3 Ways to Schedule Shutdown Timer on Mac

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Method 1: Using Built-in Power Scheduler

The power scheduling feature was built into the Mac. However, with macOS Ventura, Apple removed the Energy Saver option, letting you schedule wake, sleep, startup, and shutdown.

So, if you are running Mac on Monterey or earlier, follow the below steps, and if you are running macOS Ventura, move to the next method.

Step 1: Click on theApplelogo, and selectSystem Preferences.

Step 2: Go toEnergy Saver.

Step 3: Select theScheduleoption.

Step 4: Specify the day, time, and action to be executed.

Step 5: Finally, clickApply.

That’s it. You have successfully scheduled your Mac to shut down at a specified time. If you feel that the steps are too long to follow, there are some handy applications such asTimer Clock(paid) andAlmighty- Powerful tweaks(freemium) that get the job done relatively easily.

That said, if you are on macOS Ventura or want to execute the same without touching the Energy Saver option, move to the next method.

Method 2: Using Terminal

Step 1: Press theCommand + Spacekey, typeTerminal, and press theReturnkey.

Step 2: Type the below command and pressReturn.

Note: -h lets you set a timer, while +30 is the number of minutes after which your Mac will shut down. You can add any number of hours, but make sure you convert it to minutes.

Step 3: Enter your user password for authentication and pressReturn.

Note: When you type your password it won’t be displayed.

There you have it. The terminalwill acknowledge and set your shutdown timer if you have done everything right.

It will also assign the process with a process ID (PID) number. Note the ID number as it will be useful when disabling the shutdown timer.If the steps are too complicated for you, there are third-party apps that will ease up the process. Keep reading.

Method 3: Creating a Desktop Shortcut

Step 1: Press theCommand + Spacekey, typeTextEdit,and press theReturnkey.

Step 2: Click onNew Document.

It will open a blank text document into view.

Step 3: PressCommand+Shift+Tto access the plaintext field.

Step 4: Type the below command and press theReturnkey twice.

Step 5: Type the below command.

Note: -h lets you set a timer, while +30 is the number of minutes after which your Mac will shut down. You can add any number of hours, but make sure you convert it to minutes.

Step 6: Finally, pressCommand+Sto save the file with a simple name and destination (preferred Desktop). Uncheck theIf no extension is provided, use .”txt”.options and click onSave.

Now, to make the file executable, continue following the steps below.

Step 7: Press theCommand + Spacekey, typeTerminal, and press theReturnkey.

Step 8: Drag and drop the .txt file you created onto the Terminal and pressReturn.

The terminal will auto-fetch the file location for you to quickly execute.

Step 9: Enter your user password and pressReturn.

Note: When you type your password, it won’t be displayed.

After which, the shutdown timer will begin, and your Mac will shut down after the set time.

Now that you know how to enable a shutdown timer, it is equally important to know how to disable it. Continue reading.

How to Disable a Shutdown Timer on Mac

Turning off the shutdown timer is easy and only involves a few steps. All you have to do is kill the Process ID (PID). Follow the steps below.

Step 1: Press theCommand + Space, typeTerminal, and press theReturnkey.

Step 2: Type the below command and pressReturn.

Note: If you don’t remember the PID number, typesudo killall shutdown. It will disable all the active shutdown timers on your Mac.

Step 3: Enter your user password and pressReturn.

Note: When you type your password, it won’t be displayed.

There you have it. You have disabled a scheduled shutdown of your Mac. If you have any queries, check out the FAQ section below.

FAQs on Scheduled Shutdown on Mac

Leaving your Mac on for extended periods is generally not a problem as long as you are using it regularly and it is in good working condition.

Open Terminal > typesudo shutdown -h +60> press Return > enter your user password (it won’t be displayed) > press Return again. There you go, you have scheduled a shutdown.

Yes, you can use the ‘pmset’ command in Terminal to set a timer for your Mac to sleep. However, you will need to have administrator privileges to use the pmset command.Step 1: Open TerminalStep 2: Type the commandsudo pmset sleep [time]Replace [time] with the number of seconds you want to set the timer for.Step 3: Enter your password when prompted and press Return.To cancel the timer, follow the above steps and typesudo pmset sleep cancel. This will cancel the sleep timer and your Mac will stay awake.

Whether you want to set up a daily shutdown timer or a one-time event, the methods mentioned in this article will help you do it.

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Last updated on 01 August, 2024

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