Turn Off Screen

The more powerful electronic devices get, the more energy they tend to require to function at maximum capacity, a scenario that still applies to monitors as well. While Windows does have the option of automatically shutting off the screens connected to your computer at predefined intervals, setting the value to one minute can be problematic when quickly leaving the office for refreshments or answering a short call and then having to wake the displays repeatedly, which is where an aptly named program known as Turn Off Screen comes into play.

Once downloaded, double-clicking on the app’s executable immediately turns off your monitors, thus making it perfect for those situations in which your device’s schedule is set to 10 minutes or more, depending on the dynamics of your environment, or workflow, that can sometimes include physically signing documents, listening to quick reports from your peers or checking a secondary computer for updates.

As a result, when having to engage in an activity taking 30 minutes or more, instead of letting the PC turn off the displays after 15 minutes of idle time, users can activate the program and avoid wasting power in that particular period, which can pile up rather swiftly in the case of setups featuring five or more displays, that are common with multitaskers or stockbrokers, ultimately leading to an energy efficient and environmentally-responsible electronic device-usage strategy.

Given the program’s lack of a graphical interface, users may wish to pin it to their desktop, taskbar or Start Menu in order to ensure access to it at all times. Alternatively, those who want to take the automation potential a step further can also resort to the AutoHotKey scripting language and bind the app to a less-frequently-used keyboard button for an always-available shortcut, such as the tilde key.

Whether you want to save energy when temporarily leaving your office or desk for a short errand, or you simply wish to prevent guests or siblings from peeking at sensitive documents during your workflows, Turn Off Screen may be a great solution, given its portable and lightweight form-factor that focuses on the essentials.