Turn on a Macbook without opening its lid?

[stanleystf]

I saw a video of someone's setup on YouTube. This caught my attention:

So, I was wondering if that person removes the macbook from the stand each time they want to turn it on.

Generally, is there a way to turn a macbook on without opening its lid? I always use Bluetooth keyboards and I would like it if there's a way to turn on a macbook without opening its lid.

 

[Sheepish-Lord]

It does not need to be removed and wakes up with keyboard/mouse click as normal

 

[prisoner54]

This is my setup when I work from home. Bluetooth keyboard, plus USB-C dock with HDMI to 27" monitor and wired mouse. Just hit a key and it wakes from sleep. Sleep, mind you - can't power on from cold.

Oh, and it's a quirk of Apple that the laptop has to be plugged in to power for this to happen. For Windows PCs that's not the case.

 

[stanleystf]

But I want to "shut down" the laptop and not just put it to sleep.

Is there dock for Macbooks that would allow me to turn on the laptop without opening lid after it's been shut down?

 

[MajorFubar]

Pretty sure the answer is no, and in a way this overlaps with the question I posted yesterday, about how could I boot my Mac Studio without physically pressing the button on the back, such as by switching on the power at the mains:

Auto switch-on when mains applied. Bit of a moan.

Even older Macbooks with power buttons on their chassis needed you to open the lid to press the button. To my knowledge, and to the knowledge of others who answered my related thread (linked above), the closest we've got to this facility is using the schedule manager to power the computer on at a certain time.

 

[hovscorpion12]

With the M1-series auto-on with lid open, it would still require the MacBook to be removed from the dock.

 

[usagora]

There's no need to shut it down - it will be perfectly fine sleeping or just on 24/7. I've done this with every Mac I've owned without issue. But if you insist on shutting it down, then you will indeed have to remove the laptop from the stand and open the lid each time to turn it back on. Sounds like a PITA to me, but to each their own.

 

[hovscorpion12]

**UPDATE** There is actually a way.

1. Open System Preferences

2. Click on Energy Saver

3. Click on Schedule button on the bottom right corner

4. Check on Start up or wake, choose Everyday, then set the wakeup time to whatever you choose, just before the time you often power on the MacBook. For example, I often turn on my MacBook at 7:30, so I schedule the wakeup time at 7:00. You can set it earlier because your MacBook will only turn on when the power adapter is connected.

5. The MacBook won’t turn on until you plug in the power adapter. So you just need to make sure you pull the plug out after shutting down the MacBook. Do not shut down the laptop during the day, just put it to sleep and it will be automatically powered down at the end of the day as scheduled earlier.

 

[MajorFubar]

^^^ I said that eight hours ago, post #5 lol

 

[jav6454]

But I want to "shut down" the laptop and not just put it to sleep.

Is there dock for Macbooks that would allow me to turn on the laptop without opening lid after it's been shut down?

In the settings app.

 

[bostich]

I realize this thread is not new but I'd rather continue here than opening a new one.

I had the same question as @stanleystf so I did some research and found this blog post. The author basically says you can start up (not wake!) your MacBook by switching on your external display. This should work if your display is connected via USB-C with power delivery and if you set the display so that it delivers power only when it's turned on.

So I tried this with my Dell U2720Q display and it worked - for a few days. But then it suddenly didn't and I don't know why. Around that time I updated the display's firmware. Maybe it's because of that that it stopped working.

I'd be interested to know if the method described works for other people...

 

[stanleystf]

I realize this thread is not new but I'd rather continue here than opening a new one.

I had the same question as @stanleystf so I did some research and found this blog post. The author basically says you can start up (not wake!) your MacBook by switching on your external display. This should work if your display is connected via USB-C with power delivery and if you set the display so that it delivers power only when it's turned on.

So I tried this with my Dell U2720Q display and it worked - for a few days. But then it suddenly didn't and I don't know why. Around that time I updated the display's firmware. Maybe it's because of that that it stopped working.

I'd be interested to know if the method described works for other people...

What Macbook do you have?

 

[subjonas]

^^^ I said that eight hours ago, post #5 lol

I think you were missing hovscorpion12’s step #5 though, which was key to the workaround. Although instead of unplugging and plugging (step #5) which can be cumbersome depending where the MacBook and plug are, it might be easier to have it set up with a power strip that can just be switched on/off.

 

[TennesseeWalker]

I have my Macbook Pro M2 setup for use as a desktop with an external display.
I've turned the computer 'off' on occasion instead of sleep mode.

I can wake the computer up by either pulling the laptop from it's stand and opening it or - - -
disconnecting the power cord and reconnecting magnetically it.
Since the cord is on the side, it's quick and easy and I don't need to move the computer to do it.

 

[asmacrumors]

I realize this thread is not new but I'd rather continue here than opening a new one.

I had the same question as @stanleystf so I did some research and found this blog post. The author basically says you can start up (not wake!) your MacBook by switching on your external display. This should work if your display is connected via USB-C with power delivery and if you set the display so that it delivers power only when it's turned on.

So I tried this with my Dell U2720Q display and it worked - for a few days. But then it suddenly didn't and I don't know why. Around that time I updated the display's firmware. Maybe it's because of that that it stopped working.

I'd be interested to know if the method described works for other people...

Same thing happened to me with my U3223QE, but I don't think it is the firmware update since when it stopped working it also stopped working if I plug in the Apple magnetic charger.

In my case I think it happened once I upgraded from Sonoma 14.1.2 to 14.2, on both my macbooks M2 and M3.