How can I make my Mac screen stay on longer?

To adjust your Mac’s screen timeout settings and keep it awake longer, here’s a comprehensive guide covering both system settings and practical considerations:

‌Understanding the Need‌
Macs default to energy-saving screen sleep modes (typically 2-10 minutes) to conserve battery and reduce display wear. However, extended screen time becomes necessary for:

• Presentations/meetings requiring continuous visibility
• Coding or design work minimizing interruptions
• Remote access sessions where sleep disrupts connections

‌Primary Solutions‌

1. ‌System Preferences Method‌ (Most reliable)

   • Click  → System Settings (or System Preferences on older macOS)
   • Navigate to Battery (or Energy Saver on pre-Ventura systems)
   • Under Power Adapter tab, drag “Turn display off after” slider to Never
   • Repeat for Battery tab if needed (note: significantly impacts battery life)

2. ‌Terminal Command‌ (Temporary solution)

   caffeinate -t 3600


‌Advanced Options‌

• Hot Corners: Set a corner to activate “Prevent Sleep” via  → System Settings → Desktop & Dock → Hot Corners
• Amphetamine (Third-party app): Granular control with timer-based sessions

‌Critical Considerations‌

• ‌Power Adapter Required‌: For permanent “Never sleep” settings, keep your Mac plugged in to avoid battery drain
• ‌Display Preservation‌: Static elements may cause burn-in on OLED displays – use screensavers when idle
• ‌Shortcut‌: Control+Shift+Power immediately turns off screen without sleeping the system

For temporary needs (like reading long documents), simply moving the mouse periodically often suffices. Remember that prolonged screen operation generates heat – ensure proper ventilation.

If you\’re tired of your Mac screen clocking out too soon, you can give it a little nudge to stick around longer. Here’s how you can manage that.

\n\n

1. Tweak Your Screen Timeout in System Settings:

\n

\n
• Just pop open the Apple menu and head to System Settings. Depending on the macOS version you’re rocking, look for the “Lock Screen,” “Energy,” or “Battery” section. There\’s a little dropdown under “Turn display off on battery when inactive” and another one for “Turn display off on power adapter when inactive.” Pick a longer time or go rogue and select “Never” if you’re really feeling like a rebel.

\n

\n\n

2. Mess Around with Screen Saver Settings (Optional):

\n

\n
• If you’ve got a screen saver itching to jump in every chance it gets, you can disable it or stretch out its timing. Just cruise over to the Lock Screen settings and fiddle with “Start Screen Saver when inactive.” Choosing “Never” keeps your screen in the game, all day and all night.

\n

\n\n

3. Give Third-Party Apps a Shot:

\n

\n
• Sometimes, you need to keep that screen alive longer than usual—say, for a marathon movie session or a massive download. That’s where apps like Lungo come into play. They’re like your screen’s wingman, keeping it awake for a little while longer.

\n

\n\n

Here’s the kicker: cranking up the screen-on time can munch through your power, especially if you’re on a MacBook. It’s cool in a pinch, but maybe don’t make it a habit unless you want to hit the charger more often. Save these tricks for when you really need them to keep your Mac in tip-top shape.

So, you want to keep your Mac screen awake longer—let’s dive right into it. First up, hit the Apple menu on the top left corner of your screen. You’ll want to go to System Preferences. If you’re working on a laptop, look for the Battery settings. Got a Mac desktop or your MacBook is juiced up? Then ‘Energy Saver’ will be your go-to.

Now comes the fun part—changing how soon the display nods off! In the Battery settings, find the tabs for ‘Battery’ and ‘Power Adapter’. Here, you can slide the ‘Turn display off after’ to the right. You might want 15 minutes, or maybe you’re like me and go for ‘Never’. It’s your call.

Next, let’s make sure your computer doesn’t hit the snooze button when the screen’s dozing. Under ‘Power Adapter’ in Battery settings or in Energy Saver, tick the box for ‘Prevent computer from sleeping automatically when the display is off’. Sounds simple enough, right?

Don’t forget about the screen saver. Swing by System Preferences again and click on ‘Desktop & Screen Saver’. Under the ‘Screen Saver’ tab, set the ‘Start after’ option to ‘Never’ if you’re not a fan of screen savers, or pick a longer time if you are.

There you have it! With these tweaks, your Mac will stay alert for as long as you want. Who knew keeping a screen awake could be so easy, right?