Ashwin Lewis
Sleep-wake failure is a common issue faced by Mac users, and it can be incredibly frustrating. The problem can stem from various factors, including software updates, power management, hardware issues, and more. In some cases, the Mac crashes and reboots itself, while in others, it gets stuck on a black or white screen, requiring a hard restart. Luckily, there are several troubleshooting techniques to fix sleep-wake failures and get your Mac working properly again.
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What You'll Learn
Reset the SMC and NVRAM
Resetting the SMC (System Management Controller) and NVRAM can be an effective solution for sleep/wake failures on a Mac. The SMC is a chip on the logic board that controls all power functions, including sleep and wake.
Resetting the SMC
To reset the SMC, first, determine whether your Mac notebook has a removable battery. Most older Mac notebooks have removable batteries, while some newer models, such as the MacBook Pro (Early 2009 and later) and all MacBook Air models, have non-removable batteries.
If your Mac has a removable battery, follow these steps:
- Shut down your Mac.
- Remove the battery. If you need assistance, contact Apple support.
- Press and hold the power button for 5 seconds.
- Reinstall the battery.
- Press the power button again to turn on your Mac.
For Mac notebooks with non-removable batteries, try the following:
- Plug in the MagSafe power adapter to a power source and connect it to your Mac if it's not already connected.
- Press the (left side) Shift-Control-Option keys and the power button simultaneously.
- Release all the keys and the power button at the same time.
- Press the power button again to restart your computer.
Resetting NVRAM
NVRAM (Non-Volatile Random-Access Memory) stores certain settings in a location that your Mac can access quickly. Resetting NVRAM involves a simple process:
- Shut down your Mac.
- Press the power button and immediately press and hold the following keys: Command, Option, P, and R.
- Continue holding the keys until you hear the startup sound for the second time.
- Release the keys, and your NVRAM will be reset.
It is important to note that resetting the SMC and NVRAM will not resolve all issues, and you may need to explore other troubleshooting options if the problem persists. Additionally, always ensure you have saved your work before proceeding with any reset methods.
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Reinstall macOS
If you're experiencing a sleep-wake failure on your Mac, you may need to reinstall macOS. Before reinstalling, it's a good idea to back up your Mac. While reinstalling macOS doesn't remove your apps or personal data, you may lose your data if you mistakenly operate during the process and there is no backup.
To reinstall macOS, you can use macOS Recovery, your Mac's built-in recovery system. Here's how to do it:
Step 1: Start Up in macOS Recovery
- Connect your Mac to the internet.
- On a Mac with an Intel processor, press and hold the Command and R buttons during startup until you hear the startup chime and see either a spinning globe or the Apple logo.
- On a Mac with Apple's own processors (e.g., M1 or M2 chip), press and hold the power button during startup. Continue to hold the button until you see a startup options window appear with an Options icon.
Step 2: Select Reinstall macOS
- Once you're in macOS Recovery, select the option to reinstall macOS from the list of utilities.
- Click Continue and follow the on-screen instructions.
Step 3: Complete the Installation
- If the installer asks to unlock your disk, enter the password you use to log in to your Mac.
- If the installer offers a choice between installing on "Macintosh HD" or "Macintosh HD - Data," choose "Macintosh HD."
- Allow the installation to complete without putting your Mac to sleep or closing its lid.
- When the installation is complete, your Mac might start up to a setup assistant. Follow the steps in the setup assistant.
If you're unable to complete the macOS installation from Recovery, make sure your Mac is connected to the internet. If you still can't install it, learn about other ways to install macOS and, if necessary, contact Apple Support.
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Check for hardware issues
If your Mac is experiencing sleep/wake failure, it could be due to a hardware issue. Here are some steps to help you identify and address potential hardware problems:
Firstly, consider whether your Mac has been crashing or shutting down unexpectedly. This could be due to a power outage or a faulty power supply. To rule out power-related issues, ensure your Mac is plugged into a functioning power outlet and try charging it for at least half an hour before attempting to turn it on again.
If your Mac still won't wake up, the issue could be related to the hard disk. Try disabling the "Put hard disks to sleep when possible" or "Put hard disk to sleep" feature in your Energy Saver settings. This has resolved sleep/wake failures for some users.
Additionally, you can check for issues with your startup disk by running First Aid in macOS Recovery Mode. To do this, start your Mac in Recovery Mode, select Disk Utility, choose your startup disk, and then click First Aid. This will check for and attempt to fix any minor errors on the disk.
Another potential hardware-related cause is the NVMe drive, which may wake up from standby more slowly than the rest of the machine, causing a crash. Disabling standby mode or hibernation mode can help with this, but it may lead to increased battery drain.
If you suspect a problem with your logic board or other internal hardware, you may need to contact Apple Support or an authorized service provider for further diagnostics and repair.
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Adjust screen brightness
If you are experiencing sleep-wake failure on your Mac, one of the first things you should try is adjusting your screen brightness. This is because, oftentimes, your Mac may not be in sleep mode, and it is possible that its screen brightness has simply been adjusted down too low.
To adjust the brightness on your Mac, you can use the dedicated brightness buttons on your keyboard, if it has them. Alternatively, you can go through the System Preferences tool. Here's how:
- Click on the Apple icon in the upper-left corner of the screen.
- Click "System Preferences".
- Click on the "Displays" control panel in the Hardware section of the window.
- Click on the "Display" tab at the top of the window.
- Move the "Brightness" slider bar to the left to decrease the screen's brightness or to the right to increase it.
- Click on the red circle in the upper-left corner of the window when you are satisfied with your screen's brightness level.
If you are using macOS 14 Sonoma, you can also adjust the brightness settings by going to the Apple menu > System Settings > "Battery" settings > "Slightly dim the display on battery" option. For macOS 13 Ventura, go to the Apple menu > System Settings > "Displays" settings > "Advanced" option > "Battery & Energy" > "Slightly dim the display on battery" option. For macOS 12 Monterey or earlier, go to the Apple menu > System Preferences > "Battery" settings > "Battery" > "Slightly dim the display while on battery power" option.
If you are using an external display, you can adjust the brightness by using the "Up" and "Down" buttons on the bottom or either side of the display to make incremental changes. Alternatively, you can press the "Menu" or "Options" button and locate this option in an on-screen menu.
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Check power settings
If you are experiencing issues with your Mac not sleeping or waking up, it might be time to reset its power settings.
Firstly, check if your Mac is actually in sleep mode. It is possible that its screen brightness might just be adjusted down lower. Simply adjusting the brightness or switching on your Mac can resolve your sleep-wake failure issues.
If the issue is not resolved, then proceed to the next fix. This step involves forcibly turning off and then turning on your Mac. Doing this will allow you to access your computer again and possibly fix your sleep-wake failure problem. To force-restart your Mac, follow these instructions: Hold down the Power button for a few seconds until your Mac shuts down. Wait for 10 to 15 seconds and switch on your Mac again. Check if the issue persists.
The SMC (System Management Controller) is a central hub for the hardware of your Mac and manages the low-level settings of sleep and wake, hibernation, battery supply, etc. So, the errors in SMC can result in your Mac refusing to wake up from sleep or having other abnormal performance. A simple SMC resetting can refresh the disordered wake settings and get your MacBook or iMac out of sleep. To reset SMC, you can follow these steps:
- Shut down your Mac
- Disconnect the power cord
- Hold down Shift, Control, Option, and Power buttons for 10 seconds
- Release the keys together
- Reconnect the power cord
- Switch on your Mac
- Reboot your Mac again, but this time, hold down the Option, Command, P, and R keys for 20 seconds.
If the issue persists, you can try disabling your full-disk encryption protocols. Next, decrypt your hard drive using third-party tools. After that, re-enable your full-disk encryption protocols. See if this solves your problem.
If you are experiencing issues with your Mac not sleeping or waking up, it might be due to power surges or brownouts relating to the electrical system.
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Frequently asked questions
There are several methods to fix sleep-wake failure on your Mac. Firstly, check if your Mac is actually in sleep mode by adjusting the brightness or switching it on. If this doesn't work, try performing an SMC and NVRAM reset, which is a common technique to fix display and power issues. If this also doesn't work, try disabling your full-disk encryption protocols, then decrypting your hard drive using third-party tools, and finally, re-enabling your full-disk encryption protocols.
To perform an SMC and NVRAM reset, switch off your Mac, disconnect the power cord, hold down Shift, Control, Option, and Power for 10 seconds, reconnect the power cord, switch on your Mac, and finally, reboot your Mac while holding down Option, Command, P, and R for 20 seconds.
Full-disk encryption protocols like FileVault are used to encrypt your hard drive. To disable and re-enable FileVault, simply follow the instructions provided by Apple.
Sleep-wake failure could be caused by several other issues. For example, power surges, poor power management, or a corrupted hard drive.
