--- title: "Idle Pilot vs Don't Sleep: Keep Teams or Slack Active?" description: "Don't Sleep is Windows freeware that blocks sleep and shutdown. Compare it with Idle Pilot, which keeps Teams or Slack Available with the laptop closed." canonical: "https://idlepilot.com/compare/idle-pilot-vs-dont-sleep/" updated: "2026-10-28" generated_by: "scripts/build-markdown-twins.mjs" --- > Markdown representation of https://idlepilot.com/compare/idle-pilot-vs-dont-sleep/ — the HTML page at that URL is canonical and carries the same content. # Idle Pilot vs Don't Sleep Pick Don't Sleep if you want a free, portable tool that stops a Windows PC from sleeping, shutting down or restarting during a long job. Pick Idle Pilot if Teams or Slack must show Available during Work Hours, even with the laptop closed. Don't Sleep blocks sleep but describes no simulated input, and Slack says desktop users go away after 10 minutes of inactivity. Idle Pilot costs $9 per month or $60 per year; Don't Sleep is free. Disclosure: Idle Pilot wrote this page and makes one of the two products. Don't Sleep facts come from its own site, checked October 28, 2026. Idle Pilot is not affiliated with Don't Sleep. ## Quick Verdict Don't Sleep is the better free tool for blocking sleep and shutdown on Windows; Idle Pilot fits when Teams or Slack must stay Available with the laptop closed. Don't Sleep tells Windows it has important tasks so the PC does not sleep, shut down or restart. Its site does not describe simulated input or mention Teams or Slack, and Microsoft says Teams presence becomes Away after a few minutes of inactivity. Idle Pilot runs your saved Work Hours from the cloud for one Slack workspace or one Teams account. Don't Sleep is free; Idle Pilot costs $9 per month or $60 per year. ## Feature Comparison | Feature | Idle Pilot | Don't Sleep | | --- | --- | --- | | Purpose | Scheduled Slack or Teams availability | Block sleep, shutdown and restart on Windows | | Platforms | Slack or Microsoft Teams (one at a time) | Windows 11, 10, 8.1 and 7; Windows Server 2012 to 2025 | | Where it runs | Cloud | Your Windows PC | | How it keeps you active | Keeps presence from its servers during Work Hours | Tells Windows it has important tasks; no simulated input described | | Keeps Teams or Slack Available | Yes, during saved Work Hours | Its site does not say; Teams can still show Away | | Works with your laptop closed | Yes | Not documented; computer must stay on and awake | | Schedule | Per-day Work Hours, Lunch Break, Vacation Mode | Timer and scheduled shutdown | | Monthly price | $9 | Free | | Yearly price | $60 | Free | | Free trial | 3-day free trial · No credit card; 7 days when linked within 3 hours of sign-up | Not needed; freeware | | Setup | Desktop Chrome and the Idle Pilot extension, once | Download and run; no installation | ## Detailed Comparison Don't Sleep is a small freeware program for Windows from SoftwareOK.com. It blocks shutdown, standby, hibernate, restart and log-off, and it can stop the monitor from turning off or the screen saver from starting. It adds a timer, scheduled shutdown, and rules based on network traffic or CPU load. Idle Pilot is a cloud service that keeps one Slack workspace or one Microsoft Teams account Available or Active during the Work Hours you save. Don't Sleep reports to Windows that it has important tasks running. Its site does not describe mouse or key simulation and does not say whether it keeps Teams or Slack Available. Microsoft says Teams presence on a computer becomes Away after a few minutes of inactivity or when the computer is locked, and Slack says desktop users are set to away after 10 minutes of inactivity. A PC that stays awake can therefore still show Away. Idle Pilot keeps presence from its servers on your schedule and does not use your computer's input. Don't Sleep runs on your PC, so the PC must stay on and awake. Teams shows Offline when the computer sleeps. Idle Pilot keeps working with the laptop closed, asleep or off, after you link your account once. Don't Sleep is free, and its page mentions commercial, business and private use. You download a 267 KB program and run it without installing; it can run from a USB stick. Idle Pilot costs $9 per month or $60 per year (USD), with a 3-day free trial and no credit card. The trial starts at your first Slack or Teams connection, and it lasts 7 days if you connect within 3 hours of sign-up. You link once in desktop Google Chrome with the Idle Pilot extension and can remove the extension afterward. Don't Sleep lists Windows 11, 10, 8.1 and 7 and Windows Server 2012 to 2025. That is wider Windows support than most tools here. Idle Pilot has per-day Work Hours, a Lunch Break, and Vacation Mode, which pauses the schedule when you set a status you choose, such as Out of Office. Your employer may be able to see either tool. Device management and monitoring software can log programs and running processes, including Don't Sleep. Teams and Slack admins and security tools can inspect sessions, devices and network origins, which applies to Idle Pilot. Idle Pilot manages presence only; it does not write status messages or read chats or files. Check your employer's rules before you use either. ### Idle Pilot Advantages - Keeps Teams or Slack Available during saved Work Hours - Works with the laptop closed, asleep or off - Per-day Work Hours, Lunch Break and Vacation Mode - Nothing has to keep running on your PC after you link ### Don't Sleep Advantages - Free; its page mentions commercial, business and private use - Portable: no installation, and it can run from a USB stick - Blocks shutdown, restart and log-off, not only sleep - Timer, scheduled shutdown, and network or CPU based rules - Runs on older Windows versions and Windows Server ## Which Should You Choose? **If** you need Teams or Slack Available during set Work Hours Use: Idle Pilot **If** you close your laptop or let it sleep during the day Use: Idle Pilot **If** you must stop a PC from restarting or shutting down during a long job Use: Don't Sleep **If** you want a tool that runs from a USB stick without installing Use: Don't Sleep **If** you use an older Windows version or Windows Server Use: Don't Sleep ## What is Don't Sleep? Don't Sleep is a freeware Windows program by Nenad Hrg of SoftwareOK.com. It blocks shutdown, standby, hibernate, restart and log-off, and it can stop the monitor from turning off or the screen saver from starting. It runs without installation; version 10.22 is dated June 20, 2026. We checked its pages on October 28, 2026. ### Sources - [SoftwareOK: Don't Sleep](https://www.softwareok.com/?seite=Microsoft/DontSleep) - [SoftwareOK: Don't Sleep license agreement](https://www.softwareok.com/?seite=Microsoft/DontSleep/Eula) - [SoftwareOK: Impressum](https://www.softwareok.com/?seite=Impressum) - [Microsoft Learn: User presence in Teams](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/presence-admins) - [Slack: Set your status and availability](https://slack.com/help/articles/201864558-Set-your-Slack-status-and-availability) ## Frequently Asked Questions Does Don't Sleep keep Teams green? Its site does not say so. Don't Sleep blocks sleep, shutdown and the screen saver, but its site does not describe mouse or key simulation. Microsoft says Teams presence on a computer becomes Away after a few minutes of inactivity or when the computer is locked, so a PC that stays awake can still show Away. How much do Don't Sleep and Idle Pilot cost? Don't Sleep is freeware from SoftwareOK.com. Idle Pilot costs $9 per month or $60 per year (USD), with a 3-day free trial and no credit card. The trial starts at your first Slack or Teams connection. We checked SoftwareOK's pages on October 28, 2026. Does Don't Sleep work with the laptop closed? Don't Sleep needs the computer on and awake. Its cited source does not document lid-closed operation, and it cannot continue while the computer is asleep or off. A supported external-display setup can differ from a sleeping laptop. Idle Pilot maintains Slack or Teams availability from its servers during saved Work Hours even with the computer off. Can my employer see that I use Don't Sleep or Idle Pilot? Possibly. Device management and monitoring software can log programs and running processes, including portable ones such as Don't Sleep. Teams and Slack admins and security tools can inspect sessions, devices and network origins, which applies to Idle Pilot. Check your employer's rules before you use either tool. Do I need to install Don't Sleep? No. SoftwareOK says Don't Sleep does not have to be installed and can run from the desktop or a USB stick. Idle Pilot needs no program on your PC after setup: you link once in desktop Chrome with its extension, and you can remove the extension afterward. ## Related resources [Comparison Idle Pilot vs slack.green Idle Pilot fits Microsoft Teams users and Slack users who want Vacation Mode. sl... ](https://idlepilot.com/compare/idle-pilot-vs-slack-green/)[Comparison Does Caffeine Keep Slack Active? 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[Try Idle Pilot free](https://app.idlepilot.com) 3-day free trial · No credit card ## Idle Pilot facts Idle Pilot maintains Slack or Microsoft Teams availability from the cloud during saved Work Hours. Who it is for For people who want availability to follow work hours when the laptop is closed, asleep, or off. Connected account One Slack workspace or one Microsoft Teams account at a time. You can switch platforms. Price Freedom Pass costs $9 per month or $60 per year. Trial 3-day free trial · No credit card. The trial starts at the first Slack or Teams connection. 7 days if you connect within 3 hours of sign-up. First setup Connect once in desktop Google Chrome with the Idle Pilot extension. You can remove the extension after linking. Mobile-only linking is not supported. [View the extension](https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/idle-pilot/nadppgjnachfgclfcgdbekniiiemepdp). Limits Presence only: it does not write custom status messages or read chats and files. It is not a mouse jiggler. Your employer’s rules still apply; availability is not proof of work.