No PowerToys installation required. Just download, pick a screen area, and go.
Green Dotter is available two official ways: install from the Microsoft Store, or download it directly from green-dotter.com. No account, email address or subscription is required.
PowerToys Awake keeps your computer from sleeping, but it's buried inside a 50MB developer toolkit you probably don't need. Green Dotter does the same job and more, as a standalone 3.5 MB app with nothing else bundled in.
| Green Dotter | PowerToys Awake | |
|---|---|---|
| Human-style wiggle mode | ✓ | ✗ |
| File size | ~3.5 MB | ~50MB (full PowerToys) |
| Standalone app | ✓ | ✗ Bundled with PowerToys |
| Keeps computer awake | ✓ | ✓ |
| Simulates mouse activity | ✓ | ✗ |
| Helps keep Slack/Teams status active | ✓ | ✗ |
| Mac support | ✓ | ✗ Windows only |
| Free | ✓ | ✓ |
Both keep your machine awake and both are free. The difference is everything around it: Green Dotter is one small app that also helps keep your Teams status active and helps stop Slack going idle, on Mac as well as Windows.
You don't need the rest of PowerToys. PowerToys is a great toolkit for developers. If all you want is to keep your computer awake, it's overkill. Green Dotter is just the one tool, nothing else.
It helps keep your status active too. PowerToys Awake prevents sleep but doesn't simulate mouse movement. Green Dotter clicks in areas you define, which can help keep your status from going idle in apps like Slack and Teams.
Works on Mac and Windows. PowerToys is Windows only. Green Dotter works on both. If you just need sleep prevention, see the broader guide to keeping your computer awake.
Green Dotter is available two official ways: install from the Microsoft Store, or download it directly from green-dotter.com. No account, email address or subscription is required.