Mac won't sleep or wakes up by itself? 8 things to check

howtosimply.com/guides/mac-won-t-sleep-or-wakes-up-by-itself-8-things-to-check/ · Checked 9 November 2026 · MacBook Pro · macOS Tahoe 26

5 of 8 steps with real screenshots · 2 official sources below

Device

Mac

Shown on

macOS Tahoe 26 (MacBook Pro)

App

System Settings

Real screenshots

5 of 8 steps

Checked

9 November 2026

Sources

2 official, linked below

Find the likely cause

• If the screen stays on but the Mac never sleeps, check the display-off times first (step 1).
• If a MacBook only stays awake on the charger, switch off Prevent automatic sleeping (step 3).
• If the Mac wakes up by itself while nobody touches it, set Wake for network access to Never (step 4) and switch off sharing you do not need (step 5).
• If the Mac stays awake after an update or a new drive, let Spotlight finish indexing (step 9).
• If the Mac stays awake only with a drive or other device connected, unplug it and test again (step 10).

Step by step

1. 

   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.

   Done

2. 

   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.

   Done

3. 

   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.

   Done

4. 

   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.

   Done

5. 

   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.

   Done

6. 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.

   Done

7. 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.

   Done

8. 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.

   Done

About this guide

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.

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: System Settings > Lock Screen > Battery > Options… > Wake for network access > General > Sharing > Activity Monitor > CPU > Energy > Preventing Sleep > System Information > USB > Bluetooth

📷 Camera Lab: the same 6 scenes photographed with 11 phones, side by side.