Unlike a traditional desktop computer that you must power down completely at the end of the day, a Mac is designed to be left on indefinitely. Shutting down completely forces you to close all your applications, save every document, and endure a lengthy boot sequence the next morning. The superior alternative is to put the Mac to Sleep. Sleep mode drastically cuts power consumption to preserve your battery, turns off the display, and spins down the hard drive, but it keeps your computer’s RAM powered. This means all your open applications, web browser tabs, and unsaved documents are perfectly frozen in place, allowing you to wake the computer up instantly and resume working right where you left off.
Method 1: The Standard Menu Option
This is the most universal method, working on both desktop Macs (like the iMac or Mac mini) and MacBooks.
- Navigate your mouse to the absolute top-left corner of your screen.
- Click the Apple Logo (\uf8ff).
- A drop-down menu will appear. Select Sleep.
The screen will immediately turn black. To wake the computer back up, simply tap any key on the keyboard, click the mouse, or press the Touch ID power button.
Method 2: The Physical Action (MacBooks Only)
If you are using a MacBook Air or MacBook Pro, Apple has integrated a hardware sensor into the hinge of the machine specifically for this purpose.
- Simply close the lid of the laptop.
The computer instantly detects the closed lid and goes to sleep. When you open the lid later, the screen will instantly turn on, and you will be presented with the login screen to unlock your session.
Method 3: The Keyboard Shortcuts
If you prefer not to take your hands off the keyboard, macOS offers instant sleep shortcuts.
- On older Macs with an Eject key: Press Option + Command + Eject.
- On modern Macs with a Power/Touch ID button: Press Option + Command + Power button. (Note: On the newest MacBooks with Touch ID, this shortcut is sometimes disabled by default. If it doesn’t work, press the Touch ID button quickly once to lock the screen, and the Mac will go to sleep shortly after).
Troubleshooting: When the Mac Won’t Sleep
If you tell your Mac to sleep and the screen turns back on a few seconds later, a background application is preventing it. This is usually caused by active network activity or media playback.
- Check if you have a video paused in a hidden Chrome tab.
- Check if an application (like Dropbox or Google Drive) is actively syncing a large file.
- Check your Bluetooth devices. Occasionally, a faulty wireless mouse vibrating on a desk can send a “wake” signal to the computer. Turn off the mouse to see if it fixes the issue.