GamingMonitor

Name: GamingMonitor — Download free. Keep PC awake
Availability: InStock
Rating: 5 (1 reviews)
Author: dms137

GamingMonitor — Free Download. Keep PC awake

GamingMonitor is a Windows system-tray utility that prevents your computer from sleeping during gaming, rendering, or game downloads. It watches for gamepad input from DualSense, Xbox, and other HID controllers, checks GPU load, and detects active Steam or Xbox downloads. When any of these activities are present, the program blocks display sleep and system sleep as needed. A dark flyout shows live GPU load, current state, trigger reason, and duration, while a tray icon dot and toast notifications report state changes. The app starts with zero configuration and updates itself from GitHub Releases in one click.

★★★★★

5.0(1 ratings)

Download GamingMonitor (Official links)

File size: 69.1 MB

The latest version of GamingMonitor is: 0.7.0

Operating system: Windows

Languages: English

Developer: dms137

Price: $0.00 USD (Open Source (MIT))

Gaming mode. This function keeps both the display and the system awake when gamepad input or GPU load above a chosen threshold is detected. It supports DualSense, XInput, and other HID gamepads. The program monitors controller activity continuously and treats any button, stick, or trigger event as a sign that a game is running. GPU load is sampled in real time, and if it crosses the configured threshold, Gaming mode engages. This mode prevents the screen from turning off and stops Windows from entering sleep, which avoids interruptions during long play sessions, cutscenes, or online matches.
Downloading mode. This function detects active game downloads from Steam and Xbox and blocks system sleep until they finish. The display may still turn off to save power, because downloads do not need the screen. The program checks download activity at regular intervals and keeps the system awake as long as data is being written. Once the download completes or stops, the state returns to Idle. This mode is useful for large game updates that run overnight or during lunch breaks, when Windows would otherwise suspend the network and pause the transfer.
Idle state. This function returns full power control to Windows when no gamepad input, GPU load, or active download is detected. In Idle, the display may turn off and the system may enter sleep according to the current Windows power plan. The tray icon dot changes to reflect the Idle state, and a toast notification can inform the user about the transition. This behavior ensures that the utility does not drain power or prevent normal sleep when the computer is not in use for gaming or downloading.
AFK timer. This function force-releases Gaming mode back to Idle after a period without keyboard, mouse, or gamepad input. The timeout is adjustable from one to six hours, with a default of two hours, and can be set to Never. Even if the GPU is still busy, the absence of user input triggers the release. Downloads remain exempt from this timer, so a long download continues to block sleep. The AFK timer prevents the PC from staying awake forever when a game is paused or left running unattended.
Settings flyout. This function provides a dark panel that opens when the user left-clicks the tray icon or clicks any state toast. It shows live GPU load, the current state with its trigger reason and duration, and the running version. It also contains a GPU threshold slider from five to ninety percent, an AFK timeout slider from one to six hours plus Never, and toggles for Show state notifications and Start with Windows. The flyout gives direct control over the main parameters without editing files.
GPU threshold slider. This function lets the user set the GPU load percentage that triggers Gaming mode. The range is five to ninety percent. A lower value makes the program more sensitive to background GPU work, while a higher value requires heavier load before the display and system sleep are blocked. The current value is stored in settings.json and is applied immediately. This control helps match the utility to different graphics cards and workloads, such as rendering, video encoding, or light gaming.
AFK timeout slider. This function controls how long the program waits without user input before forcing Gaming mode to Idle. The range is one to six hours, plus a Never option. The default is two hours. The timer counts keyboard, mouse, and gamepad activity. When the timeout expires, the state changes to Idle even if the GPU is still under load. Downloads are not affected by this timer. This setting prevents unnecessary wakefulness during paused games or unattended sessions.
State notifications. This function shows toast notifications when the program changes between Gaming, Downloading, and Idle states. Each toast reports the new state and can be clicked to open the settings flyout. A toggle named Show state notifications allows the user to disable these messages. The notifications help track why the PC is staying awake or why it was allowed to sleep, without opening the tray menu. They also confirm that self-updates and setting changes have taken effect.
Start with Windows. This function adds the program to the Windows startup sequence so it launches automatically after sign-in. The toggle is located in the settings flyout. When enabled, the tray icon appears without manual action, and monitoring begins immediately. When disabled, the user must start the executable by hand. This option is stored in settings.json and survives self-updates, so the autostart preference remains across versions.
Self-update from GitHub. This function checks GitHub Releases on startup and can also be triggered on demand from the tray menu with Check for updates. When a new version is found, a toast with a Download and install button downloads the release zip, replaces the program files, and restarts the application. The user's settings.json file is preserved. This mechanism removes the need to manually download and extract new builds, and it keeps the installed version current with the latest fixes and features.
Live GPU load display. This function shows the current GPU utilization percentage inside the settings flyout. The value updates in real time and helps the user choose a suitable GPU threshold. It also explains why Gaming mode may be active when no gamepad is connected, for example during rendering or compute tasks. The display is read-only and does not change any system settings. It gives direct feedback about the load that the program is monitoring.
Per-state tray icon dot. This function changes a small dot on the tray icon to indicate the current state: Gaming, Downloading, or Idle. The dot provides a quick visual reference without opening the flyout or reading a notification. Each state has its own color or style, so the user can tell at a glance whether the PC is being kept awake and why. The dot updates immediately when the state changes.
Trigger reason and duration. This function reports the specific cause of the current state and how long that state has been active. In the settings flyout, the user sees whether Gaming mode was triggered by gamepad input or GPU load, or whether Downloading mode was triggered by an active Steam or Xbox download. The duration counter shows elapsed time in the current state. This information helps diagnose unexpected wakefulness and verify that the program responds to the intended events.
Settings file. This function stores fine-tuning parameters in assets\settings.json. The file includes the GPU threshold, AFK timeout, notification toggle, autostart toggle, and other options. It is read at startup and written when settings change. The file survives self-updates, so preferences are not lost. Advanced users can edit it directly to set values outside the sliders or to keep a backup of their configuration.
Steam and Xbox download detection. This function identifies active downloads from Steam and Xbox services. It checks for download activity and keeps the system awake while data is being transferred. The display may turn off, because downloads do not require the screen. When the download finishes or is paused, the state returns to Idle. This detection supports large game updates and installations that would otherwise be interrupted by Windows sleep.
Gamepad input detection. This function reads input from DualSense, XInput, and other HID gamepads. Any button press, stick movement, or trigger action counts as activity and can engage Gaming mode. The program does not require game-specific profiles or manual pairing beyond normal Windows controller setup. This detection covers wired and wireless controllers that report as standard HID devices.
Tray menu. This function provides a right-click menu with options such as Check for updates and access to the settings flyout. The menu is the main entry point when the flyout is closed. It also allows the user to exit the program. The tray icon remains visible while the program runs, and its dot reflects the current state. The menu offers a compact way to control the utility without opening the full flyout.
Self-contained build. This function packages the program as a single-file executable that does not require a separate .NET runtime. Release builds are self-contained, so the user can run GamingMonitor.exe after extracting the zip. The build targets Windows 10 version 1709 and later, as well as Windows 11. This packaging simplifies installation and avoids dependency conflicts on machines without the required runtime.
Logging and diagnostics. This function records program activity to help troubleshoot issues such as missed state changes or update failures. Logs are quieter in version 0.7.0 and later. They can be used to check whether gamepad input, GPU load, or download detection is working as expected. The logs are stored alongside the application files and can be reviewed when filing a game report or a bug report on GitHub.
Game report. This function lets users report a game that does not keep the PC awake. The GitHub repository includes a game report option for this purpose. Reports help the author add or adjust detection rules for specific titles. The program already watches gamepad input, GPU load, and downloads, but some games may use unusual methods that require additional handling. User reports guide those improvements.

GamingMonitor was created in 2026 by dms137 and is written in C# on the .NET platform, with version 0.7.0 targeting net10. The repository was first committed on September 24, 2026, with the initial tray app that monitored gamepad, GPU, and download activity. Development continued with version 0.4.0 on September 25, 2026, which introduced an engine refactor, the flyout, a presence dot, and self-update fixes. Version 0.7.0 arrived on September 29, 2026, bringing quieter logs, toast deduplication, and CI builds. The project is distributed under the MIT license.