Shut the Lid

Support

Using Shut the Lid

Turn on “Keep Awake When Lid Is Closed”. As long as Shut the Lid is open, your Mac won’t sleep when you close the lid or leave it idle. To let it sleep normally again, turn the switch off or quit the app.

Closing the window doesn’t quit Shut the Lid. It stays in the menu bar, where you can change the switch, open the window or quit.

A Mac that stays awake keeps using power and producing heat. Don’t put it in a bag or sleeve while the switch is on.

Questions

I can’t find the icon in the menu bar

When the menu bar is full, macOS hides the icons that don’t fit. Quit another menu bar app to make room, or click Shut the Lid in the Dock to open its window.

Does the screen stay on?

No. Shut the Lid keeps the Mac awake, not the display. The screen still turns off and locks according to your settings.

My Mac went to sleep when I unplugged the external display

With the lid closed and an external display connected, macOS may put the Mac to sleep at the moment that display is disconnected. Open the lid to wake it.

My Mac stays awake with the lid closed even though Shut the Lid isn’t open

This can happen if Shut the Lid was force-quit or crashed while the switch was on. Open Shut the Lid and quit it normally, or restart your Mac.

Does Shut the Lid open when I log in?

Not by itself. It remembers the switch position, but it only works while it is open. To start it automatically, add it to your login items in System Settings.

Requirements

Shut the Lid requires macOS 14 or later.

Contact

Email support@vertotranslate.com and mention your Mac model and macOS version.