Skip to content

Resolving macOS Sleep and Wake Problems

Issue Description 

Mac won’t sleep, wakes unexpectedly, or fails to wake from sleep. 

Common Causes 

  • Background processes 
  • Network activity 
  • Power settings 

Step-by-Step Solution 

Step 1: Check Energy Settings 

  • System Settings → Battery 
  • Review sleep and wake options 

 

Step 2: Identify Wake Reasons 

  • Open Terminal 

pmset -g log | grep -i wake 

 

Step 3: Disable Wake for Network Access 

  • Battery → Options 
  • Disable Wake for network access 

 

Step 4: Reset Power Management 

  • Reset SMC (Intel Macs) 

Explore Further 

  • Check USB devices waking Mac 

Prevention & Best Practices 

Disconnect unused peripherals overnight.