9 Solutions to Try If Your MacBook Air Stays Awake After Closing the Lid

Is the lid of your MacBook Air closed, but you have found that it’s still awake? Don’t panic. It’s not the doing of a ghost. Rather, it has something to do with your MacBook settings.

When you put your MacBook to sleep, it normally powers down. However, it remains on standby. This means, while the majority of the components, such as the storage drives and the processor, are shut off, the memory remains powered on. This way, when you wake it up from sleep, it can instantly pick up where you left off.

Now, if your MacBook Air wakes up immediately after closing the lid or if your MacBook Air doesn’t sleep when the lid is closed, here are some solutions you can try.

Check If the Energy Saver Mode Is Set Up as You Want.

Be sure that the Energy Saver mode is set up correctly. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Go to the Apple menu.
2. Select System Preferences.
3. Choose Energy Saver.
4. Check the settings and adjust the controls if needed.

Tip: After making the necessary changes to your Energy Saver mode settings, make sure that you avoid putting or using magnets near your MacBook Air. These things can trigger your computer to shut down unexpectedly.

Disable the Wake for WiFi Network Access Setting.

You might also want to disable the Wake for WiFi Network Access setting to ensure your MacBook Air completely goes to sleep when its lid is closed. Here’s how:

1. Go to System Preferences.
2. Select Energy Saver.
3. Disable the Wake for WiFi network access setting.
4. Enable the Enable Power Nap mode.
5. Hit OK to apply the changes.

Add a WiFi Location.

Yes, this is true. Oftentimes, not adding a location to your WiFi causes your MacBook Air to stay awake even when the lid is closed. To fix this, follow these steps:

1. Go to System Preferences.
2. Select Network.
3. Navigate to the Select menu and click Edit Locations.
4. Create a new Make sure you don’t name it Automatic.
5. Click on the location you have just created and hit Done.

Reset the SMC.

To reset the SMC of your MacBook Air, you need to figure out first whether its battery is removable or not. The older MacBook Air models have removable batteries, while the latest ones have non-removable batteries.

Once you have figured out if the battery is removable or not, follow the appropriate instructions below:

For a MacBook Air with a Non-Removable Battery:

1. Go to the Apple menu.
2. Click Shut Down.
3. Once your MacBook Air shuts down, press the Shift, Control, and Option keys on your keyboard, then press the Power Hold the keys and the button for 10 to 15 seconds.
4. Release them together.
5. Press the Power button to switch on your MacBook Air.

For a MacBook Air with a Removable Battery:

1. Shut down your MacBook Air.
2. Remove the battery.
3. Press the Power button and hold it for five seconds.
4. Put back the battery.
5. Press the Power button again to switch on your MacBook Air.

Reset the NVRAM.

The NVRAM is a tiny piece of memory that Mac and MacBook devices use to store certain settings. These settings include the sound volume, time zone, startup disk selection, and display resolution.

If you experience issues related to these settings, such as not completely going to sleep, even when the lid is closed, an NVRAM reset might help.

To reset the NVRAM, here’s what you should do:

1. Shut down your MacBook Air.
2. Switch it on by pressing and holding the Power button and the Option, Command, P, and R keys.
3. Release all of them after 20 seconds.

Once your MacBook Air has started up, check your System Preferences and adjust the settings that were reset, such as the display resolution, startup disk selection, time zone, and sound volume.

Start Up in Safe Mode.

Starting up your MacBook Air may help you resolve or, at least, identify what’s causing the issue. Here is how to start up your MacBook Air in Safe mode:

1. Restart your MacBook Air.
2. Press and hold the Shift key and the Power button.
3. Once you see the Apple logo, you may now release them.

Disconnect All External Devices.

There are instances when a faulty external peripheral leaves your MacBook Air awake, even when its lid is closed. Hence, it is worth trying to identify which peripheral device is causing the problem so you can easily resolve it.

First, you may disconnect all external devices, except your keyboard and mouse. If it resolves the problem, reconnect your devices one at a time until you identify the device that is interfering with your MacBook Air’s sleep.

Install a MacBook Air Cleaner.

Sometimes, viruses or junk files trigger problems on your MacBook Air, affecting its system processes and sleep-wake patterns. So, make it a habit to get rid of them to ensure your computer runs smoothly and efficiently at all times.

One of the best ways to keep your MacBook Air free of viruses and junk files is by installing a Mac repair tool. With a reliable tool, you can automate the process of finding viruses and junk files and get rid of them if you want to.

Seek Help from Apple Support.

If all else fails, the least you can do is contact Apple support. This team is more than willing to assist you with all your Mac-related problems. You can chat with experts online or have them call you right away. You can also ask them a few questions, and they’ll give you the best possible solutions.

However, if you find it hard to fix the problem yourself, they can always refer you to the nearest Apple Authorized Service Provider or ask you to visit an Apple Store with a Genius Bar. With these two options, you can have your MacBook Air checked, serviced, and repaired right away by professionals.

Summary

Though Mac and MacBook sleep-wake problems are often not that serious, it is always great to have them fixed right away. After all, the biggest issues usually start small. If disregarded, they may cause problems that may be costly and difficult to fix.

If your MacBook Air stays awake even if its lid is closed, you can always start by making the necessary changes to the settings. But if the problem is too technical for you to fix, you can ask help from professionals.

Which of the solutions above resolved your problem? Let us know below!