"Allow power button to put the computer to sleep" setting is not available but button does it anyway

Question

"Allow power button to put the computer to sleep" setting is not available but button does it anyway

This has never happened before. Computer stayed at gray screen with no progress wheel so I held the power button to shut it down. Since startup afterwards the power button sleeps the computer. There's no "allow power button to put the computer to sleep" choice available in Energy Saver but button does it anyway. Is there a defaults command that will fix it? Something else?

MacBook Pro, OS X Mavericks (10.9)

Posted on Nov 1, 2013 5:12 PM

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Answer 1

MEP1979

Level 1

0 points

Mar 25, 2014 3:25 AM in response to mrtew

mrtew, I had the same experience with the Mavericks upgrade. Through some testing I found that on a machine running Mavericks, you simply need to hold down the power button for one second and then release it and that will put the machine into sleep mode. Previously a simple press (or tap) of the button was all that was required.

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Answer 2

Nov 1, 2013 6:04 PM in response to Community User

This is a feature of MacOS Mavericks. If you tap the power button it puts the system to sleep. If you hold the power button down for a couple seconds, it gives you a menu asking you what to do. If you hold the power button down for about 10 seconds, it will hard power down the system without any chance for teh OS to perform a clean shutdown. As far as I know, there is no setting to change this behavior.

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Answer 3

Nov 2, 2013 2:10 AM in response to GeekBoy.from.Illinois

I've had Mavericks for a week and a half. I don't believe yesterday could have been the first time I used the power button in an attempt to get the Restart Sleep Cancel Shut Down box, but I've been around long enough to know that memory will fool you.

Yours 'til it doesn't,

llee

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Answer 4

Nov 19, 2013 9:45 AM in response to Community User

Before I leave this topic entirely, I want to say that determining the correct amount of time between releasing the power button to instantly sleep, to receive the 4-choice prompt, or to force shut down is abundantly subject to miscalculation, at least by me.

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Answer 5

naher94

Level 1

10 points

Nov 19, 2013 9:48 AM in response to Community User

is there a way to turn this feature off?

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Answer 6

Nov 19, 2013 8:48 PM in response to naher94

My understanding is that there is no way to change it back after the Mavx update.

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Answer 7

mrtew

Level 1

8 points

Mar 15, 2014 7:04 AM in response to Community User

I found this thread when my power button stopped putting my mac to sleep a few days ago and I couldn't find the option in the system prefs any more! I've been putting my mac to sleep with the power button for 15 years and it's all over for me now.

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Answer 8

Mar 15, 2014 1:12 PM in response to mrtew

It stopped putting the Mac to sleep? That's what should happen when you briefly press it. If nothing happens when you do that, then something must be wrong.

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Answer 9

mrtew

Level 1

8 points

Mar 25, 2014 3:41 AM in response to MEP1979

Yep I can't believe they'd change it after all these years. Now I have to hold it down longer but not too long or the menu choice will come up instead of going to sleep. Apple are becoming as stupid as M$.

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