Mac won't sleep or wakes up by itself? 8 things to check
2 min read · 8 steps · Updated 2 October 2026
Open System Settings, click Lock Screen and set the two Turn display off times. On a MacBook, open Battery, click Options and set Wake for network access to Never. Then switch off sharing services you do not need and look in Activity Monitor for an app that keeps the Mac busy.
A Mac stays awake when something is using it: an app, a connected device or another computer on the network. It wakes up for the same reasons. The list below follows Apple's own order.
Menu names are from recent versions of macOS, where the settings app is called System Settings. The pictures are our own screenshots from macOS Tahoe 26 on a MacBook Pro.
Step by step
Check the sleep times
Open System Settings and click Lock Screen. Set Turn display off on battery when inactive and Turn display off on power adapter when inactive to a few minutes. If either is set to Never, the Mac never sleeps by itself.
MacBook: check the Battery options
Click Battery in the sidebar, then Options. Switch off Prevent automatic sleeping on power adapter when the display is off.
Turn off Wake for network access
In the same Options window, set Wake for network access to Never. On a desktop Mac the switch is under System Settings, Energy. With this on, other devices on the network can wake the Mac.
Switch off sharing you do not need
Open System Settings, General, Sharing. Services such as File Sharing and Printer Sharing let other computers use your Mac, and that keeps it awake. Switch off the ones you do not use.
Look for a busy app
Open Activity Monitor from the Utilities folder in Applications and click CPU. An app at the top of the list with a high percentage keeps the Mac working. Quit it. Music and video apps also prevent sleep while they play.
Let Spotlight finish
After an update or after connecting a new drive, Spotlight builds its search index. Apple notes this can take several hours, and the Mac does not sleep during that time.
Unplug external devices
A faulty USB or Thunderbolt drive or other device can stop the Mac from sleeping or wake it up. Unplug the devices and see whether the Mac now sleeps.
Check for accidental touches
A key press, a mouse that moves or a touch on the trackpad wakes the Mac. A Bluetooth mouse in a bag or a pet on the desk is enough.
Good to know
If the Mac still misbehaves, update macOS and restart. A restart also resets the power controller on a Mac with Apple silicon.
To find out whether software that starts with the Mac is the cause, try how to start a Mac in safe mode.
For the opposite wish, a Mac that stays awake on purpose, see how to stop a Mac from going to sleep.
In short: Display-off times, Battery options, Wake for network access, Sharing, Activity Monitor, Spotlight, external devices, stray touches.
- Apple Support: If your Mac sleeps or wakes unexpectedly
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