Take Control of Your MacBook's Power: A Simple Guide

Ever had your MacBook turn on when you didn't expect it? Or maybe you want it to stay awake even when you close the lid? You're not alone! Apple designed your Mac to be smart, but sometimes its built-in settings don't match what you want. The good news? You can change these settings—and it's easier than you think!

No tech expertise needed—just follow these simple steps.

“Why Does My MacBook Turn On By Itself?”

Your MacBook might start up when you open the lid or plug it in to charge. Apple designed this feature to be convenient, but if it's more annoying than helpful, you can turn it off.

How to Stop It from Turning On Automatically

To change this, we'll use a tool called Terminal. Think of Terminal as a way to send direct instructions to your Mac—it's like sending it a text message!

Here's what to do:

1. Open the Terminal app. You'll find it by going to Applications → Utilities → Terminal.

2. A simple-looking window will open. That's Terminal!

3. Copy and paste one of the following commands, depending on what you want:

Stop your Mac from turning on when you open it:

sudo nvram BootPreference=%01

Stop it from turning on when you plug it in:

sudo nvram BootPreference=%02

Go back to the default setting (turning on when opened or plugged in):

sudo nvram -d BootPreference

4. Press Enter and type your Mac password when asked. (You won't see any characters appear as you type—that's normal!)

And that's it! Now your MacBook will behave the way you want it to.

"How Can I Keep My Mac Awake with the Lid Closed?"

Maybe you're downloading a large file, updating software, or using your Mac as a media server—and you don't want it to sleep when you close the lid. Here's how to stop that from happening.

For Newer Macs (Ventura and Later)

1. Open Terminal (Applications → Utilities → Terminal).

2. Copy and paste this command:

sudo pmset -a disablesleep 1

3. Press Enter and type your password when asked.

For Older Macs (Monterey and Earlier)

You don't even need Terminal! Just:

1. Open System Preferences.

2. Click Battery (or Energy Saver).

3. Check the box that says "Prevent your Mac from automatically sleeping when the display is off."

Want Your Mac to Turn On or Off Automatically?

If you'd like your Mac to wake up or shut down at certain times—like turning on every morning for work or shutting down at night—you can set that up too.

For Newer Macs (Ventura and Later)

Use Terminal again:

- To check if you already have a schedule set up, type:

pmset -g sched

- To schedule a wake-up time (e.g., 8 AM on Mondays):

sudo pmset repeat wake M 8:00:00

- To cancel any existing schedule:

sudo pmset repeat cancel

For Older Macs

1. Open System Preferences.

2. Go to Battery (or Energy Saver).

3. Click Schedule.

4. Set your preferred on/off times.

Final Thoughts

Changing these settings might seem a little technical at first, but once you try it, it's pretty simple! And don't worry—if you change your mind, you can always reset everything back to normal.

Now your Mac will work the way you want it to, instead of the other way around!

💬 **Got questions? Drop them below, and I'll be happy to help!**