Miya Pearson
Sleep mode on a Mac is a power-saving feature that allows users to quickly resume tasks on their computers after a period of inactivity. There are multiple layers of sleep, including “display sleep”, where the screen goes blank, and “safe sleep”, where the RAM is written to disk and remains powered. Sleep mode also enables various apps to update while the Mac is asleep, such as Mail, Calendar, and iMessage. Additionally, security features like “Find My” continue to function, broadcasting the Mac's location.
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Sleep mode
There are multiple layers of sleep on macOS. The first is 'display sleep', where the screen goes blank after a certain amount of time, but the computer is still running. This can be activated by closing the lid of a laptop, or by selecting Sleep from the Apple menu. The computer can be awakened by touching the trackpad or pressing a key.
The next layer is 'sleep', where the hard drive stops spinning and the CPU uses much less power. This can be activated by closing the lid of a laptop, selecting 'Sleep' from the Apple menu, or via a timer. The computer can be awakened by opening the lid or pressing a key.
If the battery is almost dead, the laptop will hibernate to save power. In this mode, the RAM data is saved to the startup disk before the Mac goes to sleep, and the RAM is turned off. When the Mac wakes up, the data is moved back to the RAM, which is why hibernation takes longer than other modes.
Safe Sleep mode, also called Hibernatemode 3, is the default mode for MacBooks released after 2005. It is similar to Hibernation mode, but the power is still supplied to the RAM. This means that the wake-up process is as quick as in the standard sleep mode.
Standby mode is the next stage after a certain time of simple sleep. Macs released in 2013 or later go into standby mode after about three hours of sleep, while older Macs enter standby after about an hour of sleep. In this mode, the current session is recorded to flash storage (SSD). A MacBook with a fully charged battery can remain in standby mode for up to 30 days.
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Hibernation mode
Macs have multiple layers of sleep. One of these sleep modes is Hibernation mode, which is the default mode for MacBooks released before 2005. This mode is also called Hibernatemode 1.
To wake a Mac from hibernation, you need to hit the laptop power key.
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Safe sleep mode
To check if your Mac is in Safe Sleep mode, you can use the Terminal application. Open Terminal from Finder > Applications > Utilities, then type "pmset -g log | grep -e "Wake from" -e "DarkWake" -e "due to"" and press Enter. This will show you the sleep mode that your Mac is currently using.
If you want to disable Safe Sleep mode, you can use the following command in Terminal: "sudo pmset -a hibernatemode 3 && sudo pmset -a autopoweroff 0". This will set Safe Sleep to only occur when your battery is critically low. However, use caution when entering commands in Terminal that require sudo privileges.
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Display sleep
The LED on the front of the computer can be used to distinguish between display sleep and the deeper sleep modes. If the screen is dark but the LED is lit and steady, then only the display is sleeping. If the LED is fading between off and on (with a rate similar to that of a human breathing), then it is sleeping or hibernating. If the screen is dark and the LED is not lit, the machine is off.
Macs have multiple layers of sleep, and it is not as simple as sleep or wake. There is also a standby mode, which comes after a certain time of simple sleep. Macs released in 2013 or later go into standby mode after about three hours of sleep, while older Macs enter standby after about an hour of sleep.
In Safe Sleep mode, also called Hibernatemode 3, the Mac stores a copy of memory to its disk and keeps memory powered during sleep. When awakened, the Mac reloads the memory, unless it has run out of power. In that case, the hibernation image is reloaded.
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Security concerns
Sleep mode on a Mac is an energy-saving and hibernation mode. When a Mac goes to sleep, it turns off the display, switches the processor to low-power mode, and halts the hard drive and some background operations. While this is useful for saving power, there are some security concerns to be aware of.
Firstly, the level of security concern depends on the environment in which the Mac is being used. For example, at home or in an office, the risk may be lower than when travelling and staying in a hotel room, where there is a chance of an "evil maid" attack. In this type of attack, an attacker could access data on your Mac if they have physical access to it. If you are in a less trusted environment, it is recommended to shut down your laptop when you are not using it, especially if it is left unattended.
Additionally, if a highly skilled attacker gains physical access to your sleeping Mac, they may be able to eliminate evidence of their intrusion or data exfiltration. To mitigate this risk, you can use an app like DoNotDisturb, which alerts you if someone opens your MacBook's lid while you are away. However, it is important to note that this may not be effective against a sophisticated attacker who knows your password and can log into your MacBook.
Another security concern is that a Mac in sleep mode may be vulnerable to power outages, depending on its hibernation mode settings. In hibernatemode 0, the default for desktop Macs, the computer saves what's in its memory, but data will be lost if the power is cut. With hibernatemode 3, the default on laptops, the Mac stores a copy of memory to its disk, but the memory may not be reloaded if the power runs out.
To enhance security, you can schedule your Mac's sleep and wake times using the Energy Saver settings in System Preferences. This allows you to control when your Mac sleeps or remains awake, which can be useful for downloads or ensuring your computer is awake when you need it. You can also use the "`caffeinate` Terminal command to temporarily disable sleep mode" or apps like Lungo and OneSwitch to easily customise your sleep mode settings.
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Frequently asked questions
Sleep mode is when your Mac goes into an energy-saving mode. The processor is switched to low-power mode, video output is deactivated, and hard disks spin down.
Sleep mode stores all your unsaved documents, data, and running processes in RAM. This means you can quickly pick up from where you left off when your Mac wakes up.
Safe Sleep mode, also known as hibernatemode 3, is the default mode for MacBooks released after 2005. It copies data from the RAM to the startup disk, enabling you to restore your data if needed. The RAM remains powered on, so your Mac wakes up quickly.
If your Mac is asleep and someone tries to access it, you will be informed via DoNotDisturb the next time you log in. However, a highly skilled attacker may be able to eliminate all evidence that they accessed your Mac.
