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How to prevent Mac Mini M1 from sleeping / disable sleep?

djivatma

djivatma

macrumors member
Original poster
May 4, 2019
36
13
Spain
It looks like my Mac Mini M1 goes to sleep even if I set 'Preven computer from sleeping automatically when the display is off.'

Any chance to disable sleep at all? - I prefer it keep working 24/7 :)

Also, in the last few days when Mac Mini wakes up, my external drive - Sabrent NVMe - detaches and I had to re-plug it which is very annoying! Any ideas on how to fix this, guys? 🤔


My Mac Mini connections:
- display LG 27UL850
- external NVMe drive
- LAN

Screen Shot on 2021-01-14 at 15-32-40.png
 
System Preferences > Battery > Battery > Turn display off after > Never
System Preferences > Battery > Power adaptor > Turn display off after > Never
 
I could be wrong, but there are no "battery" settings available in system prefs for a Mini... :)
 
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Quackers said:
System Preferences > Battery > Battery > Turn display off after > Never
System Preferences > Battery > Power adaptor > Turn display off after > Never
Click to expand...
Thanks but I don't want the display to be on all the time. I'd like it to turn off after 15 min. but keep the Mac Mini from going to sleep mode.
 
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ItWasNotMe said:
When you are't using it, power off the display - see the first check-box
Click to expand...
If I don't use the computer for a long period of time, I turn the display off but when I turn it on, the Mac Mini wakes up from sleep even if the checkbox is ticked... 🤷
 
djivatma said:
If I don't use the computer for a long period of time, I turn the display off but when I turn it on, the Mac Mini wakes up from sleep even if the checkbox is ticked... 🤷
Click to expand...

With that checkbox ticked, if you turn the monitor off, it never goes to sleep.

So it's not waking when you turn the monitor back on - it never went to sleep
 
ItWasNotMe said:
With that checkbox ticked, if you turn the monitor off, it never goes to sleep.

So it's not waking when you turn the monitor back on - it never went to sleep
Click to expand...

But why in this case my external drive is disconnected and the display has a different resolution / size of the desktop like many other Mac Mini M1 owners reported? ->> it all indicates that Mac Mini was asleep, isn't it...?
 
djivatma said:
But why in this case my external drive is disconnected and the display has a different resolution / size of the desktop like many other Mac Mini M1 owners reported? ->> it all indicates that Mac Mini was asleep, isn't it...?
Click to expand...

Does the drive itself have power management settings?
 
is it running anything at all when you leave it?

if so, if left long enough, then you should see the CPU consumption for kernel be different before and after [Edit unless it sleeps]

If not, try installing something like folding@home - https://foldingathome.org/start-folding/

I have it running on medium, don't notice the impact. Maybe that's what keeps my machine alive
 
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djivatma said:
It looks like my Mac Mini M1 goes to sleep even if I set 'Preven computer from sleeping automatically when the display is off.'

Any chance to disable sleep at all? - I prefer it keep working 24/7 :)

Also, in the last few days when Mac Mini wakes up, my external drive - Sabrent NVMe - detaches and I had to re-plug it which is very annoying! Any ideas on how to fix this, guys? 🤔


My Mac Mini connections:
- display LG 27UL850
- external NVMe drive
- LAN
Click to expand...

Did you find any solution for this? It seems to be an issue with M1 machines as my M1 Air is doing the same thing.

If you play some music, turn off your display, you'll notice the music is still playing, so the device isn't sleeping. It's when you turn the display back on that the machine is then sent to sleep?!?
 
Same issue for me- After the display goes to sleep( I don't want it on 24/7), my m1 mini logs me out. Everytime I want to get going, I have to log in. Quite annoying.
 
Photoshopper said:
Same issue for me- After the display goes to sleep( I don't want it on 24/7), my m1 mini logs me out. Everytime I want to get going, I have to log in. Quite annoying.
Click to expand...
Maybe Preferences->Security & Privacy->General, untick "Require password _ after sleep or screen saver begins"?
 
Photoshopper said:
Same issue for me- After the display goes to sleep( I don't want it on 24/7), my m1 mini logs me out. Everytime I want to get going, I have to log in. Quite annoying.
Click to expand...

You think that’s annoying. I bought this M1 machine to use along side my work MacBook, when I change inputs on the monitor between the two, the Intel MacBook does as it should staying awake, but upon switching back to the M1 MacBook, it puts itself to sleep.

I wonder how they don’t spot such blatant issues before releasing these machines.
 
There is one more thing no one mentioned here - I think.
Check the Schedule button on the power screen. My mini M1 had that set to sleep at 11pm and wake at 6am. Even when it was converting movies and had whole night of work, it went to sleep at 11pm.
After I unchecked it, it is not sleeping and can be accessed remotely any time. Kind of - seems to be half awake when nothing to do. Remotely (JumpDesktop) it takes around 30-60 seconds to connect. Locally, it comes back immediately on keyboard stroke and in 10-15 seconds on mouse. Confusing, but not a problem.
 
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This could solve the problem. You actually just need to go to the "Advanced" button regardless of whether or not you're in "General" or "FileVault." Just as long as you're in the Security & Privacy section. Good luck!

 
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check out the pmset command. This is from my macbook pro, so i have a battery. I found this on my own so still troubleshooting the power problems...


# The pmset command has a man page but at least some of the features have be deprecated for caffeinate
Code: 
$: man pmset


# you need sudo, the -a means on AC, the numbers are how long each takes. 0 disables.
Code: 
$: sudo pmset -a lowpowermode 0 standby 0 hibernatemode 0 powernap 0 displaysleep 15 sleep 0 disksleep 20


# -g live will show you what your system is currently using.
Code: 
$: pmset -g live

# the -g custom will show all the settings you have.
Code: 
$: pmset -g custom
Battery Power:
 Sleep On Power Button 1
 lowpowermode         1
 standby              1
 ttyskeepawake        1
 hibernatemode        3
 powernap             0
 hibernatefile        /var/vm/sleepimage
 displaysleep         2
 womp                 0
 networkoversleep     0
 sleep                1
 lessbright           1
 tcpkeepalive         1
 disksleep            10
AC Power:
 Sleep On Power Button 1
 lowpowermode         0
 standby              0
 ttyskeepawake        1
 hibernatemode        0
 powernap             0
 hibernatefile        /var/vm/sleepimage
 displaysleep         5
 womp                 0
 networkoversleep     0
 sleep                0
 tcpkeepalive         1
 disksleep            10

You can do some neat things with it though like poweron every Mon-Fri at 7:45 and poweroff Mon-Fri at 5:15. It has some logic about whether its being used or not. I have found this problematic. But you can set it to sleep or poweroff or wakeorpoweron ...
 
Last edited:
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Old thread, but recently revived. I am a bit jealous that your mini actually goes to sleep!

I use the Amphetamine app to keep all my Macs awake during work hours or while running certain tasks. There is an option to 'Allow display to sleep' and you can also choose to allow the screen saver to activate. I've been using it for years, works great.
 
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