How To Download Xbox Games In Sleep Mode

If you own an Xbox you know you can download games. Downloading a game can take a long time so it is important to know how to download Xbox games in sleep mode. Depending on your ISP, downloading a 70-GB game file can take anywhere from a couple of hours to a few days. For example, with a 50 MB/s connection, you should be able to download a 70-GB game file in approximately three hours. However, that same game file can take over 30+ hours to download if you have a 5 MB/s connection. Because of this, you may want to know how to download Xbox games while your console is in sleep mode to save energy and prevent the Xbox from overheating. 

Table of Contents

• How do you download Xbox games while in Sleep Mode?
• How to allow an Xbox to download while in Sleep mode
• What are the negative effects of leaving an Xbox on for a long time?
• What are the benefits of using Sleep mode to download Xbox games?

How do you download Xbox games while in Sleep Mode?

To download Xbox games while your console is in sleep mode, you will need to go to Settings and find the Power mode & startup option. Find the Power mode option and change it to Instant-on. Now when you shut down your Xbox, it will remain in standby mode until it finishes any downloads or updates.

Having your Xbox enabled to download Xbox games and updates while remaining in Sleep or Standby mode is essential for many reasons. First, this allows you to walk away from your Xbox or leave it on overnight to download large game files and updates without risking your Xbox overheating. Also, leaving your Xbox on can consume quite a bit of electricity, however, by leaving it in Sleep mode while it downloads large files, the Xbox will consume less energy. 

Let us review how to set up your Xbox to download games and other large files while in Sleep mode as well as some of the negative consequences of leaving your Xbox on regular mode for extended periods of time either overnight or for multiple days at a time. By looking at the negative consequences of leaving your Xbox on regular mode for long periods of time we can then also identify the benefits of using Sleep mode to download large files and updates.

How to allow an Xbox to download while in Sleep mode

The process of enabling your Xbox to download games and other large files like updates while in Sleep or Standby mode is actually quite simple.

It is only a matter of changing a few settings. It is important to allow your Xbox, whether it is an Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox S-series, or Xbox X-series to download games while in Sleep or Standby mode because Xbox games are notorious for taking a long time to download. 

Depending on your connection speed, downloading a new Xbox game can take anywhere from a few hours to a couple of days. Here is how you can set up your Xbox to download game files and updates while remaining in Sleep or Standby mode.

First, power on your Xbox and go to the home screen. On the home screen, you will be able to access the menu screen by pressing the menu button on your Xbox controller. 

The menu button is located in the center of the controller directly to the left of the “X” button and below the main Xbox button at the top of the control pad. 

When you are on the menu screen, go to the General section and hit enter. Next, find the Power mode and startup option and click enter again. When you are in the power mode and startup screen, find the power mode option and select it. You should see a few different options. 

Find the Instant-on power mode option and select it.

The Instant-on power mode option will have a faster startup time, let you turn on the TV and the cable or satellite box on with the console, and turn on voice activation.

Voice activation will allow you to wake up your Xbox by simply saying “Xbox on”. Although these features of the Instant-on power mode option are convenient, the main benefit of having your Xbox’s power mode set to Instant-on is that now the Xbox can download large game files and updates while in Sleep or Standby mode. 

rom now on, every time you shut down your Xbox, the console will go to Sleep and at the same time check to see if there are any pending downloads or updates to be installed. If there are any pending downloads or updates to install, the Xbox will remain on Standby while the game files and updates are being downloaded. 

Here is a quick recap of how to allow an Xbox to download while in Sleep or Standby mode.

• Power on the Xbox and go to the main screen.
• Press the menu button to bring up settings and other features of the menu.
• Under General, find the power mode and startup option.
• In the power mode and startup section, find the power mode option.
• Click the Power mode tab and switch between the different options to find the Instant-on option.
• Now your Xbox set to the Instant-on Power mode option will download game files and updates while it is in Sleep mode or Standby.

What are the negative effects of leaving an Xbox on for a long time?

Leaving your Xbox on for long periods of time when you are away at work or school or overnight when you are sleeping is not healthy for your Xbox long-term. However, leaving your Xbox on for longer periods of time while it is in Sleep or Standby mode may help to mitigate some of the negative effects of leaving your Xbox on for longer periods of time. 

That being said, even running your Xbox on Sleep or Standby mode is not free from negative consequences, it just may take much longer for those effects to become apparent. The best way to preserve the life of your Xbox is to make sure it is properly shut down each time you are not using it. 

But, what if you have a large 70-GB game file that will take between 12 and 24 hours to download and you want it to download while you are away from home?

Then by putting your Xbox in the Instant-on Power mode, you can have your Xbox download the large game file while remaining in Sleep or Standby mode. If you do not do this and you simply just leave your Xbox on normal mode and shut off the TV before going to bed or leaving for work or school, you run the risk of your Xbox overheating. 

If your Xbox overheats, it may turn off automatically to help protect the drives and other internal components of the console. If your Xbox overheats, then you run the risk of doing significant internal damage to the console that can prevent the machine from functioning properly in the future or cause certain components to bun out. For example, if you leave your Xbox running all the time, you run the risk of damaging or completely frying the disk drive, the fan, or other mechanical parts as well as various electronic components. 

What are the benefits of using Sleep mode to download Xbox games?

The main benefit of using Sleep or Standby mode to download Xbox games is that you will help to preserve the life of your console as well as the life of the various mechanical and electronic components.

Running an Xbox on normal mode with the TV turned off overnight or for an entire day while you are at work or school can cause the console to overheat. 

Although Xboxes typically have a safety feature that will automatically turn off the Xbox when it overheats, the damage could still be done when the Xbox gets too hot. Also, mechanical components like the disk and the fan could burn out from being overworked. 

By placing your Xbox in the Instant-on power mode setting, you can download your games and updates while minimizing the amount of energy the Xbox is consuming in the process. This should still be done sparingly, however, it is a much better option than leaving your Xbox on in normal mode for long periods of time.