How to Stop MacBook From Turning On Automatically When Lid is Open

With the 2016 Apple MacBook models came a feature called auto power-on that did what it says: turning on the MacBook as soon as the lid was opened. The feature also turned on the laptop whenever the USB-C was plugged into power when the lid was open. The feature could be convenient for many, as it eliminates the need to press the power button, enter the password (if you have set it), and then continue with what they were doing. However, some may find it annoying, especially if they simply want to clean the display or are troubleshooting the computer for some other issue.

If you are someone who doesn’t like to automate everything and wants to have some manual control, there is a way that you can stop the MacBook from turning on automatically when the lid is open. It was the Intel-powered MacBooks that received the auto power-on feature, and the feature has continued to stay ever since. However, in this guide, we will share with you the procedure to prevent the top MacBook from turning on automatically as soon as the lid is opened. Let’s jump right into it.

2 Ways to stop MacBook from turning on automatically when lid is open

There are different steps that you need to follow for Intel-powered Macs and Apple Silicon-powered Macs. You can check out the steps appropriate to your MacBook model and stop the MacBook from turning on automatically when the lid is open.

Disable auto power-on on Apple Silicon MacBooks

You can disable the auto power-on feature on your MacBook installed with macOS Sequoia 15 or later. But do note that there isn’t a simple toggle to enable or disable this feature. You need to follow the following steps:

1. Ensure that your MacBook with Apple Silicon is running macOS Sequoia 15 or above.
2. Log in to your MacBook with your account. Make sure it is the admin account.
3. Launch the Terminal application by heading over to Applications > Utilities.
4. Type any of the below-mentioned commands in the Terminal app and then press Return.
   • If you want to prevent startup when opening the lid or connecting to power: sudo nvram BootPreference=%00
   • To prevent startup only when opening the lid: sudo nvram BootPreference=%01
   • To prevent startup only when connecting to power: sudo nvram BootPreference=%02
5. You could be prompted to enter your admin password. Type the password and press Return. This will disable the auto power-on feature on your MacBook powered by Apple Silicon.
6. If you wish to revert to default settings, i.e., want the MacBook to turn on as you open the lid, you need to enter the below command in the Terminal app and press Return.
   •  sudo nvram -d BootPreference
7. Now, you can test whether this works or not by shutting down your MacBook and closing the lid.

Disable auto-power on MacBook with Intel chip

1. Log in with an Intel chip to your admin account on your MacBook.
2. Launch the Terminal app from the Applications > Utilities folder.
3. Enter the below command in the Terminal and press Return:
   • sudo nvram AutoBoot=%00
4. You will be asked to enter the admin password. Enter it and press Return.
5. Shut down the computer and check if the auto power-on is disabled or not.
6. To undo the settings, enter the below command and press Return.
   • sudo nvram AutoBoot=%03

Final thoughts

It would have been better if Apple provided a simple toggle to let the user choose whether they would like their Macs to automatically turn on upon opening the lid or not. Since the feature isn’t available, the above method will let you stop the MacBook from turning on automatically when lid is open. If you are a student looking to purchase the best MacBook but are confused, then we have a guide that lists down the best MacBooks for students.

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