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How to prevent a MacBook (the system, not the screen) from going to sleep?

I want the screen to go to sleep (which I realise is set in System Preferences -> Energy Saver) but I want the rest of the system to stay active, so that background processes I have running will continue. I can't seem to find how to set when the system goes sleep.

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X Mavericks (10.9)

Posted on Nov 14, 2013 5:01 AM

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38 replies

Nov 14, 2013 6:53 PM in response to LowLuster

Thanks - but in my System Preferences, the slider in the Power Adapter tab in Energy Saver is marked "Turn display off after:". I had assumed this applied only to the display and didn't control when the computer itself went to sleep? I would like the display to go to sleep, and for the system to remain active.


There is another option "Prevent computer from sleeping automatically when the display is off", but this is not available under the Battery tab. I am guessing that may achieve what I need, but only when the MacBook is plugged in, and so there is no way to prevent the computer from sleeping when it is running from the battery and the screen is off. Is that correct?


I can't find any description of these options in the Help Centre for Energy Saver preferences.

Nov 14, 2013 10:12 PM in response to nudoru

That does sound exactly like what I'm wanting. However, I don't have two sliders. Under both the Battery and Power Adapter tabs there is just one slider called "Turn display off after:". (This is in the System Preferences app in OS X Mavericks (10.9) on a late 2013 MacBook Pro Retina.)

Nov 15, 2013 6:44 PM in response to c.9

Sorry I don't know what to tell you. Seems like either Apple has removed that option, which is just like Apple to make those decisions for the user, or you have a corrupted install of Mavericks.


There is still ways to prevent the system from going to sleep but you have to use terminal. I don't have those commands but a google search would turn them up.

Nov 15, 2013 6:51 PM in response to LowLuster

No worries - thank you for trying though.


As it's a new MacBook, with hardly anything on it yet expect Apple apps, I suspect it's more likely that it is a change that Apple has made to the System Preferences.


It would be interesting to hear if any other owners of late 2013 MacBook Pros (wRD) are also missing the "Computer Sleep" slider.

Nov 15, 2013 7:35 PM in response to c.9

I've just noticed that the Apple Support page, OS X Mavericks: Put your Mac to sleep states:


"If it’s available, adjust the Computer sleep slider to specify a period of inactivity before your Mac goes to sleep."


This seems to indicate that the Computer sleep slider is not always available (but no indication of why, or how to control computer sleep when it is not available).


http://support.apple.com/kb/PH14105

Nov 17, 2013 12:26 AM in response to c.9

I just received my "Late 2013 MBPr 15". It also only has the display sleep slider, so I'm assuming this is "correct".


I was using (and still use) a little menubar app called "Espresso" from the MAS, which has indepedant options for display and system, with an adjustable time length. I'm not sure if it works with the lid closed, but does allow the display to sleep according to the energy preferences setting, while still keeping the system running.


I'm still trying to find out exactly what the "Prevent computer from sleeping automatically when the display is off" does, since this option wasn't on my old system.

How to prevent a MacBook (the system, not the screen) from going to sleep?

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