AwakeTab FAQ: the questions we are asked most

Getting started

How do I start a session?

Open AwakeTab, pick a duration and press Start. The presets run from 15 minutes to 4 hours, Until I stop has no end time, Until… stops at a clock time, and Custom… takes any length up to seven days. On a keyboard, 1 to 6 pick the presets, 0 picks no end time, U opens the clock time and Space starts or stops.

Can I make it stop at a certain time?

Yes. Choose Until… and pick the time. If that time has already passed today, the session ends at that time tomorrow, and the tool says so before you start. When the time comes you hear a chime and can extend or stop.

What do the words on the pill mean?

The pill names one of seven states, from “Ready” to “Screen awake” to “Paused — tab hidden”. Each has its own words, shape and colour, and it changes only when the browser answers. How AwakeTab works lists all seven with what each one means.

Does it work on a work laptop?

Usually, as long as the browser allows it and the tab stays visible. A work policy that locks the computer after some minutes without input is separate from display sleep, so it can still lock the screen. Keep a work laptop display awake covers what to ask your IT team.

Tabs, windows and the lid

Does it still work if I switch tabs or minimise the window?

No. The browser releases the lock when the page is hidden, and switching tabs, minimising the window or changing apps all hide it. AwakeTab pauses, the pill reads “Paused — tab hidden”, and it asks again as soon as the tab is visible.

For a display behind other windows, use the AwakeTab extension for Chrome and Edge, which keeps working with the tab hidden, or the floating window. The floating window is a small always-on-top window in desktop Chrome and Edge 116 and later and in desktop Firefox 151 and later. Whether it keeps the screen on while its tab is hidden has not been checked on a device yet.

Will it keep my laptop awake with the lid closed?

No, and neither will any other web page. What happens when the lid closes is an operating-system decision. Change it in your power settings, attach an external display, or use a native tool. Keep a Mac awake with the lid closed: what works covers the Mac options step by step.

Status, sleep and phones

Does it keep Teams or Slack showing me as available?

No. Presence follows keyboard and mouse idle time, not a lit display, so Teams still shows you as Away after a few minutes without input. AwakeTab never sends synthetic input to change that. Does keeping your screen on keep Teams green? explains what does set your status.

Does it stop the whole computer from sleeping, or only the screen?

The screen is the guarantee. Idle system sleep is a separate policy the page cannot control, although Windows, and a Mac running Chrome, do not idle-sleep while the browser holds the display on. For a machine that stays awake with the display off, use a native utility such as PowerToys Awake or caffeinate.

Why does my iPhone lock the screen anyway?

Low Power Mode forces a 30-second Auto-Lock. Turn it off in Settings, then Battery. Safari needs iOS 16.4 or later, and a Home Screen web app needs iOS 18.4. Below those versions, AwakeTab offers the video fallback. Keep your iPhone screen on in Safari has the full steps.

Faces, looks and sounds

How do I change the clock face?

Tap the face name above the clock to open the gallery, use its arrows, swipe sideways on the clock, or press C (Shift+C goes back). All twelve faces are free, and each one loads only when you pick it. With reduced motion turned on, faces update without flipping, rolling or sweeping.

Can I change the colours and the background?

Yes, in Settings → Appearance. Clear Night, Paper and Nord, the Aqua, Violet, Amber and Teal lamps, the Grain, Dots and Grid backgrounds and three presets are free. Pro adds six more themes, eight more lamps and a colour of your own, five more backgrounds and five more presets. Every theme has a light and a dark version and stays readable with every lamp.

Can I try a Pro item before paying?

Yes. Any Pro theme, lamp, background or preset, the sound mixer, more notes, the repeating Pomodoro and a shared Message link can each be tried for five minutes, as often as you like. A small bar counts down, a notice comes at one minute, and then the tool goes back to your last free choice. A preview is never saved and never touches the wake lock or the timer, and notes you write in one are never deleted.

Do focus sounds keep the screen awake?

No. Sound never keeps the screen awake; the pill is still the only sign that it is. Open Sounds from the sound button in the header or press S. The noises, rain, café, fireplace and lo-fi loop are made live in your browser, and nothing plays or downloads until you ask. If your browser needs a tap first, the panel says “Tap to start sound”. Pro adds a mixer to layer several sounds.

The video fallback and battery

What is the video fallback, and when does it run?

It is a silent one-frame video loop, so the browser treats media as playing and keeps the display on. It runs only when there is no Screen Wake Lock API, and only after you tap. The pill then says “Awake via video fallback”. It needs the tab visible and uses a little more battery than a native lock.

How much battery does it use, and can I leave it running overnight?

The lock itself costs almost nothing; the lit screen is what drains the battery. Plug in, dim the display, and consider the night clock on an OLED screen. In Chrome and Edge, Stop automatically on low battery in settings ends the session before the battery runs out.

Price and privacy

Is it free, and what happens to my data?

Free, with no sign-up. Settings, the current session and your stats stay in this browser, with no cookies and no fingerprinting. Anonymous first-party usage events carry no identifiers, and Share anonymous usage data in settings turns them off. There are no ads on the awake screen, now or later.

All of this is free, with no account:

• Every length 15 minutes to 4 hours, until you stop it, until a clock time, or a custom length up to seven days.
• Every face and mode All twelve clock faces and every ambient mode but Message: Standard, Clock, Focus, Breathe, Minimal, Night and Cook.
• Colours The Clear Night, Paper and Nord themes, four lamps, three backgrounds and three presets.
• Sounds, notes and focus Seven focus sounds, five end sounds, one note, a Pomodoro, an intention and a second time zone.
• Stats and install Seven days of stats, and an offline install in eight languages.
• The extension AwakeTab for Chrome at Screen or System level.

Where are my notes kept, and does voice typing send my words anywhere?

Notes stay in this browser on this device, in its own storage (IndexedDB). They are never uploaded, there is no account or sync, and they work offline. Clearing the site’s data in your browser deletes them, so export a note as .md or .txt when you want a copy. The notepad’s mic uses your browser’s speech recognition: in Chrome and Edge your voice goes to the browser’s speech service (Google or Microsoft) to be turned into text, and Safari uses Apple’s. AwakeTab itself sends nothing and keeps only the text you save. Firefox has no speech recognition, so the mic is hidden there. Press N to open the notes.

Ready to try it? Open AwakeTab, pick a duration and watch the pill.