At some point, Apple combined these sliders into one to encourage people to let their computers sleep by default, thereby theoretically helping to conserve energy. Earlier versions of macOS included two sliders in this preference pane: one to set when the display turns off, and one to set when the computer goes to sleep. When trying to configure your Mac to automatically sleep, confusion often arises because the option isn’t spelled out in Energy Saver preferences. In System Preferences, click “Energy Saver.”

If you’re looking for a way to configure when your Mac sleeps after a certain period of time, you need to visit the “Energy Saver” panel in “System Preferences.” Click the “Apple” logo in the upper-left corner of the screen and select “System Preferences.” RELATED: How to Keep Your MacBook Awake While Closed For Automatic Sleep on a Timer, Visit Energy Saver If you’d like your MacBook to stay awake while closed, you’ll need to plug in an external display or use a third-party utility. Unfortunately, there is no setting in System Preferences to change this.

Defaults write does not seem to be enough to change this setting however. Mac laptops automatically sleep when you close the lid to conserve battery life. As of Monterey, the additional defaults location is, Checking defaults -currentHost read reveals the most recent iLife screensaver even if you have a non-iLife screen saver set as your current.

How to turn on screen saver mac