TL;DR
To change sleep time on your Mac:
- Click the Apple logo and select System Settings.
- In the sidebar, click Lock Screen.
- On the right, adjust options like Start Screen Saver and Turn display off by selecting a time from the dropdown.
Tried and Tested ✅: The methods and steps mentioned in this article have been tried and tested firsthand by Ojash Yadav on his MacBook Pro M3 and rechecked for errors on Hashir’s MacBook Air M2.
A lot of people don’t know they can actually control their Mac’s sleep settings. I used to get frustrated when mine would shut down in the middle of a task, but after some research, I found a few simple ways to fix it.
How to Change Sleep Time on Your Mac
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Here are the two best methods to change sleep time on your Mac:
1. System Settings
You can easily change the sleep time on your Mac via the System Settings. Follow these steps to change your Mac’s sleep settings via System Settings:
- Click the Apple logo at the top-left corner of your screen and select System Settings.
- Click the Lock Screen tab in the left sidebar.
- On the right side, under Lock Screen, you’ll see four options:
- Start Screen Saver when inactive
- Turn display off on battery when inactive
- Turn display off on power adapter when inactive
- Require password after screen saver begins or display is turned off
Each option has a dropdown button next to it. You can click the button and select a time from 1 minute to 3 hours (5 seconds to 8 hours for the password requirement options) or Never.
2. Terminal Commands
Follow these steps to change sleep time on your Mac using Terminal:
- Launch Terminal on your Mac by searching for it in Spotlight search (Command ⌘ + Space).
- Type the following command and press Enter to check the current power management settings:
pmset -g | grep hibernatemode
- To change the sleep time on your Mac, type the following command and press Enter:
sudo pmset hibernatemode XReplace X with the mode you want i.e., 0, 1, 3, or 25.
- You’ll need to enter your administrator password to make these changes.
Keep in mind your Mac comes with a default sleep mode optimized for its specific model. Generally, I don’t advise altering this setting unless you have a good reason to do so.
How to Change Your Mac’s Sleep Settings on Older macOS Versions
If you’re hanging on to an older Mac for the nostalgia or because it still gets the job done, follow these steps:
On Battery Power
- Open System Preferences by clicking the Apple logo.
- Select Battery (or Energy Saver in older versions).
- Move the Turn display off after slider to set how long your Mac stays awake before going to sleep.
- Check additional energy-saving options like Put hard disks to sleep when possible.
- Close System Preferences to save your settings.
On Power Adapter
- Close System Preferences to apply the changes.
- Open System Preferences by clicking the Apple logo.
- In the Battery menu, choose Power Adapter from the sidebar.
- Use the Turn display off after slider to set how long your Mac stays awake when plugged in.
- Optional: Check Prevent computer from sleeping automatically to keep your Mac active with the screen off.
How to Check Your Mac’s Default Sleep Mode
You can find out the default sleep mode of your Mac by following these steps:
- Launch Terminal on your Mac by searching for it in Spotlight search (Command ⌘ + Space).
- Type the following command in Terminal and press Enter:
pmset -g | grep hibernatemode- You’ll see a number representing the default sleep mode of your Mac.
Here’s what different numbers mean in terms of sleep modes:
| Hibernate Mode | Description | Best For |
| hibernatemode 0 | Standard Sleep: RAM stays powered. | Quick sleep and wake-up; short breaks. |
| hibernatemode 1 | Hibernate Mode for pre-2005 portable MacBooks: Saves state to disk and powers down RAM. | Older MacBooks; zero power consumption. |
| hibernatemode 3 | Safe Sleep: Combination of sleep and hibernate. RAM stays powered and state is also saved to disk. | General use; mix of quick wake-up and safety. |
| hibernatemode 25 | For post-2005 MacBooks: Similar to hibernatemode 1 but optimized for newer models. | Newer MacBooks; longer sleep periods; zero power consumption. |
Let Your Mac Sleep After Inactive Sessions
Managing your Mac’s sleep settings can make a significant difference in your workflow and device’s battery life. Now that you’re equipped with these tips and tricks, you can better tailor your Mac’s behavior to suit your needs.
Here are some more tips for you to optimize your Mac experience:
- If your MacBook isn’t charging, there might be an issue you’ll want to look into before considering a battery replacement.
- If your Mac isn’t shutting down, try force quitting apps, using a shortcut, unplugging peripherals, or doing a Safe Boot.
- Mac won’t turn on? You might want to check the power connection, test the battery, or inspect for any physical damage.
