How to manage Presence Sensing settings on Windows 11

On Windows 11 23H2 (2023 Update), the Settings app introduces new Presence Sensing settings, and in this guide, you will learn what they are and how to configure them.

Presence sensing refers to sensors that can determine your presence near the computer to perform specific actions. For instance, if you walk away, the computer can turn off the display, and when approaching, the feature can wake up the system automatically. The feature is meant to help you keep your computer more secure, save battery power, and get back to work faster. 

On version 23H2, there are a number of configurations that you can configure, but they will only be available depending on the sensors present on the computer. If your device doesn’t have any compatible presence sensors, then you won’t find any options in the Settings app.

This guide will teach you the steps to configure the presence-sensing settings on Windows 11.

• Change presence settings on Windows 11
• Change presence access on Windows 11

Change presence settings on Windows 11

To change the presence settings on Windows 11 23H2, use these steps:

1. Open Settings on Windows 11.

2. Click on System.

3. Click the Power & battery tab.

4. Under the “Power” section, click on the “Screen and sleep” setting.

5. Turn on the “Automatically turn off my screen when I leave” option.

6. Turn on the “Automatically wake up my device when I approach” option.

7. Click on More options next to one of the previous settings (steps 5 and 6).

8. Choose the Presence Sensing setting:

   • Consider me gone when I’m this far away: Determines the distance when you have left your computer.
   • Then, turn off my screen after this amount of time: The time to wait before your screen turns off after you have left your computer.
   • Lock my device when I leave while an external display is connected: Determines if the screen turns off when you leave, and you have an external monitor connected.
   • Wake my device when I’m this close: Determines how close you need to be for your computer to wake when you approach it.
   • Wake my device when I approach while an external display is connected: Determines if the computer wakes when you approach and has an external monitor connected.
   • Don’t wake my device when I approach while battery saver is on: Determines if your computer wakes when you approach and the device is on Battery Saver mode.
9. (Optional) Turn on the “Automatically dim my screen when I look away” toggle switch and check the “Dim my display when I look away while an external monitor is connected” option.

Once you complete the steps, the system will control the desktop access, screen, and sleep timers, depending on your configuration.

Change presence access on Windows 11

To control which apps have access to the presence sensors on Windows 11 23H2, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.

2. Click on Privacy & security.

3. Click the Presence Sensing tab.

4. Turn on the “Presence Sensing access” option (if necessary).

5. Turn on the “Let apps access Presence Sensing” option (if necessary).

6. Choose the app and decide whether it should access the Presence Sensing sensors.

7. Turn on or off the “Let desktop apps access Presence Sensing” option to allow or deny desktop apps to access the sensors.

After you complete the steps, only the apps you selected will have access to the Presence Sensing sensors on Windows 11 23H2.