How To Put An Xbox In Rest Mode: Pros And Cons
There are many benefits to having the power settings of an Xbox set to energy saver or rest mode/instant-on mode. So, how do you put an Xbox in rest mode? Using the energy saver or rest mode/instant-on power settings on your Xbox is a great way to conserve electricity and be environmentally conscious. Although a small impact, using the energy saver or instant-on mode on your Xbox will help to reduce the amount of energy your home uses while helping to keep your electrical bill lower. Energy costs continue to rise, so any way you can conserve electricity can add up to keep costs lower.
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How do you put an Xbox in energy saver or rest mode?
To place your Xbox in energy saver or rest mode, simply power on your Xbox, and when you reach the main screen, press the Xbox button on your controller. This will bring up a menu where you should locate the Profile & system option. Click on it and go to Settings – General – Power mode & start-up.
Following these instructions above will get you to where you need to go to be able to place your Xbox in energy-saving mode or instant-on/rest mode. There are many benefits to having your Xbox set to one of these power settings.
Your Xbox will use less electricity and start-up faster, you could see savings on your energy bill, you can wake up the console with your voice, and you will have the ability to turn on your TV, cable, and/or satellite from the Xbox. Additionally, when your console is powered down, your Xbox will actively still search for updates and download and install patches or games you have pending in your download queue.
Let us take a look at how to change the power settings on your Xbox as well as all the different benefits of using an energy saver or rest/instant-on mode.
Instant-on/rest mode
Instant-on or rest mode, which is also referred to as standby mode, is a power setting that will allow you to power on your console and be signed in to your Xbox live account in five seconds or less.
Additionally, if you have it set to wake up in response to your voice, all you have to do is walk into the room and say “Xbox on” as you walk over to your favorite gaming chair and grab the controller.
If you also have the quick resume option, add another 15 seconds to that original five seconds and you could be already in your current game ready to take on a new side quest or ready to fight a boss.
Also, if you are looking to be able to have your Xbox download games and updates while you are sleeping or away at work, with instant-on/rest mode they can be downloaded and installed while the Xbox is powered down. This actually conserves energy compared to leaving your Xbox on normally while a game or update is downloaded and installed.
This is also extremely convenient for large files that can take several hours or even a few days to download and install depending on your network speed.
Another perk of having your Xbox set to instant-on/rest mode is that you can control your Xbox with a mobile phone app when you are away from your console. You can install, download, manage, and maybe even play games from your phone no matter where you are.
The main drawback of using the instant-on/rest or standby mode is the amount of energy it consumes. When compared to energy saver mode, standby mode can sometimes use up to 20 times more energy over the course of a month
This can contribute to higher energy bills as well as increase your impact on the environment. However, if these are not too large of a concern, the instant-on mode has many benefits that are incredibly hard to pass up.
Pros
- Be able to download and install updates and games while your Xbox is powered down and while you are sleeping or away at work or school.
- Extremely fast power-up that can have you playing your favorite Xbox games within seconds.
- Voice-activated power on feature.
- Control your Xbox and download games and updates wherever you are by using the Xbox mobile phone application.
Cons
- Higher electricity consumption and energy bills.
- Larger impact on the environment.
How to put an Xbox in instant-on/rest mode
The instant-on/rest mode or standby mode consumes much more energy than the energy saver mode, however, the perks of setting up your Xbox with these power settings may outweigh the downsides. Overall, there are just so many more things that you can do with your Xbox when it is in instant-on mode than when it is in power saver mode.
The main reason for this is that when an Xbox is in instant-on mode, it never fully shuts down when you power off the Xbox. Instead, the console goes into a deep rest mode where some functions are still available.
Here are some step-by-step instructions on how to place your Xbox in instant-on/rest mode.
- Once the Xbox is powered on, press the Xbox button located on the controller.
- Next, select the Profile and system settings.
- Click on Settings and go to General.
- Find the Power mode and start-up option.
- It is in the Power mode and start-up option that you can select instant-on mode.
Energy saver mode
The energy saver mode on the Xbox One and the Xbox Series X and S consumes the least amount of power when compared to all of the available power setting modes. In fact, the energy saver mode uses approximately up to 20 times less energy than the instant-on mode.
This is due in a large part to the Xbox fully powering down whenever you turn off your console rather than staying in instant-on or standby mode.
The main drawback to having your Xbox set to energy saver mode is the fact that you will not be able to have game downloads and updates downloaded and installed while the Xbox sleeps and the Xbox will take up to 45-seconds or more to fully power on and be ready to use.
The main benefits of the energy saver mode are the lower energy bills, the reduction in electricity use, and the smaller environmental impact you will be making.
Pros
- Less electricity will be consumed,
- Energy bills will be lower.
- Smaller overall environmental impact.
Cons
- Takes longer to power on than instant-on mode.
- Games and updates will not download and install when the Xbox is powered down.
How to put an Xbox in energy saver mode
When you put your Xbox in energy saver mode, you are electing to have the Xbox fully powerdown whenever you are not using the Xbox.
Additionally, there are other power settings on the Xbox where you can select energy saver mode and place a timer on the Xbox that will automatically power down the console after a designated period of inactivity. Here is how to reach those settings.
- Once the Xbox is powered on, press the Xbox button located on the controller.
- Next, select the Profile and system settings.
- Click on Settings and go to General.
- Find the Power mode and start-up option.
- It is in the Power mode and start-up option that you can select energy saver mode as well as designate the amount of time of inactivity you will allow before the Xbox automatically shuts down.