How to Turn Off Sleep Mode on Mac

How to Turn Off Sleep Mode on Mac: A Step-by-Step Guide

If you’re tired of your Mac going to sleep at inconvenient times, whether you’re in the middle of a presentation, downloading large files, or simply need your MacBook to stay awake, this guide is for you. Here’s how you can easily adjust your Mac’s sleep settings to keep it awake as long as you need.

Access System Preferences

Click on the Apple logo in the top-left corner of your screen and select “System Preferences” from the dropdown menu. Alternatively, you can find System Preferences in the Dock or use Spotlight Search (Command + Spacebar) and type “System Preferences.”

Navigate to Relevant Settings

Depending on your macOS version, you may need to access different sections within System Preferences.

For macOS Ventura and Later

Go to System Settings > Lock Screen.
Alternatively, you can go to System Settings > Battery > Options for more specific settings.

For macOS Big Sur and Monterey

Go to System Preferences > Energy Saver or System Preferences > Battery.

Adjust Sleep Settings

In the selected settings window, you will find options to control when your Mac goes to sleep.

Disable Screen Saver and Display Sleep

Select “Never” from the dropdown next to:
- Start Screen Saver when inactive
- Turn display off on battery when inactive
- Turn display off on power adapter when inactive.

Prevent Automatic Sleep on Power Adapter

If your Mac is plugged in, go to System Settings > Display > Advanced.
Toggle on “Prevent automatic sleeping on power adapter when the display is off”.

Disable Hard Disk Sleep and Power Nap

In the Energy Saver preferences, uncheck the box next to “Put hard disk(s) to sleep when possible”.
Also, uncheck the box next to “Enable Power Nap” to prevent background tasks from running while your Mac is asleep.

Use Terminal Commands for Advanced Settings

For more advanced control over sleep settings, you can use Terminal commands.

Prevent Mac from Sleeping Entirely

Open Terminal from the Applications folder or by using Spotlight Search (Command + Spacebar) and typing “Terminal.”
Enter the following command to prevent your Mac from going to sleep:
```
sudo pmset -a disablesleep 1
```
To revert to the default settings, replace “1” with “0” in the command and run it again.

Use Caffeinate Command

If you want to keep your Mac awake temporarily, you can use the caffeinate command.
- Open Terminal and type:
```
caffeinate
```
  This will keep your Mac awake as long as the Terminal window is open.

Schedule Sleep and Wake Times

If you need to schedule specific times for your Mac to sleep or wake up, you can use Terminal commands.

For macOS Ventura and Later

Open Terminal and enter:
```
sudo pmset repeat sleep MTWRFSU 22:00:00
```
This command will make your Mac go to sleep every day at 10 PM. You can customize the time and days as needed.

For macOS Monterey and Earlier

Go to System Preferences > Energy Saver > Schedule.
Set the necessary parameters for start or wake, sleep, restart, or shut down times.

Apply Changes

Once you’ve adjusted the sleep settings according to your preferences, close the System Preferences window to apply the changes.

By following these steps, you can customize your Mac’s sleep behavior to better suit your workflow and prevent interruptions during critical tasks. Whether you’re giving a presentation, downloading large files, or simply want to keep your MacBook awake for extended periods, these adjustments will help you stay productive.