How to Disable Network Connectivity During Modern Standby in Windows 11

In Windows 11, Modern Standby (S0 Low Power Idle) may keep the network connected during sleep to allow notifications and background synchronization.

If you prefer the network to be fully disconnected while the device is sleeping — for example, to stop overnight background traffic — you can configure the system to shift from Connected Standby behavior toward a Disconnected state.

This article explains how to disable network connectivity during Modern Standby in Windows 11.

What This Guide Covers

Disabling network connectivity during Modern Standby (S0)
Configuring settings for both plugged-in and battery modes
Verifying that your device supports Modern Standby

Disable Network Connectivity During Standby via Group Policy (Pro / Enterprise)

The most reliable method is through Local Group Policy Editor, available in Windows 11 Pro and Enterprise editions.

Steps

Press Win + R to open Run
Type gpedit.msc and launch Local Group Policy Editor
Navigate to:

   Computer Configuration
     → Administrative Templates
       → System
         → Power Management
           → Sleep Settings

Locate the following policies and set both to Disabled:

Allow network connectivity during connected-standby (plugged in)
Allow network connectivity during connected-standby (on battery)

Apply the changes:

Open Command Prompt as Administrator and run:

   gpupdate /force

Alternatively, restart the system.

Expected Behavior

After disabling these policies:

Modern Standby shifts from Connected (network maintained) to Disconnected (network suspended)
Background synchronization and sleep-time network activity are reduced or stopped

Verify That Your Device Uses Modern Standby (S0)

Before applying these settings, confirm that your device supports Modern Standby.

Open Command Prompt as Administrator and run:

powercfg /a

If the output lists:

Standby (S0 Low Power Idle)

your device is using Modern Standby.

Considerations

Notifications, email synchronization, and background updates may stop while the device is asleep.
Some OEM firmware, NIC drivers, or hardware implementations may partially maintain connectivity despite the policy change.
Behavior can vary depending on system firmware and network adapter capabilities.

Summary

To disable network connectivity during Modern Standby in Windows 11, the most direct approach is to set the following two Group Policy settings to Disabled: