How to Automatically Turn On a Computer at a Specified Time

June 2023 ยท 2 minute read

This wikiHow teaches you how to make your PC or Mac computer start up at a specific time. If you're using a PC running any operating system (Windows or Linux), you can schedule automatic startups in the system BIOS. If you're using a Mac,...

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Using a PC

  • Picture 1 of How to Automatically Turn On a Computer at a Specified Time Reboot your PC into the BIOS. The option to start your PC on a particular schedule is available in the BIOS, which you can access by pressing a specific key at boot time. This key is usually Del, F8, or F12, or F10. If you're using a newer Windows 10 PC, try using these steps to enter the BIOS:[1]:
  • Right-click the Start menu and select Settings.
  • Click Update & Security.
  • Click Recovery.
  • Click Restart Now under "Advanced Startup."
  • When the computer comes back up, click the Troubleshoot menu.
  • Click Advanced Options
  • Click UEFI Firmware Settings and click Restart.
  • Picture 2 of How to Automatically Turn On a Computer at a Specified Time

    Navigate to Power on Alarm or RTC Alarm option. The name of this menu varies by manufacturer and may be in a menu called Advanced.[2]

  • Picture 3 of How to Automatically Turn On a Computer at a Specified Time Select a schedule frequency. The steps to do this vary by PC, but you'll usually use the arrow keys on the keyboard to highlight the day of the week on which you want the computer to start at a certain time, then press a key to toggle on Enable or Disable for that day.
  • Depending on the BIOS, you may have the option to choose a broader option like Every Day.
  • Picture 4 of How to Automatically Turn On a Computer at a Specified Time

    Enter the time you want the PC to power on. You'll usually use the arrow keys to select an option called Time, though some BIOS settings require you to enter the hour, minute, and second separately.[3]

  • Picture 5 of How to Automatically Turn On a Computer at a Specified Time

    Save your changes and exit the BIOS. If your BIOS has a menu running along the time of the screen, you can usually save an exit by selecting the File menu and choosing Save Changes and Exit. If not, the Save or Save and Close key should be clearly marked on the screen. Once you've exited the BIOS, the PC will restart as normal and your changes will be saved.

    • Samuel Daniel Samuel Daniel

    Update 05 March 2020

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