M1 mini - peculiar behavior during sleep.

[harrisonjr98]

Hey all! Loving my M1 mini so far, it's been a rock solid machine. Just having one interesting "issue" if you could even call it that, night after night. I have my mini in a desk setup in my bedroom plugged into a backlit mechanical keyboard and mouse.

Sometimes when I go up to the Apple menu and click Sleep, it'll just kick me to the lock screen instead of sleeping. Kind of annoying but likely software.

The more interesting thing during sleep is the random intervals in which it seems to "half" wake, providing power to the USB devices (lighting up my keyboard and illuminating my room while *I* am trying to sleep!) This is almost certainly based on background activity happening - I've noticed that I'll get a text on my iPhone and then the USB devices plugged into my mini will light up, for example. The duration which they're lit for and the intervals with which they go on and off seems to vary greatly, though. The monitor does not kick on and go to the lock screen or anything like that, just the USB devices turn on.

The reason I'm posting is to attempt to accomplish two things!

1) Someone more savvy than I to confirm that this is an activity-based thing where power is going to USB devices.
2) I can get some guidance on how to subvert this behavior without having to just shut the Mac all the way down overnight, which might not be the end of the world- but still!

I vaguely remember this happening on my old 2015 15" MBP, but it's been a while since I used that machine in a desk setup.

Any help is much appreciated!

 

[Avenida]

might not be the issue here...but just to be sure:
are any of the devices hooked up using bluetooth too? one of these might be waking it up.
It can also be notifications.

 

[harrisonjr98]

might not be the issue here...but just to be sure:
are any of the devices hooked up using bluetooth too? one of these might be waking it up.
It can also be notifications.

I like your thinking! None of the devices are bluetooth or have anything set to wake the mac up, to my knowledge. I have a time machine drive plugged in, thought it might be waking every 30 mins or so to check for new data since the last backup but I unplugged it and it still wakes.

Notifications would make sense, but it happens seemingly 2-3 times an hour during sleep and I'm definitely not getting that many notifications my mac. Like I said, there's definitely *some* correlation with activity like that because texts that I see coming through on my iphone will cause it.

 

[Avenida]

is your phone updated to the latest OS?
A few things I noticed with Big Sur is the connectivity in between devices, mind you, this might not be new to Big Sur but it is new to me as I have been slow at updating my OS across the computers I own (I don't care enough these days) but long story short...

I noticed that Big Sur can send information to devices, for example, if you have a file in front of you that requires signature, it will let you use your phone as a signing pad... Similar features are available when I do a screen capture.
It is pretty cool actually...

I guess what I am trying to say is, your phone might be waking it up as it is trying to do some kind of handshake with your PC.

I would look in the handshake options too, just to make sure that is not triggering something that should not.

These are old wild guesses...

 

[Avenida]

one more thing, try turning ON:
Do not disturb while screen is in sleep mode

It is in the Notification panel

 

[harrisonjr98]

is your phone updated to the latest OS?
A few things I noticed with Big Sur is the connectivity in between devices, mind you, this might not be new to Big Sur but it is new to me as I have been slow at updating my OS across the computers I own (I don't care enough these days) but long story short...

I noticed that Big Sur can send information to devices, for example, if you have a file in front of you that requires signature, it will let you use your phone as a signing pad... Similar features are available when I do a screen capture.
It is pretty cool actually...

I guess what I am trying to say is, your phone might be waking it up as it is trying to do some kind of handshake with your PC.

I would look in the handshake options too, just to make sure that is not triggering something that should not.

These are old wild guesses...

Phone and Mac are both updated, yes.

 

[macbookfan]

Hey all! Loving my M1 mini so far, it's been a rock solid machine. Just having one interesting "issue" if you could even call it that, night after night. I have my mini in a desk setup in my bedroom plugged into a backlit mechanical keyboard and mouse.

Sometimes when I go up to the Apple menu and click Sleep, it'll just kick me to the lock screen instead of sleeping. Kind of annoying but likely software.

The more interesting thing during sleep is the random intervals in which it seems to "half" wake, providing power to the USB devices (lighting up my keyboard and illuminating my room while *I* am trying to sleep!) This is almost certainly based on background activity happening - I've noticed that I'll get a text on my iPhone and then the USB devices plugged into my mini will light up, for example. The duration which they're lit for and the intervals with which they go on and off seems to vary greatly, though. The monitor does not kick on and go to the lock screen or anything like that, just the USB devices turn on.

The reason I'm posting is to attempt to accomplish two things!

1) Someone more savvy than I to confirm that this is an activity-based thing where power is going to USB devices.
2) I can get some guidance on how to subvert this behavior without having to just shut the Mac all the way down overnight, which might not be the end of the world- but still!

I vaguely remember this happening on my old 2015 15" MBP, but it's been a while since I used that machine in a desk setup.

Any help is much appreciated!

Turn off bluetooth. Then sleep the computer and see what happens. I bet it's your phone talking to your computer.

 

[Sheppard]

I've noticed that I'll get a text on my iPhone and then the USB devices plugged into my mini will light up, for example.

Has the hallmarks of notifications; and the additional 'wake ups' could be down to the Mail app checking for email. Have you added any Google accounts to Mail perchance?

 

[4sallypat]

My M1 Mini sleeps thru the the night without waking up anything - all devices remain down: USB mouse, BT KB, dual displays, etc.

Check your energy settings and UNCHECK: Prevent computer from sleeping & wake for network access:

 

[harrisonjr98]

My M1 Mini sleeps thru the the night without waking up anything - all devices remain down: USB mouse, BT KB, dual displays, etc.

Check your energy settings and UNCHECK: Prevent computer from sleeping & wake for network access:
View attachment 1699263

I unchecked "wake for network access" but doesn't that setting just affect whether other networked devices I have can reach it? Does yours sleep through the night with that setting checked?

 

[topcat001]

The keyboard lighting up during sleep is normal during background activity (say when Power Nap is enabled). Also it wakes up every 2 hours or so to advertise its capabilities over the network (enabled by default). My 16" MPB is usually plugged into a wired USB backlit mechanical keyboard when it's at my desk and I see the same behaviour. In fact since my laptop does not have any lights, I use this as an indicator for true sleep (or off).

 

[harrisonjr98]

The keyboard lighting up during sleep is normal during background activity (say when Power Nap is enabled). Also it wakes up every 2 hours or so to advertise its capabilities over the network (enabled by default). My 16" MPB is usually plugged into a wired USB backlit mechanical keyboard when it's at my desk and I see the same behaviour. In fact since my laptop does not have any lights, I use this as an indicator for true sleep (or off).

haha yeah, I totally remember it happening on my 2015 MBP which is why I'm not too concerned, moreso just curious and trying to think of a workaround. If anything, it's a cool feature that the Mac can read/write to USB devices (or just send power in this case) without coming all the way out of sleep.

 

[4sallypat]

I unchecked "wake for network access" but doesn't that setting just affect whether other networked devices I have can reach it? Does yours sleep through the night with that setting checked?

Wake for network may cause your system to wake up due to router issues, network pinging, and wifi glitches.

I use wired LAN (turned off WiFi).

With both boxes unchecked, my M1 Mini stays asleep all night until I tap the key or move the mouse....

 

[harrisonjr98]

Wake for network may cause your system to wake up due to router issues, network pinging, and wifi glitches.

I use wired LAN (turned off WiFi).

With both boxes unchecked, my M1 Mini stays asleep all night until I tap the key or move the mouse....

Wired LAN here as well! I didn't realize you left those settings unchecked because you had checked them in the photo haha. Will report back if it worked!

 

[Mistercharlie]

I have the same thing, only it’s not a keyboard lighting up, but a Thunderbolt dock connected to an M1 mini. The connected display stays asleep, but connected usb drives also light their LEDs.

 

[harrisonjr98]

I have the same thing, only it’s not a keyboard lighting up, but a Thunderbolt dock connected to an M1 mini. The connected display stays asleep, but connected usb drives also light their LEDs.

Try @4sallypat's solution and see if it works for you!

 

[Mistercharlie]

Try @4sallypat's solution and see if it works for you!

I have all those boxes unchecked, and except “wake for network access,” which seems to make no difference.

 

[harrisonjr98]

I have all those boxes unchecked, and except “wake for network access,” which seems to make no difference.

Yeah mine just lit up as you sent this. I think because I have notifs on for MR. Quite annoying, definitely still searching for the answer!

 

[harrisonjr98]

Bumping in hopes that the right pair of eyes might see this and know the answer - still buggin me!

 

[topcat001]

In my last post I did not include a way to stop the network auto discovery wakeup behaviour. Note that this is related to but not the same as "Wake for network access" which has to do with external access. Rather, this is a scheduled wake up for mDNS advertisements. Anyway, have a look here: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/251003100.

Note that it's a little tricky and involves disabling SIP. End users are not expected to disable this, so it's not exposed in the UI.

 

[harrisonjr98]

In my last post I did not include a way to stop the network auto discovery wakeup behaviour. Note that this is related to but not the same as "Wake for network access" which has to do with external access. Rather, this is a scheduled wake up for mDNS advertisements. Anyway, have a look here: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/251003100.

Note that it's a little tricky and involves disabling SIP. End users are not expected to disable this, so it's not exposed in the UI.

Hmm, interesting. I probably won't get into the weeds to disable that because I can tell for a fact that it wakes up due to certain activities (like sending a text on my phone, and seemingly other potentially Handoff opportunities?) that have nothing to do with DNS advertisements. Cool to know that it's possible, though!

 

[topcat001]

Hmm, interesting. I probably won't get into the weeds to disable that because I can tell for a fact that it wakes up due to certain activities (like sending a text on my phone, and seemingly other potentially Handoff opportunities?) that have nothing to do with DNS advertisements. Cool to know that it's possible, though!

Right, you're talking about Continuity and Enhanced Notifications (EN). These are unscheduled events which can wake up the system (as opposed to mDNS which wakes up like clockwork every two hours or so).

One possible way of preventing EN from waking up the system is to engage Do Not Disturb while the display is sleeping (using the check box in Preferences). That should prevent incoming texts/messages from waking up the computer. Find My Mac is not affected by this.

 

[harrisonjr98]

Right, you're talking about Continuity and Enhanced Notifications (EN). These are unscheduled events which can wake up the system (as opposed to mDNS which wakes up like clockwork every two hours or so).

One possible way of preventing EN from waking up the system is to engage Do Not Disturb while the display is sleeping (using the check box in Preferences). That should prevent incoming texts/messages from waking up the computer. Find My Mac is not affected by this.

I actually do have the DND-while-sleeping box ticked, that was one of the things I tried while troubleshooting - no dice! It doesn't wake up for EN seemingly - the display remains sleeping - it just powers USB devices.

 

[topcat001]

I actually do have the DND-while-sleeping box ticked, that was one of the things I tried while troubleshooting - no dice! It doesn't wake up for EN seemingly - the display remains sleeping - it just powers USB devices.

Yes I sort of expected that. The wake up mechanism is still active, but it respects DND settings and so does not turn on the monitor. Makes sense because since Find My Mac will work, the system needs to power on to decide if it should turn on the screen for a particular EN. The USB port power probably can't be selectively turned off if the system is up.

So short of disabling Bonjour, Handoff, and EN (which is quite undesirable because these are useful features) there might not be a solution. Keyboard cover at night?

 

[harrisonjr98]

Yes I sort of expected that. The wake up mechanism is still active, but it respects DND settings and so does not turn on the monitor. Makes sense because since Find My Mac will work, the system needs to power on to decide if it should turn on the screen for a particular EN. The USB port power probably can't be selectively turned off if the system is up.

So short of disabling Bonjour, Handoff, and EN (which is quite undesirable because these are useful features) there might not be a solution. Keyboard cover at night?

yeah, I'll figure something out! Thanks for all of your help