M4 Mac mini crashing overnight

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stepru Author

Level 1

5 points

M4 Mac mini crashing overnight

My new m4 macmini is crashing overnight, it's weird. I have the error message/log.

Mac mini (M4, 2024)

Posted on Apr 26, 2026 6:42 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

HWTech

Community+ 2026

Level 9

76,700 points

Apr 30, 2026 9:17 PM in response to stepru

If it is a Kernel Panic, then please post a few of them here using the "Additional Text" icon which looks like a piece of paper on the forum editing toolbar.

Kernel Panic logs are located in "/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports". If none are there, then look in the "Retired" subfolder because sometimes macOS will relocate them fairly quickly to that subfolder. The Kernel Panic logs will usually have file names containing "kernel" and/or "panic".

You may also want to disconnect all external devices except for the display(s), keyboard, and mouse just in case an externally connected device is causing the problem.

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Answer 2

Old Toad

Level 10

218,260 points

Apr 28, 2026 3:25 PM in response to stepru

I agree wholeheartedly with den.thed on the sleep mode issue. You can do what a lot of the users who have similar problems with coming out of sleep do:

1 - do not sleep the computer.

2 - set the System ➙ Energy ➙ Low Power Mode settings pane turn on the button "Prevent automatic sleeping when display is off'.

3 - in System ➙ Lock Screen settings pane set "Start Screen Saver when inactive" to whatever time you'd like.

4 - in System ➙ Settings ➙ Lock Screen settings pane set "Turn display off monitor when inactive for XX" to the time you want.

Unless you have several HDDs you don't need to sleep the computer as most all new drives are solid state.

Or just shut down the Mini at night or when gone for extended periods of time. This will clear out temporary cache and swap files for the System and apps and will help keep your Mini on top of its game.

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