Keep Your Computer On During Background Tasks: Commands, Ticket Drops & More
February 21, 2025
Whether you're running a long build in the terminal, waiting for a ticket drop, or letting a script run overnight, the last thing you want is your computer going to sleep and interrupting the process. Here's how to keep your PC or Mac awake during background tasks without messing with power settings every time.
Why You Need to Keep Your Computer On
Background tasks are everywhere: compiling code, downloading large files, running data pipelines, or sitting on a ticket vendor's page waiting for a drop. If your display or system sleeps, some of these tasks can pause, time out, or disconnect—and you might miss that ticket window or wake up to a failed job.
The Problem With Power Settings
You could set "Never" for screen and sleep in your OS power options, but that often drains battery on laptops, leaves the screen on when you step away, and you have to remember to change it back. A better approach is to keep the system awake only when you need it—for example, while a specific tab or app is doing the work.
Keep It Awake While Running Commands
If you're running long commands in the terminal (e.g. npm install, migrations, or a custom script), open a browser tab with a keep-awake tool like MyScreenOn and leave that tab in the foreground, or use a second monitor. The Screen Wake Lock API keeps the screen and often the system from sleeping as long as that page is active, so your command keeps running without interruption.
Staying Awake for Ticket Drops and Drops
When you're waiting for concert tickets, game consoles, or limited releases to go on sale, you're usually parked on a product or queue page. If the screen locks or the PC sleeps, the page can refresh, lose your place, or you might miss the exact drop time. Keeping your computer on with a simple keep-awake page in another tab (or on another monitor) ensures the browser and your session stay active until you're done.
Simple Takeaway
For background tasks, long-running commands, and ticket drops, use a lightweight keep-awake solution in the browser so your computer stays on when it matters—without changing system power settings or leaving the display on 24/7. When you're done, close the tab and your normal sleep settings take over again.