Colin Snow
If you want to close your Mac screen without putting the entire computer to sleep, there are several methods to choose from. This is useful if you need to turn off your screen but don't want to interrupt any downloads or music playing. You can use your keyboard, mouse, or third-party apps to do this. Additionally, you can adjust your Mac's sleep settings to prevent automatic sleeping when the display is off or when the lid is closed.
Characteristics and Values
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Using Keyboard | Press Control + Shift + Eject/Power at the same time |
| Using Keyboard with Touch Bar | Press Control + Command + Q at the same time, then press Escape at the login screen |
| Using Mouse | Select System Preferences from the Apple menu, open Mission Control, click Hot Corners from the bottom left, and choose Put Display to Sleep from one of the corner dropdowns |
| Using Terminal | Open a new Terminal window and enter the command: pmset displaysleepnow |
| Using Amphetamine | Install the free Amphetamine app, click on the pill-shaped icon in the menu bar, click on Quick Settings, and in the Session Defaults section, deselect "Allow system sleep when display is closed" |
| Using Caffeinated | Purchase the Caffeinated app from the Mac App Store for $3.99/£3.99, which overrides the Energy Saver settings |
| Using System Settings | Go to System Settings > Lock Screen > Turn display off on power adapter when inactive > Never, then go to Battery > Options and turn on Prevent automatic sleeping on power adapter when the display is off |
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What You'll Learn
Using your keyboard
If you want to turn off your Mac's display without putting your computer to sleep, there are several methods you can use. Here is a detailed guide on how to do it using your keyboard:
First, make sure your Mac is connected to a power source. This can be a power cord or a display that powers the computer through USB-C. You can also connect an external keyboard and mouse if needed.
Now, let's discuss the keyboard shortcuts:
- If you have an Eject key on your keyboard, simply press Control + Shift + Eject simultaneously. Your display will immediately turn off without putting your Mac to sleep.
- For newer Mac models without an Eject key, press Control + Shift + Power at the same time. This will instantly turn off your display while keeping your Mac active.
- If you have a Touch Bar, press Control + Command + Q together, then press Escape at the login screen to turn off the display.
- Additionally, you can set up a keyboard shortcut for specific functions, like looping a song in the Music or iTunes app. This can be useful if you want to keep your Mac awake without constantly interacting with the display.
By following these steps, you can easily turn off your Mac's screen using your keyboard while keeping the computer active in the background. This is particularly useful when you want to save power, maintain privacy, or free up space on your desk by using an external display.
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Using your mouse
If you want to close your Mac screen without putting it to sleep, you can do so by following these steps:
Firstly, ensure that your Mac is connected to an external monitor. This is crucial, as your Mac will automatically go to sleep when you close the lid if it is not connected to an external display. You can connect your Mac to the external monitor via a power cord, USB-C, USB, or Bluetooth. If you are using a Bluetooth mouse and keyboard, make sure that Bluetooth is turned on and that the peripherals are paired with your Mac.
Next, open System Preferences. You can do this by selecting System Preferences from the Apple menu in the top left corner of your screen. Once System Preferences is open, navigate to the following settings:
- System Settings > Lock Screen > Turn display off on power adapter when inactive > Never.
- System Settings > Battery > Options. Turn on "Prevent automatic sleeping on power adapter when the display is off."
- System Settings > Battery > Power Adapter. Move the slider to "Never."
- System Settings > Battery > Options. Turn on "Wake for network access."
By adjusting these settings, you can prevent your Mac from automatically going to sleep when the lid is closed.
Additionally, you can set up a corner on your screen to turn off the display without putting your Mac to sleep. Here are the steps to do this:
- Open System Preferences from the Apple menu in the top left corner of your screen.
- Go to the Desktop & Dock category. For macOS 12 Monterey and earlier, open the Desktop & Screen Saver category and go to the Screen Saver tab.
- Click on Hot Corners.
- Choose one of the corners and select "Put Display to Sleep" for that corner.
Now, when you move your mouse to that specific corner, your display will turn off without putting your Mac to sleep.
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Using the terminal
If you want to turn off your Mac's display without putting the entire computer to sleep, there are several methods you can use. One way is to use the Terminal application.
First, open a new Terminal window. You can do this by opening the Finder, going to Applications, selecting Utilities, and double-clicking on Terminal. Alternatively, you can use the Spotlight Search feature by pressing Command and Space Bar simultaneously, typing in "Terminal," and pressing Enter.
Once you have the Terminal window open, you can enter the following command: pmset displaysleepnow. This will immediately turn off your display without changing any of your settings or putting the entire host to sleep. If you get a message about inadequate privileges, you can try the following command: sudo pmset displaysleepnow.
In addition to the above command, there are other commands you can use in Terminal to manage your Mac's sleep and wake settings. For example, you can use the pmset command to schedule your Mac to turn on or off at specific times. The syntax for this command is as follows:
Pmset -g sched: This command will display the current schedule.
Sudo pmset repeat wake M 8:00:00: This command will schedule your Mac to wake up at 8:00 am every Monday.
Sudo pmset repeat cancel: This command will cancel the current schedule.
You can also use third-party applications, such as Amphetamine or Caffeine, to prevent your Mac from sleeping. These applications can be especially useful if you want to continue using your Mac with the lid closed or want to keep it awake for a specific task, like downloading a large file or playing music.
Additionally, you can set your Mac to "Wake for network access," which will allow your Mac to run updates or perform other tasks while it's sleeping. To enable this setting, go to System Preferences > Battery (or Energy Saver) > Options, and make sure that "Wake for network access" is set to "Always."
By using these Terminal commands and settings, you can easily manage your Mac's display and sleep settings to suit your specific needs.
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Using third-party apps
Amphetamine
Amphetamine is a free app available on the Mac App Store. It keeps your Mac awake by overriding the Energy Saver settings. Once installed, you will find a pill-shaped icon in the menu bar at the top of your screen. You can choose from options such as "Start New Session While File is Downloading" or "While App is Running". If you want to keep an app running with the lid closed, you first need to have that app open.
Caffeinated
Caffeinated is another app available on the Mac App Store for $3.99/£3.99. Similar to Amphetamine, it overrides the Energy Saver settings to keep your Mac awake and prevent it from going to sleep.
InsomniaX
InsomniaX is a free app that places an icon in the menu bar. You can use this icon to disable sleep mode when the lid is closed or when your MacBook is idle. With "Disable Lid Sleep" checked from the menu bar icon, you can close your MacBook and keep it running.
Lungo and OneSwitch
Lungo and OneSwitch are two apps that offer more flexible customization options for keeping your Mac awake. Lungo allows you to keep your Mac awake for 1, 2, 4, 8, or 12 hours, or indefinitely. OneSwitch lets you keep your Mac awake for various durations, from 5 minutes up to 8 hours, and it can also keep your Mac awake when the lid is closed.
Endurance
Endurance is an app designed to keep your Mac's battery healthy and increase its battery life by up to 20%. It does this by gradually reducing the brightness of the screen when needed, providing convenience without sacrificing battery life.
While these third-party apps can be useful, it's important to note that running your MacBook while it's closed can lead to overheating. This is because MacBooks vent air from their back edge, and the opening for ventilation is smaller when the lid is shut.
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Using system settings
If you want to close your Mac's screen without putting the entire computer to sleep, there are several methods you can try. Here are the steps you can take using your system settings:
- Open System Settings or System Preferences from the Apple menu in the upper left corner of your screen.
- Go to "Lock Screen" and review the settings. Here, you can select a time preference for options such as "Turn display off on power adapter when inactive" and "Turn display off on battery when inactive".
- Next, go to "Battery" and select "Options".
- Turn on "Prevent automatic sleeping on power adapter when the display is off". This will keep your Mac from sleeping when the lid is closed.
- Additionally, you can install third-party apps like Amphetamine or Caffeinated to keep your Mac awake. Amphetamine is a free app that overrides the Energy Saver settings. Caffeinated is available on the Mac App Store for $3.99/£3.99 and also overrides the Energy Saver settings.
- You can also set your Mac to "Wake for network access", which allows your Mac to run updates in the background even when it's sleeping.
- Another option is to set a Hot Corner to turn off your display without putting your Mac to sleep. Go to "System Preferences" -> "Mission Control" -> "Hot Corners" and choose "Put Display to Sleep" from one of the corner dropdowns. Now, when you move your mouse to that corner, your display will go to sleep without putting your Mac to sleep.
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Frequently asked questions
Press Control + Shift + Eject at the same time, or Control + Shift + Power if you have a Power key.
Select System Preferences from the Apple menu, then open Mission Control and click Hot Corners. Choose Put Display to Sleep from one of the corner dropdowns. Now, when you move your mouse to that corner, your display will go to sleep.
You can install a third-party app, like Amphetamine, to keep your MacBook from sleeping without plugging in an external monitor. Alternatively, you can change your system settings: System Settings > Lock Screen > Turn display off on power adapter when inactive > Never. Then, go to Battery > Options. Turn on Prevent automatic sleeping on power adapter when the display is off.
Connected peripheral devices like monitors, keyboards, and USB drives could be preventing your Mac from entering sleep mode. Try safely removing all connected items and then reinstalling them one by one, testing sleep mode in between to see if you can locate the issue.
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