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CompTIA A+ Core 1: Why Does a Laptop Screen Randomly Turn Off While the System Remains Powered On?

Learn why a laptop screen may randomly turn off while the system stays on, as required for the CompTIA A+ Core 1 220-1101 exam. Understand how power and sleep settings control display behavior and how to adjust them for uninterrupted use.

Table of Contents

Question

A user reports that their laptop screen randomly turns off, but the system remains powered on. What should the technician check first?

A. The GPU driver settings
B. The display’s refresh rate
C. The power and sleep settings
D. The system’s antivirus software
E. The BIOS firmware version

Answer

C. The power and sleep settings

Explanation

If the screen turns off while the system remains on, it is likely due to the power settings, which may be configured to turn off the display after a short period of inactivity.

When a laptop’s display turns off while the system itself remains powered on, the most likely cause is the configuration of the system’s power and sleep settings. Operating systems like Windows allow users to specify how long the display should remain active during periods of inactivity.

If these settings are configured to turn off the display after a short period, the screen will go dark even though the laptop continues running. This is a common default for energy savings and screen preservation. To resolve the issue, review and adjust the display and sleep timers in the system’s Power Options, setting “Turn off the display” and “Put the computer to sleep” to longer intervals or “Never” as needed.

Also, verify that no screen saver is set to blank the display. This approach directly addresses the most common and easily correctable cause of the described symptom.

CompTIA A+ Core 1 220-1101 certification exam practice question and answer (Q&A) dump with detail explanation and reference available free, helpful to pass the CompTIA A+ Core 1 220-1101 exam and earn CompTIA A+ Core 1 220-1101 certification.