After leaving your MacBook for a long time, you will expect it to automatically activate the sleep mode. This does not just save up the power but also prevents your Mac from heating up.
But, what will happen if your MacBook does not do to sleep as it should be?
Obviously, there are some things that are stopping your MacBook from sleeping. It could be small glitches like wrong settings. The following solutions will be a lifesaver if your Mac is facing the trouble.
Solutions to Fix MacBook Won’t Sleep
If your Mac is not active or there is something stopping from ding this, your computer will not go to sleep. You can try the troubleshooting tips below to figure out and solve the issue on your Mac.
Method 1: Check Energy Saving Settings on MacBook
One of the most common reasons cause your MacBook not to sleep is due to a disturbance in the energy-saving settings of your computer. To fi it
1: Click on the Apple menu icon and choose System Preference from the drop-down menu
2: Click on Energy Saver and read each setting carefully since those settings are different in your Mac.
3: You will see two tabs in the Energy Saver window, including Battery & Power Adapter. From there, check the display settings inside both tabs.
- In the “Turn display off after” section, you should not drag the slider to “Never”.
- If you set the “Turn display off after” option for a long period of time, it will stop your Mac’s sleep time. Correct it based on your preference.
- On the Power Adapter tab, untick the “Prevent computer from sleeping automatically when the display is off”.
- In the same window, you should also uncheck the “Wake for WI-Fi network access” option.
Note for Catalina users
If you have updated your Mac to the latest MacOS Catalina version, there will be some new features that are the “Enable Power Nap while on battery power” in Battery tab and the “Enable Power Nap while plugged into a power adapter” option in Adapter tab. The new Power Snap feature allows you to automatically check new emails, calendar events, or iCloud updates even when it’s sleeping. Furthermore, when you connect your MacBook with adapter during its sleep mode, your computer will back up data using Time Machine
4: Click on Schedule in the bottom page
5: Make sure your MacBook is not set on a schedule to automatically wake up. Adjust the settings based on your preference.
Sometimes, these adjustments work perfectly, but sometimes, they work randomly. In this case, move on to the next option.
Method 2: Force Quit Apps on Mac
Due to some apps running in the background, your mac won’t enter the sleep mode. You simply press the Command (⌘) + Option + Esc buttons at once to view the apps running on your MacBook.
You can also close the apps on your computer manually or click on Force Quit tab on the bottom of the window to quit them. Some internal activities like iTunes or other external drives connected to your Mac are preventing Mac from going to sleep.
Method 3: Use Activity Monitor App
Using Activity Monitor app can help you check the rogue apps running on your Mac. To do so:
1: Head to Applications → Utilities and click on Activity Monitor app. You can also use Spotlight to search for the app
2: Click on Energy tab from the list of menu.
3: You will see the Preventing Sleep column, showing the processes that might be preventing your MacBook from going into the Sleep mode.
4: If you see Yes in the column, force close the running apps.
If you are not able to spot the Preventing Sleep tab, simply click on View > Columns. From there, choose the Preventing Sleep to add it into the column section.
Method 4: Prevent Bluetooth Devices from Waking up Your Mac
Another factor that can stop your Mac from sleeping is Bluetooth devices plugged into your Mac, frequently the mouse and keyboard.
1: Click on Bluetooth icon in the menu bar and select Open Bluetooth Preferences option
2: Click on Advanced in the dialogue box from the bottom.
3: Now, untick the “Allow Bluetooth Devices To Wake the Computer” option in the drop-down menu. Click OK and quit the window.
Method 5: Use Terminal Command to Check the Issue
You can also use Terminal on your Mac to fix the issue with Sleep Mode. This will also figure out the settings or apps, stopping your Mac to go to sleep.
Step 1: Head to Applications → Utilities and open Terminal from there. Alternatively, you can use Spotlight to launch the Terminal.
2: In Terminal, type in the following command:
pmset -g assertions
3: Wait for the result and search for PreventUserIdleDisplaySleep, PreventUserIdleSystemSleep and PreventSystemSleep options.
4: If you see 1 value in front of them, then your Mac will be prevented from sleeping.
5: Click on the“Listed by owning process” option to see more details.
6: Search for the option with 1 and check the setting that is causing the problem.
7: Close the app on your Mac
Also see: What to Do When Your MacBook Wont Shut down
Method 6: Reset NVRAM and PRAM on Your Mac
Some settings are usually stored in NVRAM of your Mac, so resetting NVRAM and PRAM is a good way to fix the issue. You can read on this post to reset NVRAM on your Mac.
Have you encountered this problem? What tricks đi you try for it? If you know other solutions, let’s know in the comment below.
