How to Prevent MacBook from sleeping while downloading a file ?

Prevent MacBook from sleeping while downloading

Prevent MacBook from sleeping while downloading a file: A lot of us use our computer for more than just Internet browsing. We use it to render or convert video’s, download/uploading large files, movies and many other things. It can be annoying to just wait for it to finish and move your mouse to keep the mac active and awake until your downloads or render is over.

Prevent MacBook from sleeping while downloading

You can’t really leave your mac settings on “Never” go to sleep because then that’s just draining and over exhausting the machine, especially when it’s night and you want to sleep ! of course you don’t want an alarm just to switch off your mac but at the same time you also want your work to be finished on the mac. So what do you do ??? How to prevent MacBook from sleeping while downloading a file ?

Steps to prevent MacBook from sleeping while downloading a file ?

Method 1 : Using terminal (No software)

If you don’t want to install any software or change settings, you can use the Terminal utility caffeinate.

Step 1 : Open Terminal (located in /Applications/Utilities/),

Step 2 : type in caffeinate,

Step 3: press return ↩︎.

  • If you want to set a timeout so it will go to sleep after some amount of time, use this:
  • caffeinate -t 21600
  • (21600 is the Seconds, which makes it 6 hours)

Step 4: To stop or cancel the caffeinate command,

  • press ^ Control + 
  • OR  use the command on terminal “Kill Caffeinate”
  • This will return the mac to its normal sleep behaviours or whatever your power settings are

Method 2 : Using the App Caffeine

The app was launched and was popular before apple introduced the terminal command which is mentioned above. Caffeine is a tiny program that puts an icon on the right side of your menu bar. Click it to prevent your Mac from automatically going to sleep, dimming the screen or starting screen savers. Click it again to go back. Right-click (or ⌘-click) the icon to show the menu. how to stop mac from sleeping when closing lid

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There are many alternatives, to be honest with maybe better features but Caffeine uses literally the least amount of resources from your CPU , almost none. It’s very light.

Step 1 : In the app store download the application (May is not available in all countries, So here’s the link for all others – Caffeine ) (App Store Link)

Step 2 : As you run it, it will appear in the menu bar

Step 3 : Click the caffeine icon on the menu bar

Step 4: Select the time frame

It will keep your mac running for that time period and it will not interrupt any of your downloads or processes, No screensavers and no bullshit. You can keep your mac with all lights gone but the system will run as per the time you have set 🙂

From the Editors Desk :

Just recently there have been more alternatives in form of application just like caffeine. One can even try Amphetamine which does the work and has some extra features than caffeine but I guess it’s really on what your needs are. Hope you found this helpful ! Let us know your thoughts in the comments.