3 Quick Ways to Stop Mac From Sleeping

Do you ever notice how your Mac’s display dims if you leave it for a few minutes, and eventually goes to sleep? Well, it does this to extend the battery performance, which every Mac user expects. At times, though, you may find this annoying and wish it could be disabled. Luckily, we will show you how to stop Mac from sleeping in a few clicks.

Stop Mac From Sleeping

In sleep mode, your Mac stops all visible activity while keeping the vital processes running, clearly distinguishing it from the shutdown option. However, if you find it annoying, we will go through 3 ways to prevent Mac from sleeping. 

Note: We are running on macOS Ventura on a MacBook. So, the options seen on the screenshot may differ, but the steps will more or less remain the same on all Mac devices. 

How to Turn Off Sleep Mode on a Mac Using System Settings

This is a straightforward process. However, after macOS Ventura’s update, a few settings have been removed, one of which is Energy Saver. If you are on a desktop Mac or Mac Studio, you can see Energy Saver. However, if you are on a MacBook, there is no such option. Instead, the option got merged with the Lock Screen. 

So, we are segregating the method based on the devices you use:

1. How to Keep Your Desktop Mac From Sleeping

Step 1: Press Cmd + Space on your keyboard, type System Settings, and press Return. 

type System Settings

Step 2: Scroll down, find Energy Saver (a light bulb icon) and click on it.

find Energy Saver

Step 3: Now, tick the box next to ‘Prevent computer from sleeping automatically when the display is off.’

Prevent computer from sleeping automatically when the display is off

Step 4: Untick the box next to ‘Put hard disks to sleep when possible.’

Put hard disks to sleep when possible

Step 5: Finally, drag the ‘Turn display off after’ slider to Never. 

Turn display off after slider

There you have it. No more typing and retyping the password. If you are on a MacBook, follow the below-mentioned method.

2. Prevent MacBook From Sleeping

Step 1: Press Cmd + Space on your keyboard, type System Settings, and press Return. 

type System Settings

Step 2: Scroll down and click on Lock Screen.

Scroll down to Lock Screen

Step 3: Click on the drop-down menu next to ‘Turn display off on battery when inactive,’ and select Never.

From the drop-down menu, select Never

Step 4: Now, click on the drop-down menu next to ‘Turn display off on power adapter when inactive,’ and select Never.

From the drop-down menu, select Never

That’s all! It is that simple. Now, if you don’t want to do it through System Settings, there are two more methods through which you can stop your Mac from sleeping

How to Temporarily Turn Off Sleep Mode on Your Mac Using Terminal

We will be using a command called Caffeinate. As long as the Terminal window is open, the command stops your Mac from going to sleep. Isn’t it pretty cool? Let’s begin with the steps.

Step 1: Press Cmd + Space on your keyboard, type Terminal, and press Return. 

type Terminal

Step 2: In Terminal, type caffeinate and press Return.

type caffeinate and press Return

The only change you will notice is that the cursor will jump to a new line, and caffeinate will appear next to your username in the Terminal window.

caffeinate will appear next to your username

Mind you, this only works as long as the Terminal windows remain open. 

click Terminate

If you attempt to close the window, a warning will appear asking, ‘Do you want to terminate running processes in this window?’ If you click on Terminate, your Mac will revert to system-specific energy settings.

How to Keep MacBook From Sleeping Using Sleep Control Center

Many third-party applications keep your Mac awake, such as Amphetamine, which we have already covered in our guide on preventing Mac from sleeping when closing the lid. So, in this article, we will explore another application called Sleep Control Center. 

Sleep Control Center

It is a freemium app that lets you prevent your Mac from going to sleep. It is an ad-free app, and its free version is more than enough for any regular user. But if you want, you can upgrade to Pro for roughly US$2/year, which will add a few more features like Mouse Emulation Timer, Auto Unmount and Eject before sleep, and so on. All said, let’s begin with the steps.

Step 1: Download Sleep Control Center from the App Store on your Mac. Once done, tap on ‘Open.’

Download Sleep Control Center

Step 2: You will now see an eye icon on your Mac’s menu bar. Click on it.

eye icon on your Mac's menu bar

Step 3: Select ‘Prevent Display Sleep’ and ‘Prevent System Sleep.’

Eye icon on your Mac's menu bar

There you have it. Sleep Control Center is now set up on your MacBook. This is a one-time process.

FAQs on Preventing Mac From Sleeping

1. Why does my Mac screen saver go black?

If the screen saver has turned black, it probably means your Mac has entered sleep mode. You can press any key or click on the mouse or trackpad to bring back the display.

2. How do I stop my Mac from closing apps?

Mac puts itself to sleep when you close the lid. You can prevent Mac from entering sleep mode even after you close the lid by using third-party apps such as Amphetamine or Owly. You can check our detailed guide to learn how to prevent Mac from sleeping when the lid is closed.

Make Your Mac Insomniac

Since Apple’s silicon was added to Macs, they have become faster and last longer on a single charge. To maintain optimal performance, it makes sense to keep the system as it is, but whenever the display needs to remain awake, you can use the above options. 

Last updated on 08 November, 2022

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