There are many reasons you might want your MacBook to be closed. It might be a good idea to plug in an external display to move your MacBook from the way, but you can always keep it closed.
use both screens). You might also want to update your Mac software or play music on it. However, once you close the lid, the download stops.
If you want to stop your Mac from sleeping when you close the lid then you’ll also find out how to do that below.
One related problem you might come across if you are using your Mac with the lid closed is that when it comes to turning your Mac on it would seem that you have to open the lid to press the power switch… Luckily there is a workaround for that scenario that you might find useful. Find out how to Turn on your Mac without opening its lid.
If you’re running macOS Ventura, you might wonder where the energy-saver and battery settings are and if it is possible to wake your Mac at a specific time. These are the questions we answer.
How to use a MacBook without the lid closed
It’s much simpler now that you have a newer Mac with a more recent version of the Mac OS. In fact if you are experiencing issues using your Mac with the lid closed then it is likely that you could address this by updating your Mac to a recent version of macOS – assuming your Mac supports it, otherwise, try these steps below.
- You can connect an external keyboard (can also be wireless).
- You can connect an external mouse (can also be wireless).
- Connect an external monitor
- Bluetooth keyboard and mouse must be turned on.
- After your Mac notebook’s Desktop appears on the external display, close the computer’s lid.
- The external monitor might flash briefly, but then it will display your Desktop. You may have to press a key on your keyboard or move the mouse to wake up your Mac.
- You may find that your MacBook needs to be plugged in via the power adaptor for the screen to appear on the external monitor, but ours didn’t.
Read more
Here are some ways to use a second display in conjunction with your Mac.
How to open the MacBook’s lid and turn it on
It’s easy to wake your MacBook from sleep without opening the lid – just click or move the mouse or tap on the keyboard. What if you need to turn on the power button but don’t want to open the lid?
Can it be done?! It is possible! (Sort of)
Pre macOS Ventura:
- Open System Preferences.
- Click Energy Saver.
- Click Schedule.
- Click on Start Up or Wake to choose the times and days you would like your Mac start up. Note that the Mac will only turn on when it is plugged into power – so you could just leave the Mac unplugged, and then when you want it to start up, simply plug it in.
In macOS Ventura:
Ventura System Preferences was replaced by System Settings. This makes the process more complicated. You can stop your Mac going to sleep, but you can’t set a time for the Mac to wake up via System Settings in Ventura, however, there is a way using Terminal.
These steps can stop your Mac going into sleep mode:
- Open System Settings.
- Click Lock Screen.
- Other than Turn display off when inactive, select Never.
- Also, click Never beside Turn display of power adapter off when inactive
This will stop your display from going to bed.
Here are some steps to make changes to your battery settings:
- Go to System Settings.
- Click on Battery.
- Other than Turn display off when inactive, select Never.
These steps will allow you to schedule your Mac’s turn-on or off in macOS Ventura with Terminal
- Open Terminal
- Use one of the following pmset commands to enter:
pmset –g sched : Check the current schedule.
sudo pmset Repeat Wake M 8:00.00: You can schedule your Mac for waking up at 8:00 AM every Monday.
sudo pmset cancel: Cancel the current schedule. - Press Return.
Get more advice on how to do this. Apple’s support page.
We also offer coverage How to program your Mac to turn ON and OFF separately.
How to stop a MacBook sleeping with its lid closed?
Suppose you don’t want your MacBook to sleep when you close the lid – maybe it is busy downloading something and you don’t want it to stop but you need to carry it somewhere, or maybe you’ve left it downloading an update overnight or syncing your Time Machine backup and you’d prefer not to see the backlit keyboard. Another scenario you might want to play music from the MacBook without having to have the lid open – something likely to appeal to a few DJs.
The problem is that your Mac will go to sleep when you close the lid if it’s not plugged in and connected to an external display.
You can also set the System Preferences to never go to sleep. Go to Energy Saver > and select ‘Prevent your Mac from automatically sleeping when the display is off’. Again, this won’t be an option in Ventura.
Another setting in System Preferences > Energy Saver to choose is ‘Wake for network access’, which should mean your Mac can still run updates in the background even if it’s sleeping.
Ventura only offers Energy Saver options: Wake for network access or Start up automatically after power failure. See: How Apple has updated System Preferences for macOS Ventura.
But even with these settings, if you aren’t attached to an external monitor closing the lid will cause the Mac to sleep. There are third-party apps available that can assist with this issue.
The best apps to stop a Mac from sleeping
These third-party apps can be used to stop your Mac from going to sleep when the lid is closed.
We used to recommend InsomniacUnfortunately, this utility does not seem to be anymore.
Amphetamine
Free download from the Mac App Store HereAmphetamine keeps your Mac occupied by overriding Energy Saver settings. We Review Amphetamine here.
Caffeine
Available in the Mac App Store HereThis app, which costs 99p, overrides Energy Saver settings to keep your Mac alert and prevents it from going to sleep. According to developers, the app works in Ventura.
