Selective Suspend Is a Windows Power Feature
If Ledger Live disconnects after idle time on Windows, USB selective suspend is one possible part of the connection environment to investigate. It allows the USB stack to suspend an individual port while other ports continue operating. The application is now named Ledger Wallet, but the Windows power feature is separate from the wallet client.
Microsoft’s selective suspend documentation recommends keeping the feature enabled in normal operation. Do not assume that disabling it globally is the first or permanent fix for every wallet disconnect.
Establish Whether the Timing Fits
Record when the connection drops: during initial attachment, after a period of inactivity, when the display turns off or after the computer sleeps and resumes. These events are not identical. An initial USB descriptor failure provides different evidence from a healthy connection that fails only after wake.
Look at the Ledger screen as well. A device locking after inactivity can leave Windows still detecting it while the client needs the hardware unlocked again. That is different from the USB entry disappearing entirely or reporting an operating-system error.
Compare a Short Controlled Session
When no critical device operation is underway, begin with a supported direct USB connection and a known data-capable cable. Open the intended client, unlock the hardware and confirm a normal noncritical connection action. Record the host’s power source and any dock in use.
Compare the result while the computer stays awake with the result after an ordinary idle or resume event. Do not use an active firmware update as the experiment. A Ledger OS installation that is progressing should keep its documented host, power and connection conditions intact.
Check More Than One Power-Related Layer
Hardware Lock
Restore the device’s normal unlocked state through its physical controls if the client requests it. Do not disable a hardware security feature merely to avoid entering its PIN during ordinary use.
Hub and Dock Route
A dock may handle power and data differently through host sleep. If the problem appears only through that route, compare direct USB before changing a computer-wide policy. A lit device does not show that the data session resumed successfully.
Host Resume and Drivers
If Windows reports an error after wake, preserve the specific status and use supported host maintenance. Microsoft’s USB-C guidance is relevant to compatible port and dock conditions. Use official computer-vendor resources for chipset, firmware or driver advice where indicated.
Treat Any Power-Setting Change as a Specific Test
Power controls differ by Windows release, hardware design and management policy. The absence of a familiar checkbox does not prove the operating system is broken. Avoid registry recipes that force a setting to appear or disable every USB hub’s power management.
If Microsoft, Ledger or the host manufacturer recommends a particular temporary comparison for your configuration, record the previous value and result. Make one change at a time and follow the vendor’s instructions about restoring normal settings. An improvement is evidence to investigate, not proof that all power saving should remain disabled.
When the Pattern Does Not Fit Suspend
If the connection fails immediately on every attempt, return to cable, port, device state and Windows detection checks. If My Ledger works but a network operation times out, investigate the reported service or connection error separately. Selective suspend is not a universal explanation for every unavailable wallet function.
Selective Suspend FAQ
Should I disable the feature on every USB controller?
Microsoft recommends against general disabling. Establish a reproducible symptom and use specific official guidance for the affected setup before changing broad host power policy.
Is screen lock the same as system sleep?
No. Record which event actually preceded the disconnect. The display, Windows session, USB port and Ledger lock can each have their own state.
Can a recovery phrase repair an idle USB connection?
No wallet restoration is needed to test host power behavior. Keep secrets out of power utilities and preserve the established hardware configuration while collecting connection evidence.