MacBook Pro shutting down when asleep? Here's why
24 October 2017, 05:49
I’ve had long term issues with my MacBook Pro shutting down in sleep mode. Other times I’ll open it and find it’s incredibly hot, with the fans blowing. The problem seems to have been magnified with the installation of High Sierra. I’m not alone: Some people had started calling this the “sleep of death”.
After resetting the SMC and NVRAM (both of which I advise as first steps for this issue), I experimented by turning off Power Nap. This is a relatively new feature on portable Macs that lets them perform some tasks – such as fetching emails, or applying updates – while the system is in sleep mode (that is, usually with the lid shut).
By turning off Power Nap the problem appears to have been fixed. In one case at least, consulting the system log showed that the crash and subsequent shutdown occurred when the system attempted to backup via Time Machine – again triggered by Power Nap. The Time Machine disk was getting full, and it seems my Mac’s response to this error message was to, well, give-up and turn itself off.
Turning off Power Nap is pretty simple – open-up System Preferences, click the Energy Saver icon, and then remove the check in the Power Nap box for both the Battery and Power Adapter tabs.
Power Nap is one of those features that’s nice to have, but hardly essential, and I’m not missing it at all. YMMV but see how to you get on if MacBook Pro sleep mode crashes or heat-ups are an issue for you.
Leave a comment...
I’d love to try this, as I’m having issues with my 2012 MBP with High Sierra installed. But when I check in Energy Savings, I don’t have the options I see on your screen shots.
No option to turn Power nap on or off…. could swear I remember seeing this before. Or is this perhaps a difference between the non-Retina version (mine) and the Retina?
— Al_C · Oct 26, 11:26 AM · #
◀︎ 5 things you probably haven't spotted in High Sierra
How to scan your Mac for 32-bit apps ▶︎