To ensure your downloads finish overnight or while you're away, you must prevent the system from entering a full "Sleep" state. For Windows 10 & 11

However, the definition of "sleep" has evolved with modern technology. Windows laptops, for instance, feature a distinct setting known as "Modern Standby" (formerly Connected Standby). In this mode, the laptop operates similarly to a smartphone. While the screen is off and the device appears to be sleeping, it maintains a network connection. This allows the device to perform background tasks such as syncing emails, updating live tiles, and receiving notifications. While Modern Standby prioritizes system maintenance over user-initiated large downloads, it represents a gray area where some network activity persists. Yet, for the average user downloading a large file, standard sleep mode acts as a hard stop.

It is also worth noting the alternative power state: "Hibernate." While often confused with sleep, hibernation is an even deeper power-saving state. It saves the contents of RAM to the hard drive and shuts down the computer completely, using zero power. Just like sleep mode, hibernation severs the network connection, meaning downloads will not progress.