--- title: "Idle Pilot vs PowerToys Awake: Teams and Slack Status" description: "PowerToys Awake keeps a Windows PC awake for free but does not simulate input. Compare it with Idle Pilot for Teams or Slack with the laptop closed." canonical: "https://idlepilot.com/compare/idle-pilot-vs-powertoys-awake/" updated: "2026-10-28" generated_by: "scripts/build-markdown-twins.mjs" --- > Markdown representation of https://idlepilot.com/compare/idle-pilot-vs-powertoys-awake/ — the HTML page at that URL is canonical and carries the same content. # Idle Pilot vs PowerToys Awake Pick PowerToys Awake if you only need a Windows PC to stay awake; it is free and open source from Microsoft. Pick Idle Pilot if Teams or Slack must show Available during Work Hours, even with the laptop closed. Awake does not simulate input, and Slack says desktop users go away after 10 minutes of inactivity. Idle Pilot costs $9 per month or $60 per year; Awake is free. Disclosure: Idle Pilot wrote this page and makes one of the two products. PowerToys Awake facts come from its own site, checked October 28, 2026. Idle Pilot is not affiliated with PowerToys Awake. ## Quick Verdict PowerToys Awake is the better free tool for keeping a Windows PC awake; Idle Pilot fits when Teams or Slack must stay Available with the laptop closed. Awake sends Windows power requests so the PC does not sleep. It does not simulate input, and Microsoft says Teams presence becomes Away after a few minutes of inactivity, so an awake PC can still show Away. Idle Pilot runs your saved Work Hours from the cloud for one Slack workspace or one Teams account. Awake is free; Idle Pilot costs $9 per month or $60 per year. ## Feature Comparison | Feature | Idle Pilot | PowerToys Awake | | --- | --- | --- | | Purpose | Scheduled Slack or Teams availability | Keep a Windows PC awake | | Platforms | Slack or Microsoft Teams (one at a time) | Windows 11 and Windows 10 version 2004 or later | | Where it runs | Cloud | Your Windows PC | | How it keeps you active | Keeps presence from its servers during Work Hours | Power requests only; no simulated input | | Keeps Teams or Slack Available | Yes, during saved Work Hours | Not stated by Microsoft; 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 | Indefinite, for a time interval, or until a date and time | | 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; free and open source | | Setup | Desktop Chrome and the Idle Pilot extension, once | Install PowerToys, then turn on Enable Awake | ## Detailed Comparison PowerToys Awake is one of Microsoft's free, open-source PowerToys utilities for Windows. It keeps the computer awake indefinitely, for a time interval, or until a date and time, and it can keep the screen on. It does not change your power plan. 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. Awake prevents sleep; it does not move the mouse or press keys. Microsoft's Awake page does not mention Teams or Slack. Microsoft's Teams documentation says 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 Awake keeps awake can therefore still show Away. Idle Pilot keeps presence from its servers on your schedule and does not use your computer's input. Awake runs on your PC, so the PC must be on, awake and signed in. Microsoft says Awake does not prevent sleep or hibernation that you start yourself, and Teams shows Offline when the computer sleeps. Idle Pilot keeps working with the laptop closed, asleep or off, after you link your account once. Awake is free. You install PowerToys from GitHub, the Microsoft Store or WinGet, then turn on Enable Awake in PowerToys Settings. 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. Awake needs Windows 11 or Windows 10 version 2004 or later on x64 or ARM64. Its timers are one-off; Microsoft lists no weekday schedule. 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 installed programs and running processes, including Awake. 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 ### PowerToys Awake Advantages - Free and open source (MIT license) from Microsoft - Keeps the whole PC awake for any task, not only chat - Indefinite, timed and until-a-date modes, plus Keep screen on - Command-line options for scripts - No subscription ## 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 need a Windows PC awake during a long download or build Use: PowerToys Awake **If** you are presenting and need the screen to stay on Use: PowerToys Awake **If** you want a free tool with no subscription Use: PowerToys Awake ## What is PowerToys Awake? PowerToys Awake is a free, open-source Windows utility in Microsoft PowerToys. It keeps a PC awake indefinitely, for a time interval, or until a date and time, without changing the power plan. Microsoft says it is intended for use while you are at your computer or in private environments. We checked Microsoft's pages on October 28, 2026. ### Sources - [Microsoft Learn: PowerToys Awake utility](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/powertoys/awake) - [Microsoft Learn: PowerToys overview](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/powertoys/) - [Microsoft Learn: Install PowerToys](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/powertoys/install) - [GitHub: PowerToys release v0.102.3001](https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/releases/tag/v0.102.3001) - [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 PowerToys Awake keep Teams green? Microsoft's Awake page does not say so. Awake keeps the PC awake with power requests, but it does not move the mouse or press keys. 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 PowerToys Awake and Idle Pilot cost? PowerToys Awake is free and open source as part of Microsoft PowerToys. 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 Microsoft's pages on October 28, 2026. Does PowerToys Awake work with the laptop closed? PowerToys Awake 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 PowerToys Awake or Idle Pilot? Possibly. Device management and monitoring software can log installed programs and running processes, including Awake. 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. Can I use PowerToys Awake and Idle Pilot together? Yes. They do different jobs. Awake keeps a Windows PC awake for downloads, builds or presentations. Idle Pilot keeps one Slack workspace or one Teams account Available during saved Work Hours, and it does not need Awake or your PC to keep running. ## 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.