How to Fix a Windows 11 Screensaver That Won’t Work

When I was a kid, the screensaver was one of the most beautiful parts of the Windows system I used. I used to write my name in 3D text to see what it looked like. But as new technologies emerge, screensavers are less popular than they used to be.

But screensavers are still useful for a very large number of people. I even put a screensaver on my old computer. But for some reason, some Windows 11 users can’t use it.

If you have the same problem and want to save yourself, follow this super easy guide on fixing the screensaver not working on Windows 11 to get some cool screensavers again.

How to Fix Screensaver Not Working on Windows 11

There are some solutions because we have run into the issue. So, we’ve compiled a list of the best fixes for the screensaver not working on Windows 11 and shared them with you. So let’s get everything straightened out right away.

1. Check Screensaver Settings

You can see the screensaver if you shorten the time it stays on before the system goes to sleep. Follow these incredibly easy steps to check your screensaver settings. After that, remember to check to see if the screensaver isn’t working properly.

1. Press Windows > search for Screen saver > open it.
2. Now select any cool screensaver be it a 3D name or bubbles instead of none.
3. Here you also can change the time trigger of the screensaver. So make sure to keep it under a minute.

2. Settle Your Mouse Properly

You can bring this trouble on yourself with a small move of the Mouse. Always remember that a screensaver appears when your system is about to stop doing anything for some time.

But this could be because your Mouse isn’t set up right. To avoid this issue, use a smooth, silky mouse pad instead of a rough one. Also, another important thing is to pay close attention to your Mouse.

If you leave your Mouse on a smooth surface, it won’t work by itself. So, your screensaver can be seen on Windows 11. 3. Turn off Wake Up using Mouse

3. Disable Wake Up using Mouse

If you can’t give us the best working mouse and surface, we have another way to help you with this that is very important. Well, the driver setting lets you stop it from waking up.

1. Click on Windows > search Device Manager > Open it.
2. Click on the tiny arrow on Mice and other printing devices.
3. Now right-click on the mouse driver, and select properties.
4. Next, heads over to Power management, and unchecked the box Allow this device to wake the computer. Lastly, click on the Ok button.

4. Disconnect All Peripherals

You never know which peripherals are still working in the background. And since the peripherals always work, the system is always awake. Disconnect and unplug all peripherals to activate your screensaver.

Also, some bad instructions are attached to peripheral drivers in the background. The best option is to remove them for a while. After removing them from the system, check to see if your Windows 11 screensaver is still working.

5. Check Sleep Settings

How do screensavers perform if you don’t give them any time between the working system and the sleep system? Our system sleeps when we don’t use the keyboard and Mouse for a while. Follow these easy steps to check whether the screensaver is running.

1. Click Windows > Settings > System.
2. Then click on Power & battery.
3. Now expand the Screen and sleep option.
4. Next, extend the time adequate for the screensaver on When Plugged In, Put My Device to Sleep After accordingly before sleep mode activates.

6. Perform SFC Scan

SFC stands for “system file checker,” a useful program with Windows. It helps you find the damaged system file and replaces it with a working file so that the system can run smoothly and without problems. If your screensaver isn’t working because a file is broken, here’s how to fix it.

1. Press Windows > search for Command Prompt > Run as administrator.
2. Now type the following command on CMD, and hit enter.

   sfc /scannow

3. This will detect all corrupt files, and replace them with working ones. You need to restart the system after this.

7. Perform Power Troubleshooter

The next step is to perform power troubleshooting in your Windows system. You can fix any power or battery issue with this tool. Here are the rules you must follow.

1. Press Windows > Settings > System > Troubleshoot.
2. Next, click on Other troubleshooters.
3. To run the power troubleshooter, click on the Run button on Power.
4. It will detect all probable errors, and let you fix those errors as well.

8. Update Display Driver

When Windows 11 screensavers stop working, it’s almost always because the monitor drivers are broken or outdated. So, the best thing to do is to update the monitor driver.

1. Press Windows > search for Device Manager > Open it.
2. Next, click on the tiny arrow of the Display adapter, and you will get the display driver.
3. Then, right-click upon the driver, and select update.
4. Now choose  Search automatically for updates, it will update the display driver.

9. Update Windows

Windows is a system with a lot of problems. But its makers are always working to make it a small and useful device. They release updates often to fix bugs and give users the best experience.

There may be several problems if you still need the most recent version of Windows. Follow these steps to update your system.

1. Press Windows > Settings > Windows update.
2. Then, click on Check for updates to get all due updates.
3. Download all available updates one after one, and install them to make your system run more efficiently.

Final Words

First, it’s nice to hear that people still use cool screensavers. And I’m lucky to be able to share some tried-and-true solutions with people who are having an issue. So this is the guide on how to fix a Windows 11 screensaver that isn’t working. Tell us in the comment box if you still need help with the system.