Prevent Mac from Sleeping When Lid Closed?

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Prevent Mac from Sleeping When Lid Closed?

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When you close your Mac’s lid, it usually goes to sleep. But sometimes, you need it awake, right? Maybe you’re using an external monitor or running a task that requires the Mac to stay on. Here are some tips to keep your Mac awake when the lid is closed.

Understanding Sleep Mode on macOS

Sleep mode in macOS saves the current state to RAM, so your Mac can quickly pick up where you left off when you next open the lid. It’s handy for saving power but can be annoying if you need your Mac running continuously, like for downloads, backups, or when using an external monitor.

How to Stop Your Mac from Sleeping When Lid is Closed

1. Clamshell Mode

Clamshell mode is perfect for using your MacBook with an external display while the lid is closed. Here’s how you do it:

  • Connect External Devices: Hook up your external monitor using the right adapter.
  • Connect Power: Make sure your MacBook’s plugged into its power adapter. Clamshell mode needs it.
  • Close the Lid: After setting up, just close the lid, and your MacBook should switch to the external display.
  • Wake It Up: You can wake it by clicking the mouse or pressing a keyboard key while the lid’s closed.

2. Using Terminal Commands

If you’re comfortable with Terminal, you can tweak your MacBook’s sleep settings. Here’s the deal:

  • Open Terminal: Find it in Applications > Utilities or use Spotlight (Cmd + Space and type “Terminal”).
  • Disable Sleep: Enter this command: sudo pmset -a disablesleep 1.
  • Enter Password: The command will ask for your admin password.
  • Re-enable Sleep: To turn sleep mode back on, use: sudo pmset -a disablesleep 0.

Remember, be cautious with Terminal commands to avoid any unintended issues.

3. System Settings (macOS Sonoma and Ventura)

  • For macOS Sonoma:
    • Open the Apple menu > System Settings.
    • Select Battery in the sidebar.
    • Click Options and enable “Prevent automatic sleeping on power adapter when the display is off”.
    • Click Done to save.
  • For macOS Ventura:
    • Open the Apple menu > System Settings.
    • Select Displays in the sidebar.
    • Click Advanced and check “Prevent automatic sleeping when display is off”.
    • Click Done to save.

4. Using Third-Party Apps

Downloading third-party apps like Amphetamine can also do the trick:

  • Get Amphetamine: Download it from the Mac App Store.
  • Open the App: Click the Amphetamine icon in the menu bar.
  • Select Quick Settings: In Session Defaults, uncheck “Allow system sleep when display is closed.”
  • Choose Session Type: Go back to the main menu and pick a session type like “While App is Running”. Select the app you want to keep active, like Music or a download manager.

Amphetamine is a free and flexible app that can help in keeping your Mac awake.

Additional Considerations

  • Battery Life: Keeping your Mac awake while the lid is closed can drain the battery, so it’s best to keep it plugged in.
  • Thermal Management: Be mindful of overheating. Running your MacBook with the lid closed for prolonged periods can cause it to heat up.
  • Security: Keep your Mac in a secure spot if you’re leaving it awake and unattended to prevent unauthorized access.

These tips should help you tailor your Mac’s sleep settings to match your needs, whether you’re using an external monitor, running long tasks, or just wanting to prevent accidental sleep. Pick the one that suits your setup best!

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Prevent Your Mac from Sleeping When the Lid’s Closed?

You know how your MacBook tends to doze off as soon as you shut the lid? That’s its way of saving battery, which is great—except when it’s not. Maybe you’re in the middle of a big download or you’re hooked up to an external monitor. Here’s how to keep it awake, even with the lid closed.

So, What’s the Scoop?

Typically, MacBooks are like, “Time to nap!” when the lid is down. It’s their energy-saving feature kicking in. But let’s be real—sometimes you need them to stay alert. Whether you’re streaming, downloading, or working with another screen, an awake MacBook can be pretty important.

Tweak Those Settings

First off, plug it in! Yep, keep it connected to a power source. That’s usually the first step to make this trick work.

  • Head to System Preferences: Click that Apple logo in the corner and choose “System Preferences” or “System Settings.”
  • Lock Screen Settings: Check out the “Lock Screen” section. Find where it says “Turn display off on power adapter when inactive” and set it to “Never.” This stops the display from going dark when you’re plugged in but idle.
  • Battery Fixes: Still in “System Preferences,” hop over to “Battery.” Click on “Power Adapter” on the side. Look for the option that says, “Prevent your Mac from automatically sleeping when the display is off,” and make sure it’s ticked.

Let’s Get a Bit Geeky with Terminal

If you’re up for it and want more control, try using Terminal:

  • Fire Up Terminal: Hit Command + Space to launch Spotlight, then type “Terminal.”
  • Type This Command: Enter sudo pmset -a disablesleep 1 and hit Enter. This stops your MacBook from sleeping, regardless of lid position.
  • Back to Sleep? Anytime you want to revert, punch in sudo pmset -a disablesleep 0.

Third-Party Apps to the Rescue

Not a fan of Terminal? No problem. There are apps for that:

  • Amphetamine: It’s free and keeps your Mac awake, even with the lid closed. Just install and tweak the settings to your liking.
  • Caffeinated: Find this one on the App Store. It’s another nifty tool to avoid sleep mode under certain conditions.

Final Thoughts

By playing around with system settings, messing a little with Terminal, or getting some help from apps, you can keep your Mac going, lid closed and all. It’s especially handy for those who tether to external displays or need uninterrupted system functionality.

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If you want to keep your Mac from nodding off when you close the lid, you gotta mess with a few system tweaks or call in the big guns with third-party apps. Here’s the straight scoop on why your Mac keeps going to sleep and how to get it to pull the equivalent of an all-nighter.

I\’ve got a bit of backstory for you:

Macs love their downtime when the lid is closed, mainly because it gives them a chance to save some juice and keep things cool. But hey, if you’re using your Mac as a workhorse for stuff like running servers or keeping downloads ticking over, you might want it awake even when it’s undercover. To do this, you\’ll have to tinker with those power settings a bit.

Here’s the game plan:

Step 1: Crack open Terminal (Built-in Method)

Think of macOS as that friend who’s way too into their routine, always wanting to sleep when you close the lid. Lucky for you, there’s a sneaky way around it with pmset, your trusty power command buddy.

How you do it:

  1. Pop open Terminal (just go to Applications > Utilities > Terminal).
  2. Enter this friendly command:

    3. sudo pmset -b disablesleep 1

    • Swap -b with -a if you want to go whole hog and apply it to both battery and charger.
  3. To return to regular programming, dish out this command:

    4. sudo pmset -b disablesleep 0

Just a heads-up:

  • Bypassing sleep means ignoring the heat warnings, so keep your Mac cool as a cucumber.
  • Doing this might gobble up battery life faster than expected.

Step 2: Third-Party Apps to the Rescue

Let\’s get a bit fancy:

  • Amphetamine (free from the app store):

    1. Download it straight from the App Store.
    2. Fire it up, click on that little menu bar icon, and dive into Preferences.
    3. Flip the switch on Allow lid wake without password and Prevent sleep when lid is closed.
    4. Start a session from the menu bar to keep your Mac alert.

  • Then there’s KeepingYouAwake:

    1. Download this gem.
    2. Launch the app and tap the menu bar icon.
    3. Pick Prevent Sleep and set your preferred time.

Step 3: Try the External Display Trick

Here’s an oldie but goodie: If you’ve got your Mac hooked up to an external screen, chances are it might already be outsmarting that sleep code.

How to check:

  1. Link up your Mac and external display via the usual suspects (HDMI/USB-C).
  2. Head to System Settings > Displays > Advanced.
  3. Confirm that Prevent automatic sleeping when the display is off is ticked.
  4. Close the lid and see if the external display keeps on trucking.

Step 4: Tinker with Energy Saver Settings

This might not be the all-out solution, but it’s a nifty trick:

  1. Navigate to System Settings > Battery > Options.
  2. Under Power Adapter, drag Turn display off after to Never.
  3. Uncheck Put hard disks to sleep when possible.

A bit of troubleshooting:

  • If settings act up, try these:

    • Ensure your macOS is up-to-date because sneaky updates sometimes reset custom pmset options.
    • Double-check for any power-hungry apps (like antivirus) overriding your tweaks.

  • Feeling the heat? Take some precautions:

    • Keep your Mac on solid ground—avoid setting it on squishy surfaces like beds.
    • Keep tabs on temperature with apps like Macs Fan Control.

  • Terminal acting up with permission errors?

    • Just make sure you’re running those sudo commands from an administrator account.

The lowdown:

  • For short tasks, like a download marathon, go with Amphetamine.
  • If your Mac’s pulling server duty or acting as a workstation, pair pmset with decent cooling gear.
  • Think twice about turning off sleep long term. It might shorten your Mac’s lifespan.

All these little hacks can help you keep your Mac awake while it’s tucked away, without sweating too much about risks.

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Want to keep your Mac awake even when the lid is shut? You’ve got a few tricks up your sleeve to make it happen:

First off, if you’ve got an external monitor, here’s the deal: plug it in and pair it with a USB or Bluetooth keyboard and mouse. Once your Mac acknowledges the extra screen, you can close the lid, and it keeps humming away like nothing’s changed.

Now, if you want to tweak things right within your Mac, try fiddling with the Energy Saver settings. Dive into System Preferences, find Energy Saver, and make sure you’ve ticked ‘Prevent computer from sleeping automatically when the display is off.’ Then, slide ‘Turn display off after’ to ‘Never,’ and you’re all set.

Feeling adventurous? There are apps like InsomniaX and Amphetamine that offer some nifty sleep-setting hacks. Here’s the scoop: download either app from a reputable site, install it, and follow the steps displayed. With InsomniaX, activate the ‘Disable Lid Sleep’ option. For Amphetamine, set up a trigger, and your Mac won’t doze off even when the lid’s closed.

Just a heads-up—using these methods can make your Mac a bit of an energy hog and heat it up more than usual. Keep an eye on it to avoid any overheating mishaps, and make sure it’s getting some air to breathe.

There you go—now your Mac won’t hit the hay just because you closed the lid!

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