Caffeine

Caffeine is a very lightweight program that allows you to keep your PC always awake. Thanks to this software, which takes up less than 500KB, you can prevent Windows from going to sleep, locking the screen or activating the screensaver. To do this, this tiny app simulates pressing a key on your keyboard every 59 seconds. This way, if your PC has a problem with sleep mode or the screensaver, you can prevent it from going into either of these states. This is particularly useful on company PCs or where, for whatever reason, you cannot alter the related options.

No installation required: unzip and run

Using Caffeine is very simple. First off, the program does not need to be installed. Simply unzip the compressed file into any folder on your PC and double-click on the right executable for your computer. There are two versions: 32-bit and 64-bit. Most users will need to run the 64-bit version. As soon as you do this, you will see a coffee maker icon in the task bar. Double-click on the icon to activate or deactivate it. When the coffee maker looks full, the program will be active. And when the coffee maker appears empty, it will not be running. It's as simple as that.

Learn how to use Caffeine commands

Many users are unaware that Caffeine has an extensive list of commands which can slightly alter its behavior. You can find the complete list on the official website. Using them is as simple as opening the program via the Windows command console. Simply access the directory where the executable is located and type "caffeine.exe" followed by the command of your choice. For example, if you type "caffeine.exe -oldicons" you will see the old program icons, which are a little more colorful.

F15, the key Caffeine presses

By default, the key Caffeine presses virtually every 59 seconds is F15. The vast majority of keyboards do not even have this key, which is why it is very unlikely that these virtual keystrokes will cause any conflicts on your PC. However, it is true that the F15 key may interfere with PowerPoint, Google Docs or Smartsheet. So, if you use any of these programs on a regular basis, it is advisable to start the program with the -useshift command line, which will replace F15 with the Shift key.

Keep your PC always active

Caffeine is a program that may be especially useful for users who have problems with the Windows sleep mode, since the PC will never again crash or go to sleep automatically. Download this software if you want to keep your PC awake, thanks to delicious virtual coffee.