Force macbook to sleep when lid closed and external monitor connected in Lion

Question

I know you have heard this before, but is there any app/hack that makes the computer behave like Snow Leopard when closing the lid?

I don't want to hear about this being a duplicate question, as I want a solution not an explanation.

Only post here if you have a solution that makes the macbook behave like in Snow Leopard when closing the lid.

possible duplicate of Why won't closing the lid sleep my MacBook Pro with external monitor attached after upgrading to Lion? — Loïc Wolff, Aug 03 '11 at 13:48
Not a solution, but remember you can always use ⌥⌘⏏ to sleep the computer. — jtbandes, Aug 03 '11 at 15:34
Not even realized this as I usually close the lid and switch off immediately the external monitor... :-/ — LudoMC, Aug 03 '11 at 18:00
@LudoMC have had my macbook running in the night three times now, because I forgot to remove the cable to the external monitor, as I also switch my monitor off immediately :S — Tyilo, Aug 03 '11 at 18:12
@Tyilo Just ran an uptime command which shows mine is up for more than 3 days now! Hopefully I now know I have to manually put him at sleep. — LudoMC, Aug 03 '11 at 18:20
Please clarify precisely what behaviour you want, that closing the lid always triggers sleep? — dan8394, Aug 05 '11 at 18:33
There're a lot of people who want this, and there seems to be no solution. Perhaps filing a radar could help it? — Akku, Aug 08 '11 at 08:32
It's a support system they use at Apple where you can file bugs and other inconveniences. I never did this myself, therefore I suggested it here in hope that someone else would do it :-) — Akku, Aug 08 '11 at 09:30
Just a word of warning - I used my MacBook Pro with the lid closed and an external monitor for a few months - but now the fans make a decidely 'used' noise - I blame the fact that the fans were overworked as the MacBook fans vent through the gap between the display and the keyboard, and this is blocked with the lid closed. — Snips, Aug 14 '11 at 13:44
@Akku, in addition to radar-filing, there's their simple feedback page: http://www.apple.com/feedback/ — 2540625, Sep 23 '14 at 00:59

score 6 · Accepted Answer · answered Mar 08 '13 at 00:42

6

This worked in 10.7 and 10.8 with my MacBook Air:

sudo nvram boot-args=iog=0x0

After restarting, it should restore the pre-10.7 behavior:

Closing the lid puts a laptop to sleep even when it is connected to an external display
If you then wake the laptop up and open the lid, the internal display doesn't turn on

To undo it, run sudo nvram -d boot-args or hold ⌥⌘PR on startup.

answered Mar 08 '13 at 00:42

Lri

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This worked for me on a 10.9.4 Macbook Air! BUT... Is there a way to have the internal display turn on when you wake on the laptop? – Alan David Garcia Sep 18 '14 at 19:24
This worked for my MBP running Mavericks, but only if I disconnected the power and monitor before running the command, rebooting the Mac, and then reconnecting the power and monitor. Not sure if it was the rebooting, the disconnecting, or both. – 2540625 Sep 23 '14 at 01:20

score 2 · Answer 2 · answered Oct 27 '16 at 22:49

2

I had this issue too, and came up with this script that monitors your lid state and puts the machine to sleep when lid is closed: https://github.com/pirj/noclamshell

answered Oct 27 '16 at 22:49

phil pirozhkov

351

score 1 · Answer 3 · answered Aug 05 '11 at 20:39

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In previous versions of OS X, you would go to ~/Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration to find a file called com.apple.PowerManagement.plist. In that file you would find ways to tweak things like the old "clamshell" mode. I have not looked in Lion yet to see if this still exists, but if the file is still there, you may want to take a look at what it allows you to control. Hope this helps.

answered Aug 05 '11 at 20:39

Christian Correa

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There is the option for "Wake On Clamshell Open", but not "Sleep On Clamshell Close", or something similiar. Screenshot: http://i.imgur.com/44Zrr.png – Tyilo Aug 06 '11 at 12:20
@Christian_Correa, btw this is in /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration, not ~/Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration – Tyilo Aug 06 '11 at 12:49

score 0 · Answer 4 · answered Aug 17 '11 at 20:40

0

Not sure if it will still work with Lion, but on SL I use InsomniaX when I want to close the lid and prevent my mbp from sleeping. Check out the following links for similar programs:

http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/22211/insomniax

http://alternativeto.net/software/insomniax/

answered Aug 17 '11 at 20:40

Robert S Ciaccio

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I don't want to prevent the Mac from sleeping. I want it to sleep when I close the lid! – Tyilo Aug 17 '11 at 21:36
@tyilo: oops, totally read that backwards :) – Robert S Ciaccio Aug 18 '11 at 22:59
left my answer up in case that app helps someone with the opposite problem... – Robert S Ciaccio Sep 19 '11 at 00:20

score 0 · Answer 5 · answered Mar 08 '13 at 00:14

0

I made a LaunchAgent which does this. The source code can be downloaded here: https://github.com/Tyilo/Lid-sleep

answered Mar 08 '13 at 00:14

Tyilo

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Does it work in Yosemite? How would I use this LaunchAgent? Thank you. – 2540625 Jan 03 '15 at 00:56

Force macbook to sleep when lid closed and external monitor connected in Lion

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