Latest Steam update shows 'steamwebhelper.exe Video Wake Lock' is stopping my PC from sleeping

[eyethemack]

Since the latest Steam update, I am seeing 'steamwebhelper.exe Video Wake Lock' in 'powercfg -requests' and this is stopping my PC from sleeping or display to go off.
Only happens in Store page and has never happened before in all previous versions of Steam.
How can I resolve this? Any ideas?
Thanks.

[RiO]

Chrome has implemented an API called Wake Lock that allows website developers to request locking the ability for the OS to go to sleep. This works while the document that requested the lock is in the foreground and automatically dismisses the lock when it goes to the background or is closed.

It's possible that one of the video players used on the store pages is using that API.
And because with the new Steam client everything is apparently the same webview and it's trying to use some kind of absolutely crackpot home-brewn facsimile of legit browser navigation, if you've ever opened up the store page and played any kind of video that requested a wake lock (and then did not release it) it's very much possible that lock is still on and Steam's embedded Chromium will continue to prevent your system from going to sleep. Because the document never went to the background; was never actually navigated away from; and was never closd.

Try actually closing the Steam client to the point that it's only running from the system tray. (Click the top-right X button.) And then check powercfg a few seconds later.

What does it say?

[Wreck0]

The latest update seems to fix it (as long as you minimize Steam). Force an update to get it immediately.

To the developers: perhaps Steam's store page shouldn't wake lock your computer while open just because the background is animated.......

[hargravejason]

This is very annoying, I have a game that I want to leave running in the background, and turn off my monitors, been doing it for months... but now I cant, even if I leave the game on the library and minimize to the task bar, it still wont release the wake lock.... have to close the game and steam to make it stop... this needs to be a setting if that's what they want to do... I do not want it, SHUT MY MONITORS DOWN! Had to rename the steamwebhelper.exe file... and I think that might have stopped it, not sure what else that will break... but #yolo!

[Nønja]

Go to settings -> interface and change startup location to Library. This should work around the issue. It is the store that is creating the video wake lock. Library does not.

[eyethemack]

Thanks. Sure, that is the workaround, but it still needs to be fixed.

[A Glass of Milk]

引用自 Wreck0：

The latest update seems to fix it (as long as you minimize Steam). Force an update to get it immediately.

To the developers: perhaps Steam's store page shouldn't wake lock your computer while open just because the background is animated.......

Can tentatively confirm this - latest update (built Wed, Jun 21, version 1687386907) seems to fix the problem. Patch notes also confirm it, saying "Fixed videos continuing to play in browsers when window is minimized or closed." (https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/593110/view/3682303734585025990?l=english)

Swapping to Library also clears the lock, although leaving the Steam app visible on the Store homepage (at least right now during Next Fest with the animated background that entails) does keep the lock active. Will try and remember to update this post if it turns out that the issue isn't fixed.

[showstopper]

引用自 Nønja：

Go to settings -> interface and change startup location to Library. This should work around the issue. It is the store that is creating the video wake lock. Library does not.

Thank you for this - this is the workaround. Steam hasn't fixed this yet though. To check from cmd as admin and type 'powercfg /requests'

[Sharazy]

引用自 Nønja：

Go to settings -> interface and change startup location to Library. This should work around the issue. It is the store that is creating the video wake lock. Library does not.

That's the only way to avoid display from stay awake. I forgot I did that before reinstalling my Windows. Thanks for the tip.

[Sharazy]

引用自 A Glass of Milk：

引用自 Wreck0：

The latest update seems to fix it (as long as you minimize Steam). Force an update to get it immediately.

To the developers: perhaps Steam's store page shouldn't wake lock your computer while open just because the background is animated.......

Can tentatively confirm this - latest update (built Wed, Jun 21, version 1687386907) seems to fix the problem. Patch notes also confirm it, saying "Fixed videos continuing to play in browsers when window is minimized or closed." (https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/593110/view/3682303734585025990?l=english)

Swapping to Library also clears the lock, although leaving the Steam app visible on the Store homepage (at least right now during Next Fest with the animated background that entails) does keep the lock active. Will try and remember to update this post if it turns out that the issue isn't fixed.

Apparently Steam still lock the display from sleeping at the time this post was made.

[Ironside]

I also am having the issue. Steam was minimized to system tray, "steamwebhelper.exe Video Wake Lock" was present. Completely exited steam, and it went away. Upon reboot, closing to system tray would remove the Wake Lock however. Seems like an intermittent issue now.

[/VIVA/]

Still an issue, on a fresh and install of Windows 11 22H2. Quite frustrating. Didn't realise the PC was eating power, and I panicked noticing my OLED monitor had been static on the desktop for a while.

As others have stated, the command 'powercfg /requests' shows that steamwebhelper is the culprit.

[Bix']

I was actually about to create a post about this.
This issue can be disastrous on OLED screens.

Even with Library set to default, there's still the issue of the News panel that Steam opens when it's launched. If Steam is set to launch at Windows start, then any reboot will cause the monitor/TV to stay awake.

So the two workarounds are :
- Set library to default
- Disable the news (last checkbox of Interface settings)

Edit : Store page seems to be fixed...

[thaynes]

Store page is still doing it for me. I can switch between library and store, run powercfg -requests on each page, and see the lock when I am on the store page. Running version 1690583737 of steam. FWIW I also noticed the Oculus software applies a wake lock if you ever remote stream to a quest. After remote streaming I always have to shut down that software or else my screen stays on forever. At least with steam I can just switch to the library tab.

[Xirin]

This still occurs for me. I can reproduce the issue instantly by switching to store page and running

powercfg -requests

and then switching to Library and seeing the Video Wake Lock vanish. I'm on version 1694466342.

[Pi]

Since steamwebhelper is the process waking the pc, simplest solution is to override that process sending wake requests. Use this in a command prompt:
powercfg /requestsoverride process steamwebhelper.exe display system
That fixed it for me. Store page was keeping my pc awake, but immediately after doing this I can have the store in foreground and it will sleep.