I connected the computer to the docking station to get access to the peripherals and the screen. Everything seemed to be working just fine at this point. However, as soon as I started being less active, I started to notice one thing.

Within just a few minutes of being idle, my mouse would enter sleep mode. Watching youtube, reading, writing, using the restroom, and taking a break was more than enough to throw the mouse into sleep mode, from which it then had to be woken up.

So why does my Bluetooth keep turning off?

Your Bluetooth mouse could be entering sleep mode because the Bluetooth service isn’t set to automatic, because the power management settings have been set to allow the computer to turn off Bluetooth devices to save power, because the Bluetooth drivers are outdated, or because the mouse is malfunctioning. The power-saving function could also be hard-wired into the device itself, which makes it difficult to make adjustments.

Can this be fixed? Yes, you can prevent your Bluetooth equipment from entering sleep mode. Continue reading as we’ll go through the different techniques that can be used to achieve it!

How To Stop Wireless Mouse From Going To Sleep

As long as the function isn’t hard-wired into the device itself or caused by a malfunctioning or broken device, then I’m sure there’s something we should be able to do to fix it.

Because a few different things could be causing this issue, we’ll have to take a look at a few different approaches to the problem. The first being:

Set the Bluetooth support service to automatic

If the computer’s Bluetooth service has turned off, or if the start-up type isn’t automatic, then that may be what’s causing your Bluetooth device to enter sleep mode after seconds of inactivity.

When a service has an automatic start-up type it will trigger and start as soon as Windows is initiated. The service may also start or stop as a result of an even within the operating system.

1. Type services.msc in the Windows search bar and choose Services in the Program list. Provide the information needed to get administrator rights if needed, otherwise, click Continue
2. Click on the Bluetooth-support service. If the service is stopped, turn it on by clicking Start.
3. Pick Automatic on the Start-up type list.
4. Click the Log On tab.
5. Click Local System Account.
6. Click Ok.
7. Restart your computer

Change the Power Management Settings

If your mouse disconnects shortly after you stop using it – or even while you’re using it, chances are your PC is shutting off the device’s communication to save power. This can be changed in the Power Management settings.

1. Search for Mouse settings in the search bar located in the lower-left corner and click on Mouse settings in the Program list.
2. Scroll down and click on Additional mouse options.
3. Under the Hardware tab, click on the mouse device and go to Properties.
4. Under the General tab, click on Change settings.
5. Click on the Power Management tab and uncheck the box Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power.
6. Click Ok and restart the computer.

Your device drivers can be found under the Hardware tab. If your device doesn’t come with a specific set of drivers, it will look like your device isn’t listed. However, you should still be able to find the device in the list under the name “HID-compliant mouse”.

Uninstall Device Drivers

Outdated drivers could be causing the problem as well. Before we try installing new drivers, let’s just uninstall the old ones and restart the computer. As the computer boots, it will reinstall the drivers, which can solve the problem in some cases.

Before you proceed, remember that your device most likely won’t be listed as the product’s name. This is because few mice have their own individual drivers installed, instead, they use Windows default drivers.

So, when you’re looking for your device in the Device Manager you may have a hard time finding it. Instead, look for HID-compliant mouse.

1. Go to Device Manager.
2. Expand the list item called Mice and other pointing devices.
3. Right-click on the device then click Uninstall device. If you receive a warning: Check the box Delete the driver software for this device then click Uninstall.
4. When the driver has finished uninstalling, restart the computer.

The computer should have reinstalled the device drivers for the mouse during boot. Try to see if the issue still persists.

Update Device Drivers

Since most Bluetooth mice don’t come with specific drivers, we may need to focus our attention on the Bluetooth radio. The Bluetooth radio is a big part of the communication between the computer and its devices and it could be causing problems.

With that said, let’s take a look at how you can find and update your Bluetooth drivers.

First of all, we need to find out which Bluetooth drivers we should download. In order to do so, we must first find out more about your system. Do the following to find out which processor and system type you’re running:

1. Search for System Information in the search box and click on System Information.
2. Look for System Type in the list. You want to know if you’re running a 64 or 32 bit system. Take note.
3. Then look for Processor in the list. We’re looking for the brand, the most common brands are Intel / AMD.
4. With all this information gathered, open up your favorite web browser and go to Google. Type in (your processor type) Bluetooth driver download. This should take you to the manufacturer’s website where you can collect the downloadable drivers – make sure they’re suited to your system.
5. Find the .exe file in the Downloads folder and run it.
6. Restart the computer

You can also try to uninstall the Bluetooth drivers from the computer and then let the computer reinstall them as you reboot the device.

1. Search for Device Manager in the search box and click on Device Manager in the Program list.
2. Locate the Bluetooth adapter in the list and right-click on it.
3. Click Uninstall Device
4. Restart your computer. Upon start-up, the computer will reinstall the Bluetooth drivers.

Update BIOS

The basic input/output system (BIOS) is almost like the computer’s nervous system. It helps the computer communicate with all connected hardware, external and internal.

Updating the BIOS can turn out to be quite useful regardless of what you’re encountering. It’s always worth throwing it in the mix. Updating BIOS requires a little bit of information regarding the computer’s motherboard.

This information can be retrieved from the System Information window, where we gathered information in the earlier step.

1. Search for System Information and click on System Information in the Program list.
2. Look for Baseboard Manufacturer and Baseboard Product to find out the brand and model of your motherboard.
3. Open up your favorite browser and go to a search engine, preferably Google.
4. Search for the motherboard’s name + BIOS drivers. This should take you to the manufacturer’s website.
5. Download the drivers
6. Run the installation and follow the guide
7. Give it some time and see if the issue persists.

Why Does My Wireless Mouse Suddenly Stop Working?

Sometimes it’s easy to track where the problem is coming from, and sometimes it’s slightly more difficult. When the mouse enters sleep mode as soon as you stop using it, you can quite easily tell that there’s a strong correlation between inactivity and deactivation.

However, if the mouse stops working while it’s being used, then it’s a bit more difficult to pinpoint.

Wireless mice can stop moving all of a sudden because the power management settings are set to turn the device off to save power or because the Bluetooth receiver and the device run out of sync, which can be fixed by pairing the mouse and computer again.

It’s also worth removing the batteries from the mouse, then re-inserting them after a few seconds. This has proved to work for a lot of users.

I would still run the mouse through the steps mentioned above, even though the symptoms aren’t identical. Oh, and furthermore, I suggest you reset your Bluetooth mouse while you’re at it.

Read: Mouse Suddenly Stops Working On Mousepad

How Do You Reset a Bluetooth Mouse?

1. Type in Control Panel in the search box in the lower-left corner
2. Click Hardware and Sound
3. Click Bluetooth Devices
4. Click on your Mouse, then click Remove
5. Restart your mouse then click Add
6. Click My device is set up and ready to be found then click Next
7. Select your Bluetooth mouse then click Next
8. Complete the installation

Now you have removed and repaired the computer and the mouse. Make sure the device is turned on when you’re trying to add it, otherwise you won’t be able to find the device, which can be quite frustrating.

The regular keyboard is connected to the computer through a USB cable that powers the device. Wireless keyboards can communicate with the computer, but they can’t use it as a power source.

These battery-driven keyboards need to have their batteries changed occasionally to function properly. If you are about to purchase a wireless keyboard you may be wondering how long a set of batteries will last in a wireless keyboard before they need to be replaced.

The battery of a wireless keyboard can last anywhere between 3-36 months. Most high-quality keyboards will last for 20 months or more of moderate use. Some of the longer-lasting keyboards, like Logitech’s MK295, will last 3 years of everyday use before the batteries must be replaced, while other lower-quality keyboards may need to have their batteries replaced within the first months.

The battery of a rechargeable wireless keyboard can last up to 3-5 months of everyday use depending on the model and usage. Razer’s BlackWidow can last 192 hours on one charge with few features activated, while Logitech’s wireless keyboards are estimated to last for about 3 months if they’re used for about 2 hours a day, which is about 180-190 hours.

Some wireless keyboards come with features that drain the batteries quicker, such as backlighting.

The same keyboard will oftentimes also have a power-mode/sleep-mode function that puts the keyboard into a power-saving mode if it hasn’t been used for a set number of minutes. This extends the lifespan of the batteries.

Note: Some wireless keyboards are connected through Bluetooth while others use USB-RF. Bluetooth is considered a more compatible option as it uses Bluetooth, which means it can be connected to a device regardless of how many USB-ports the device has available, or what type of USB-ports the device has.

Wireless Keyboards with Longest Battery Life

Let’s take a look at some wireless keyboards with long-lasting batteries.

You would think that these keyboards would lack features in order to preserve as much power as possible, but the fact is that some of these keyboards pack a bunch of features and are still able to run for years with just a set of batteries.

This is, as we have talked about, possible for keyboards as they can shut down between keystrokes to lower energy consumption substantially.

Some of these high-end keyboards can run on a pair of AA batteries for years, which means they can be powered for about 1$ a year.

• Logitech MK700 – Battery Life: Up to 3 Years
• Logitech K520 – Up to 3 Years
• Logitech K380 – Up to 2 Years

How Long Do Logitech Keyboard Batteries Last?

Logitech makes several types of keyboards, be it wired or wireless. When it comes to their wireless keyboards, they have produce types that are charged via USB or battery-driven.

Their battery-driven keyboards can, as shown above, run on a pair of batteries for years (depending on how much they’re used on a daily basis) while the average rechargeable keyboard must be recharged after about three months if the keyboard is used for about two hours a day.

Charging a keyboard doesn’t take much time. I either do it overnight or when I’m cooking, working out, or going for a walk.

Surely, this varies depending on the model and the condition of the battery, but for me, it rarely takes more than 30 minutes to have the keyboard up and running again.

So, the average battery-driven Logitech keyboard can run on a pair of batteries for years while their rechargeable keyboards last for a couple of months before they need to be charged.

If you spend a lot of time by the computer, these numbers may need to be lowered, and vice versa.

How Long Do Razer Keyboard Batteries Last?

Razer claims that their BlackWidow V3 Pro Wireless Gaming Keyboard has a battery life of 192 hours without RGB. With the lights enabled, the numbers take a drastic turn, dropping all the way down to 5-25 hours of use.

It’s obvious that the RGB feature lowers the battery levels at an alarming rate. Thankfully, there are options regarding brightness and effects, which will extend the battery life by regulating power output.

Should You Turn Off a Wireless Keyboard When It’s Not In Use?

In order to increase the battery life of your wireless keyboard, it would be wise to turn it off when it’s not being used. This can feel quite redundant, to a certain degree – and it might be.

Keyboards only transmit data to the computer when they’re being used (when a key is being pressed).

In contrast to a wireless mouse, which has to send an abundance of information to the computer at all times. Therefore, a wireless keyboard oftentimes has twice the battery life of a wireless mouse.

Regardless, there is still a bit of power usage going on even if the keyboard isn’t being used at that time.

When you start to compound the number of hours the keyboard will be turned on – you understand that there’s time to spare by turning off the keyboard. This is, however, harder to remember than one would think.

Most wireless keyboards have an easily accessible on/off-button in order to make it easy for the user to turn the keyboard on and off.

How Do You Check Battery Life on a Wireless Keyboard?

If the wireless keyboard isn’t connected to the computer through Bluetooth and has a chargeable battery – you can’t see how much power there’s left.

When the keyboard is connected via Bluetooth and is rechargeable, you should be able to see the battery levels by going to Bluetooth & other devices -> Click on the Keyboard in the list of Bluetooth devices -> You should now be able to see how much there’s left in the device’s charge.  

It seems like there’s no way for the computer to tell how much power there’s left in the batteries that are placed in the device.

Do Wireless Keyboards Wear Out?

A wireless keyboard won’t wear out any quicker than a wired one. How quickly the keyboard wears out (wireless or not) is often reflective of the user’s habits.

Cleaning the keyboard on a regular basis, not eating and drinking at the computer, and using it with care will make the keyboard last for a long time.  

But with a wireless keyboard, the battery life can diminish over time. This makes the keyboard less efficient – while only marginally, it’s still something to consider but I highly doubt that you will make note of it.

Read: When Should You Replace a Keyboard?

How Long Should a Wireless Keyboard Last?

If you take good care of your wireless keyboard, you can expect it to last for several years. Most keyboards will last for 2-5 years before they start to wear out or malfunction, while some can last for up to 10 years.

The wireless keyboard I am writing on at this moment has been with me for almost 5 years without running into a single problem, and I expect to use it for a couple more.

I use the Logitech K400. In fact, I’ve got two of them – one in the office and one at home. Buying high-quality wireless keyboards is a bigger initial expense, but you will earn the money back in the long run.

Minimizing the amount of spill and pressing the keys with care will extend the lifespan of most keyboards by a tremendous amount of time.

Read: How To Protect Keyboards From Dust

Are Wireless Keyboards Reliable?

Yeah, wireless keyboards are both reliable and inexpensive now. Using a wireless keyboard hasn’t always been the seamless experience it is today, and I can only imagine it will continue to evolve as time goes by.

Wireless keyboards are available in a wide variety of different styles, and with a bunch of different features suitable for all types of users.

Modern wireless keyboards have less input lag and increased battery life. This makes them much more attractive than they used to be.