How do you make a Mac go to sleep with a keyboard command?

[johnbro23]

I know this is incredibly lazy of me, and it would probably save more time just going to Apple>Sleep, but I do it so much, and every time I do it I wish I could just do apple+s (or something else because that's save).

So does anyone know how I can do that? And what key is free? Is there a key that isn't used in any apps that I can assign as my quick sleep button? Say, maybe F13? Or F6 or F7... there's a lot of F#'s that I've never used.

 

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

Press the power button, tab your way to Sleep (you might have to turn on Full Keyboard Access, or whatever it's called, in the Keyboard preferences) and press the spacebar (not enter, as that's the default choice: Shut Down). So it's in quick succession: Power - Tab - Space.

 

[iWillard]

I know this is incredibly lazy of me, and it would probably save more time just going to Apple>Sleep, but I do it so much, and every time I do it I wish I could just do apple+s (or something else because that's save).

So does anyone know how I can do that? And what key is free? Is there a key that isn't used in any apps that I can assign as my quick sleep button? Say, maybe F13? Or F6 or F7... there's a lot of F#'s that I've never used.

On my powerbook it's option+command+eject

 

[Eluon]

thanks for the advice!

On my powerbook it's option+command+eject

wow, you learn something new everyday.

 

[johnbro23]

On my powerbook it's option+command+eject

wow, cool thanks!

 

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

On my powerbook it's option+command+eject

Cool, that even worked on my iBook, which has a shared F12/Eject button... I had to hold the key combination down for a second or so, and the optical drive tried spitting out a non-existing disk, but the iBook went to sleep...

 

[dmw007]

On my powerbook it's option+command+eject

Worked for me on my Power Mac G5.

Thank You iWillard.

 

[Lacero]

Press the power button, tab your way to Sleep

Or press Power, then S.

 

[japasneezemonk]

On my powerbook it's option+command+eject

i'm loving being lazy.

 

[persianpunisher]

i'm loving being lazy.

Here Here!!

 

[yellow]

Since you have a Desktop.. How about..

The one time setting:

System Preferences -> Energy Saver -> Options tab -> check "Allow power button to sleep the computer"

And now:

Press the power button

<poof> Slept!

 

[iWillard]

Worked for me on my Power Mac G5.

Thank You iWillard.

Wow.. glad to be of help to all of you... I learned the shortcut from the forum, so I thought it was fairly common knowledge...

bonus tip (you might know, might not): When in finder, shift+command+delete empties the trash!

tune in next week when my shortcut will be ...

 

[JesterJJZ]

I just wish I could turn on my G5 from my aluminum Cinema Display. I can't believe there's no way to do it. I mean it doesn't have the ADC but the thing is connected to my tower with dvi, firewire and usb. It's the one thing I miss about ADC.

 

[iEdd]

I just shut the lid on a laptop, which puts it to sleep. I press the button on the monitor of our G5 (17" ADC)... For everything else I press power+s.

 

[mpw]

On my powerbook it's option+command+eject

Thanks. That's useful as I can never get my iMac to sleep using the Apple menu, and I think it's because I've got a BT mouse which about ½sec. after you click sleep is still communicating it's movement to the Mac and waking it.

 

[Blackheart]

Why are all of you putting your computers to sleep?! You should be folding!!!

 

[psycho bob]

Thanks. That's useful as I can never get my iMac to sleep using the Apple menu, and I think it's because I've got a BT mouse which about ½sec. after you click sleep is still communicating it's movement to the Mac and waking it.

Use the option in BT preferences to prevent devices waking computers from sleep

 

[mpw]

Use the option in BT preferences to prevent devices waking makings from sleep

Thanks. OK now I'm looking stupid that's the second thing in two days that I've figured out how to do through these forums where the answer has been hidden in plain sight under preferences or properties.