
Sleep-wake failure is a common issue faced by Mac users, especially those running Mojave, Catalina, or other macOS versions. This issue can manifest as a Mac that refuses to wake up from sleep mode, randomly restarts, or displays an unresponsive black screen. While there are several potential causes and solutions, don't panic! Here are some troubleshooting steps and fixes to help you resolve sleep-wake failures on your MacBook Pro Mojave.
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What You'll Learn

Check your power settings and screen brightness
If you're experiencing sleep-wake failure on your MacBook Pro Mojave, there are a few things you can check to try and fix the issue. Firstly, ensure that your MacBook's screen brightness isn't turned down. You can adjust the display's brightness manually or automatically. If you want to adjust it manually, press F1 or F2 on your keyboard to decrease or increase the brightness. If you want to adjust it automatically, go to Apple menu -> System Settings -> Displays in the sidebar and select "Automatically adjust brightness".
Additionally, check your power settings. To do this, click on the Apple menu, then System Preferences, and select the "Energy Saver" icon. Here, you can adjust settings such as "Turn display off on battery when inactive" and "Turn display off on power adapter when inactive". You can also turn off "Prevent automatic sleeping on power adapter when the display is off" and "Slightly dim the display while on battery power".
You can also try disabling hibernation mode, as a glitch during hibernation can cause issues with sleep-wake functionality. To do this, run the following commands in the OS X Terminal:
Sudo pmset -a hibernatemode 0
Sudo rm /var/vm/sleepimage
By following these steps, you can adjust your power settings and screen brightness, and hopefully resolve the sleep-wake failure issue on your MacBook Pro Mojave.
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Disable hibernation mode
Disabling hibernation mode on your MacBook Pro Mojave can be done through the Terminal application. Hibernation mode is a power-saving feature that suspends all memory in RAM to the disk and powers off the RAM, allowing the MacBook to consume very low power when left idle for a long time. However, this feature can cause issues with the sleep-wake functionality of your MacBook.
To disable hibernation mode, open the Terminal application and run the following commands:
Sudo pmset -a hibernatemode 0
This command sets the hibernatemode to 0, disabling hibernation completely. Alternatively, you can also try:
Sudo pmset -a hibernatemode 3
Setting hibernatemode to 3 will prevent the system from entering hibernation mode and will only use the sleep mode. If you want to re-enable hibernation mode, you can set hibernatemode to 25:
Sudo pmset -a hibernatemode 25
Disabling hibernation mode may cause your MacBook to drain its battery gradually when left idle instead of entering a very low power mode. It is important to note that disabling hibernation mode will not affect the standard sleep mode functionality of your MacBook.
In addition to disabling hibernation mode, you can also try the following troubleshooting steps to fix sleep-wake failures:
- Check your sleep settings and ensure they are configured as desired.
- Ensure that your MacBook's screen brightness is not turned down, and your external display is not turned off.
- Check if any connected devices, such as USB or Thunderbolt storage, are malfunctioning and preventing your MacBook from sleeping properly.
- Ensure that no apps are accessing your disk or running in the background, such as Music or DVD Player, which can keep your MacBook from sleeping.
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Reset NVRAM
Resetting the NVRAM on your MacBook Pro Mojave can be a troubleshooting step to overcome CPU problems, font issues in programs, and other odd behaviors. NVRAM, or non-volatile random-access memory, serves the same purpose as PRAM (parameter random-access memory), which was used in older Mac computers. While NVRAM corruption is uncommon, resetting it may be necessary if your MacBook Pro Mojave takes too long to boot, starts with the wrong screen resolution, or has audio problems.
To reset the NVRAM on your MacBook Pro Mojave, follow these steps:
- Shut down your MacBook Pro Mojave.
- Press the power button and, as soon as you power up the laptop, hold down Command-Option-P-R.
- Keep holding down those keys for about 20 seconds. If you have an older Mac that chimes at boot, hold down the keys until you hear a second startup chime.
- Let go of the keys and allow your MacBook Pro Mojave to continue starting normally.
- Check the Startup Disk, Display, and Date & Time panes of System Preferences to make sure they're set to your desired preferences.
It's important to note that resetting the NVRAM will revert your MacBook Pro Mojave to its factory default settings. While this won't harm the hardware, any customization you've made to the system settings may be lost, and you may need to reinstate some of your preferred settings.
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Check for performance issues
If you're experiencing performance issues with your MacBook Pro Mojave, there are several potential causes and solutions to consider.
Firstly, check your Mac's model to ensure it meets the hardware and software requirements for the Mojave update. For instance, if you're using a MacBook Air or MacBook Pro, it should be a Mid-2012 model or newer, with at least 4 GB of RAM and 15-20 GB of free disk space.
If your Mac meets the requirements, the next step is to check for any programs that automatically run when your machine boots up, as well as third-party helper or service apps known as launch agents. These can contribute to slow performance, so it's advisable to disable any unnecessary login items.
Additionally, certain settings may impact your Mac's performance. Ensure that your screen brightness is turned up, your external display is on, and your Mac isn't in safe sleep or hibernation mode. If you're experiencing issues with hibernation, you can try disabling full-disk encryption protocols and re-enabling them if hibernation works fine afterward.
Another potential cause of performance issues could be unexpected keyboard presses, mouse clicks, or trackpad clicks. If your Mac wakes up when you're not using it, something may be pressing these buttons or keys.
Furthermore, apps that access your disk, such as Music or DVD Player, can prevent your Mac from going to sleep and impact its performance. Spotlight indexing can also keep your Mac awake, so it's worth checking if it's indexing your hard disk. This process can take several hours, depending on the number of files on your device.
Connected storage devices, such as USB and Thunderbolt, could also be the culprit. Try disconnecting these devices and see if your Mac goes to sleep. If it does, reconnect each item one at a time to identify any malfunctioning devices.
Finally, if you're experiencing slow internet after installing Mojave, you're not alone. Several users have reported this issue, and it may be related to the specific model of your MacBook Pro and its available RAM.
Remember to tailor these solutions to your specific situation, and always back up your data before making any significant changes to your system.
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Reinstall macOS
If you're experiencing sleep-wake failure on your MacBook Pro Mojave, reinstalling macOS can be a solution. Here's a detailed guide on how to do it:
Before you begin the reinstallation process, it is important to back up your Mac. This ensures that you don't lose any important data during the reinstallation. You can use Time Machine to back up your Mac to an external disk or a network drive. Alternatively, you can use any other backup application or clone your entire disk.
Once your Mac is backed up, you can choose between two types of reinstallation. The first option is to install a new copy of macOS Mojave over the current version, which will leave your files and user settings intact. To do this, follow these steps:
- Go to the App Store.
- Find Mojave in the Quick Links section on the front page.
- Click on Mojave and follow the instructions to download and install it.
The second option is to perform a clean installation, which erases your entire startup disk and installs a clean version of Mojave. This option is more likely to fix persistent issues and may help your Mac run faster. However, you will need to reinstall all your applications and reconfigure your settings afterward. To perform a clean installation:
- Restart your Mac using the Command+Option+R keyboard command. This will reinstall the latest version of macOS that is compatible with your Mac.
- When the macOS window appears, click on Disk Utilities and choose the Erase tab.
- In Disk Utility, select the volume you want to erase.
- Click "Erase" in the toolbar and type a name for the volume.
- Choose APFS from the Format pop-up menu and click "Erase Volume Group."
- Once the erase process is complete, click "Done" and quit Disk Utility.
- In the Recovery app window, click "Reinstall macOS" and then click "Continue" to follow the onscreen instructions.
Remember that your computer must be connected to the internet during the reinstallation process. Additionally, if you're reinstalling on a Mac laptop, make sure to plug in the power adapter.
By following these steps, you can effectively reinstall macOS on your MacBook Pro Mojave and potentially resolve any sleep-wake failure issues you were facing.
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Frequently asked questions
First, check if your MacBook Pro is on and if the screen brightness is turned down. If you're using an external display, make sure it's switched on. If that doesn't work, try performing a hard shutdown by holding down the power button until your MacBook Pro shuts down. Wait a few seconds, then restart it. If the issue persists, you may need to reset the SMC (System Management Controller) and NVRAM.
To reset the SMC, hold down the power button for a few seconds until your MacBook Pro shuts down. To reset the NVRAM, press the power button along with the Option + Command + P + R keys for 20 seconds.
Yes, you can try disabling hibernation mode and system hibernation. You can also check for unexpected keyboard presses or mouse and trackpad clicks, which can wake your MacBook Pro. Additionally, apps that access a disk, like Music or DVD Player, can keep your MacBook Pro from going to sleep.
If none of these solutions work, you may need to reinstall macOS.




