it change my system permanently?
No. When a mode ends or you exit the app, the previous power plan is restored. Even if the app or the PC shuts down unexpectedly, crash recovery puts your original plan back on the next launch.
Is it really 100% free? What's the catch?
There is none. Triggers, statistics, Drive Alive, hotkeys — everything is free, with no ads, no subscriptions, no purchases, and no telemetry. If BuhoSleep helps you, a five-star review on the Store is the best thank-you.
Is there a portable version?
Yes — Buho, the little brother. Unzip, run buho.exe, done: settings stay in buho.ini next to the exe, and nothing touches the registry or your profile. It covers the keep-awake core (five modes, timer, hotkeys, 12 languages) in about 1.3 MB. BuhoSleep itself, with triggers and statistics, is a Microsoft Store app.
Take control of your PC's power
Download BuhoSleep for free. No sign-up. No telemetry. Just works.