In 2016, Apple began together with an auto power-on characteristic for its new MacE book fashions that activated whenever you opened the pocket book lid or plugged in USB-C energy when the lid was open. This is a cool little comfort when you don’t need the added step of urgent the facility button — plus it might get the pc operating if, for some purpose, that button stops working.
But what when you open the lid simply to scrub the display screen or are troubleshooting the pc for another challenge? Or maybe you might be constructing a slabtop and don’t need it to energy on simply since you plugged it into energy? Or what when you don’t wish to automate every thing? In these circumstances, auto power-on is both a minor inconvenience or a straight-up annoyance.
The first MacBooks to get this characteristic had Intel processors, and it continued over to each new mannequin, together with when Apple switched to its personal Apple Silicon M-series processors. There’s a Terminal command for the Intel MacBooks that can be utilized to disable open lid power-on, however when Apple launched the M1 MacE book Air in 2020, that command now not labored. However, in January 2025, Apple lastly added an official method to disable autoboot upon opening the lid of M1 and newer MacBooks.
Here’s find out how to disable auto power-on when opening the lid of both sort of Mac.
Disable auto power-on on an Apple Silicon M-series MacE book
You’d assume Apple would simply add a easy “allow energy on when opening lid” toggle in System Settings, however that may be too straightforward. Instead, you’ll need to do a bit of labor underneath the hood of your macOS software program by means of a particular Terminal command that Apple has sanctioned.
The command, in keeping with Apple, will work on all Apple Silicon fashions operating macOS 15 Sequoia. However, we’ve additionally efficiently examined it on macOS 14.7 Sonoma. For reference, these directions are for newer fashions just like the 2020 M1 MacE book Air and the 2024 14-inch and 16-inch MacE book Pro fashions with M4 Pro and M4 Max chips.
Here’s find out how to disable autoboot when opening the lid and / or plugging in energy whereas the lid is open in your Apple Silicon M-series MacE book:
- Log in to your MacE book utilizing an admin account (when you’re the one consumer, you might be possible the admin already).
- Open up the Terminal utility from the Applications > Utilities folder. You can get there from Finder by going to the Go menu on the toolbar and deciding on Applications.
- In Terminal, copy and paste ONE of the next instructions, relying on what you’d like, after which press Return:
- If you wish to disable autoboot whenever you open the lid or whenever you plug in a charger whereas the lid is open:
- sudo nvram BootPreference=%00
- If you wish to disable autoboot ONLY whenever you open the lid:
- sudo nvram BootPreference=%01
- If you wish to disable autoboot ONLY whenever you plug in a charger:
- sudo nvram BootPreference=%02
- Terminal will then ask you for an admin password. Enter your consumer password (it received’t present you’re typing). Then press Return.
Now you may shut down the pc, shut the lid, and check if it really works.
To revert your settings again to the defaults, comply with the steps above however enter this command as a substitute:
- sudo nvram -d BootPreference
Disable auto power-on on an Intel MacE book
Are you continue to rocking a 2016 or newer Intel-based MacE book? If it’s nonetheless working and doing what you want it to do, that’s nice! But if the darn autoboot is bothering you — say, when you’re experimenting with constructing a headless or slabtop MacE book — this Terminal command can repair that.
Here’s find out how to disable autoboot when opening the lid or plugging in energy whereas the lid is open in your Intel-based MacE book:
- Log in to your MacE book utilizing an admin account (when you’re the one consumer, you might be possible the admin already).
- Open up the Terminal utility from the Applications > Utilities folder. You can get there from Finder by going to the Go menu on the toolbar and deciding on Applications.
- In Terminal, copy and paste the next command into the window after which press Return:
- sudo nvram AutoBoot=%00
- Terminal will then ask you for an admin password. Enter your consumer password (it received’t present you’re typing). Then press Return.
Now, you may shut down the pc, shut the lid, and check if it really works.
To undo your setting again to default, comply with the steps above till you get to the Terminal however enter this command as a substitute:
Enjoy the dearth of autoboot!