How to turn off a Mac screen but not send it to sleep?

[Sakurambo-kun]

I have a new 5K iMac and I'm struggling to find a way to turn off the screen but not sleep the PC. I'm using Option-Command-Eject to turn the screen off, but if I have for example, some things downloading when I do that, then when I press a key to turn the screen back on the download bar won't have moved.

I've set Prevent Computer from Sleeping when display is off to ON, but the problem persists.

Is there any way to fix this?

Thanks all.

 

[hallux]

Open System Preferences, go to the Desktop and Screensaver section, select screensaver "tab". On there, click the Hot Corners button and choose a dropdown, select Put Display to Sleep from that dropdown. Now, when you move your cursor to that corner of the screen (move it there and "off" the screen) it will sleep your display but not the computer.

This says Yosemite but it applies to El Capitan also.

OS X Yosemite: Use hot corners to start your screen saver

 

[Sakurambo-kun]

I tried that and the computer still went to sleep.

Most frustrating.

Thanks anyway though.

 

[Mcmeowmers]

If you dim the display all the way it should do what you want. There is a setting in Energy that you need to check too if I'm not mistake

 

[Sakurambo-kun]

I found a way to do it. Hitting SHIFT-OPTION-EJECT turns the screen off but doesn't sleep the computer.

 

[satcomer]

I found a way to do it. Hitting SHIFT-OPTION-EJECT turns the screen off but doesn't sleep the computer.

You should bookmark the Apple Support page Mac Keyboard Shortcuts!

 

[hallux]

Makeuseof.com has a printable cheatsheet, there's also an app called cheatsheet, both are linked in this article..
Everything You Need To Know About Mac OS X Keyboard Shortcuts