Is there a way to know if MacBook is off without opening the lid which turns it on?

[subjonas]

This has happened a few times where my MacBook has been unused for a few days and I forgot whether or not I shut it off. I want to make sure it's off since I won't be using it for awhile longer, but if I lift the lid to see if it's off, it will turn back on, which means I have to wait for it to boot everything, and then I have to shut it down again. This process repeats if I forget again in a few days (I have lots of devices).

Is this by design and/or am I just missing an obvious fast way to peek to check if it's off?

 

[Madonepro]

Other than using a terminal command, to turn off boot when lid opens, No. It's a pure test of OCDness. It takes less than a minute, for macOS to load. Perhaps put a post it note on the top, or something similar, when you shutdown your Mac.

 

[popup]

Sometimes I've found that my macbook is not properly shut down (I like turning off my computers) by looking at the client's list of my router. There is some network activity if it is not OFF.

 

[subjonas]

Other than using a terminal command, to turn off boot when lid opens, No. It's a pure test of OCDness. It takes less than a minute, for macOS to load. Perhaps put a post it note on the top, or something similar, when you shutdown your Mac.

It’s not OCD in the slightest. Again, I have multiple laptops/desktops. I use them all for work and switch between them for different reasons rather irregularly, so it’s hard to mentally keep track of what I used when and whether I turned it off or just let it sleep with the lid closed. When I notice I haven’t used a laptop for awhile and might not use it soon, I want to make sure it’s off so that it doesn’t drain battery so that when I do pick it up the next time, it has as much juice as possible. That’s all functional and for convenience, not OCD. I couldn’t care less about babying the battery.

Of course this isn’t the end of the world (what in these threads is?), but anything that I could have done before with a 1 second glance that now takes 10 seconds of waiting then moving the cursor and clicking twice—the obvious question is why?

I did consider using post-its, but I prefer not adding another chore to my life if possible. I’ll look into the terminal command thing some more. I saw some conflicting comments about it working on AS Macs.

 

[subjonas]

Sometimes I've found that my macbook is not properly shut down (I like turning off my computers) by looking at the client's list of my router. There is some network activity if it is not OFF.

Thanks. I don’t usually have that list handy, but if it ever is I’ll keep it in mind as an option.

 

[Petite messe solennelle]

If you have another device that uses the same Apple ID and Find My is enabled for the device that is turned off, Find My will show the last time the device was located. If it doesn't show “Now,” it has been turned off. Provided, of course, that it would be accessible over the same Wi-Fi or the internet if turned on.

 

[subjonas]

If you have another device that uses the same Apple ID and Find My is enabled for the device that is turned off, Find My will show the last time the device was located. If it doesn't show “Now,” it has been turned off. Provided, of course, that it would be accessible over the same Wi-Fi or the internet if turned on.

Thanks, that may be the best option if I already have my phone in hand, which is often.