Guides: keeping a Mac awake
The built-in ways first, apps second. Every guide is dated and says what it couldn't verify.
Amphetamine for Mac: settings for closed-lid mode, and an alternative
How to set up Amphetamine's Closed-Display Mode on Apple Silicon, what Power Protect is, the known timed-session issue, and when another app fits better.
caffeinate on Mac: every flag explained (and why it can't keep the lid closed)
What caffeinate -d, -i, -m, -s, -u, -t and -w do on macOS, the commands worth remembering, and why caffeinate can't keep a closed MacBook awake.
Clamshell mode without a charger or external display
Can a MacBook run with the lid closed on battery, without a charger or monitor? Apple's clamshell requirements, why it sleeps, and the ways around it.
Keep Claude Code / Codex running with the MacBook lid closed
Keep Claude Code or Codex working on a MacBook with the lid closed: tmux, two hooks that switch keep-awake on and off, remote access, battery and heat.
How to stop your iMac or Mac mini from sleeping
Keep an iMac, Mac mini or Mac Studio awake with built-in settings: Energy options, display timeout, pmset and caffeinate. No app needed for desktops.
MacBook close lid settings, explained
There's no 'when I close the lid' setting on a Mac. Here's what macOS does on lid close, which settings affect it, and how to keep a Mac on when the lid is closed.
How to prevent your Mac from sleeping (even with the lid closed)
Five ways to stop a Mac from sleeping: System Settings, caffeinate, pmset, clamshell mode and an app — and which ones still work when you close the lid.
How to prevent a MacBook from sleeping
MacBook-specific ways to stop sleep: battery vs power-adapter settings, pmset -b and -c, Low Power Mode, and what to do when the lid is closed.
Comparisons, tools and more
caffeinate command builder
Tick the options, get a ready-to-paste macOS caffeinate command with every flag explained — plus the pmset commands to check and undo sleep changes.
Amphetamine alternative that works with the lid closed
Lidwork vs Amphetamine as of Oct 2026: closed-lid setup, Power Protect, crash recovery, battery cutoff, updates and price — checkable facts only.
caffeinate with the lid closed: why it stops, and what works
Why caffeinate cannot keep a MacBook awake with the lid closed on battery, which flags never help, and what works instead. Lidwork vs caffeinate, Oct 2026.
Lidwork vs Clamshell (the app)
Lidwork vs the Clamshell app as of Oct 2026: mechanism, Mac and macOS support, password, crash behaviour, battery, price and refunds — checkable facts only.
KeepingYouAwake vs Lidwork: lid open or lid closed?
KeepingYouAwake vs Lidwork as of Oct 2026: KeepingYouAwake is a free MIT caffeinate wrapper for open lids; Lidwork keeps a closed MacBook awake with crash recovery.
A free Claude Code plugin that keeps your Mac awake only while Claude works
We're building a free, open-source Claude Code plugin that keeps your Mac awake only while Claude Code is working, and lets it sleep when the agent is done.