# pmset — Manage Your Mac's Power Settings

> Practical guide to pmset — control macOS sleep, display sleep, wake schedules and battery management from the command line and check status with pmset -g.

Source: https://www.jpkc.com/db/en/cheatsheets/macos/pmset/

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pmset controls your Mac's power settings from the command line – from system sleep and display sleep through scheduled wake events to different behavior on battery versus the charger. Use `pmset -g` to check the current state at any time, and `pmset -a` to set values for all power sources at once. This guide walks you through the commands you reach for most: querying status, setting sleep times, scheduling wake events and configuring hibernate mode.
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## Status & Info

`pmset -g` — Show current power management settings.

```bash
pmset -g
```

`pmset -g batt` — Show battery status and percentage.

```bash
pmset -g batt
```

`pmset -g assertions` — Show active power assertions (what's preventing sleep).

```bash
pmset -g assertions
```

`pmset -g log | tail -20` — Show recent power management events.

```bash
pmset -g log | tail -20
```

`pmset -g sched` — Show scheduled wake/sleep events.

```bash
pmset -g sched
```

`pmset -g caps` — Show power management capabilities.

```bash
pmset -g caps
```

## Sleep Settings

`pmset -a sleep <minutes>` — Set system sleep time (0 to disable). -a = all power sources.

```bash
sudo pmset -a sleep 30
```

`pmset -a displaysleep <minutes>` — Set display sleep time.

```bash
sudo pmset -a displaysleep 10
```

`pmset -a disksleep <minutes>` — Set disk sleep time.

```bash
sudo pmset -a disksleep 15
```

`pmset -b sleep <minutes>` — Set sleep time on battery only.

```bash
sudo pmset -b sleep 5
```

`pmset -c sleep <minutes>` — Set sleep time on charger only.

```bash
sudo pmset -c sleep 0
```

`pmset sleepnow` — Put the system to sleep immediately.

```bash
pmset sleepnow
```

## Wake & Schedule

`pmset -a womp 1` — Enable Wake on LAN (Magic Packet).

```bash
sudo pmset -a womp 1
```

`pmset -a powernap 1` — Enable Power Nap (background tasks during sleep).

```bash
sudo pmset -a powernap 1
```

`pmset schedule wake '<date>'` — Schedule a wake event.

```bash
sudo pmset schedule wake '03/20/2026 08:00:00'
```

`pmset schedule sleep '<date>'` — Schedule a sleep event.

```bash
sudo pmset schedule sleep '03/20/2026 23:00:00'
```

`pmset repeat wake MTWRF <time>` — Set a repeating wake schedule (weekdays).

```bash
sudo pmset repeat wake MTWRF 08:00:00
```

`pmset repeat cancel` — Cancel all repeating scheduled events.

```bash
sudo pmset repeat cancel
```

## Hibernate & Standby

`pmset -g | grep hibernatemode` — Show current hibernate mode.

```bash
pmset -g | grep hibernatemode
```

`pmset -a hibernatemode 0` — Disable hibernate (RAM only, faster wake).

```bash
sudo pmset -a hibernatemode 0
```

`pmset -a hibernatemode 3` — Default mode: copy RAM to disk + keep RAM powered.

```bash
sudo pmset -a hibernatemode 3
```

`pmset -a hibernatemode 25` — Full hibernate: save RAM to disk, power off RAM (like a PC).

```bash
sudo pmset -a hibernatemode 25
```

`pmset -a standbydelay <seconds>` — Set delay before entering standby mode from sleep.

```bash
sudo pmset -a standbydelay 86400
```

## Common Patterns

`pmset -a lidwake 1` — Enable wake when opening the lid.

```bash
sudo pmset -a lidwake 1
```

`pmset -a acwake 0` — Disable wake when plugging in the charger.

```bash
sudo pmset -a acwake 0
```

`pmset -a proximitywake 0` — Disable wake when iPhone/Apple Watch is nearby.

```bash
sudo pmset -a proximitywake 0
```

`pmset restoredefaults` — Reset all power management settings to defaults.

```bash
sudo pmset restoredefaults
```

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## Conclusion

pmset is the central tool for tuning your Mac's power behavior to match how you work – whether you keep the display on longer, run more frugally on battery or wake the machine at fixed times. Querying with `pmset -g` needs no privileges, but every change requires `sudo`. Values such as `disablesleep`, `hibernatemode` and `standby` reach deep into system-wide behavior and can affect battery life and stability – so back up the current values with `pmset -g` before you change anything.

## Further Reading

- [pmset(1) – macOS manual page](https://keith.github.io/xcode-man-pages/pmset.1.html) – complete reference for all options
- [Change battery and energy settings on Mac – Apple Support](https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/mh27905/mac) – official guide to the power settings
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## Related Commands

- [caffeinate](https://www.jpkc.com/db/en/cheatsheets/macos/caffeinate/) – temporarily prevents the Mac from going to sleep
- [defaults](https://www.jpkc.com/db/en/cheatsheets/macos/defaults/) – reads and writes system-wide and app preferences
- [diskutil](https://www.jpkc.com/db/en/cheatsheets/macos/diskutil/) – manages disks, volumes and partitions