How can I prevent my Mac from sleeping when the lid is closed?
How can I prevent my Mac from sleeping when the lid is closed?
I often find myself in situations where I need to continue tasks on my Mac without interruptions even when the lid is closed. Whether it’s running intensive applications, compiling code, or downloading large files, closing the lid should not halt these activities. I’m looking for a way to keep my Mac from entering sleep mode, as this automatic behavior disrupts my workflow. The inconvenience of having to reopen the lid and wake the system, only to find certain processes halted or requiring a restart, wastes valuable time and hampers productivity. It would be extremely beneficial to understand how to maintain an active state with the lid closed, ensuring that my Mac can perform continuous tasks without unnecessary pauses.
4 Answers
To prevent your Mac from sleeping when the lid is closed, you can use a third-party app called Amphetamine. Here’s how you can do it:
1. Download Amphetamine from the Mac App Store and install it.
2. Launch the Amphetamine application.
3. Click on the Amphetamine pill icon in your menu bar at the top.
4. Select ‘Indefinitely’ if you wish to keep your Mac awake indefinitely, or you can choose a specific duration.
5. Make sure the option ‘Allow system sleep when display is closed’ is unchecked.
With these steps, Amphetamine will keep your Mac awake, regardless of whether the lid is open or closed.
You could configure your Mac using Terminal to prevent it from sleeping when the lid closes. Here’s what you should do:
1. Open your Terminal app from Applications > Utilities.
2. Type in sudo pmset -a disablesleep 1 and hit Enter.
3. Enter your administrator password to proceed with the changes.
This command will disable sleep mode across your entire system. Remember to re-enable sleep if needed by typing sudo pmset -a disablesleep 0.
Here’s a combination of hardware and system settings to ensure your Mac doesn’t sleep when the lid is closed:
1. Connect your power adapter to your Mac to maintain power.
2. Attach an external monitor, letting macOS recognize and use it.
3. Connect all necessary peripherals like an external keyboard and a mouse.
4. Adjust your system settings by going to System Preferences > Energy Saver and selecting ‘Prevent computer from sleeping automatically when the display is off’.
Implementing this setup allows your Mac to stay awake, using the external monitor as the primary display, even with the lid closed.
Using an external monitor is a straightforward way to prevent your Mac from sleeping when you close the lid. Follow these steps:
1. Connect your Mac to an external monitor.
2. Plug in your power adapter to your Mac.
3. Use an external keyboard and mouse.
4. Close the lid, and the external monitor should continue displaying, keeping the Mac active.
By using this method, you can work seamlessly on an external screen while your Mac lid is closed.