Keep your Mac screen on longer before it goes black

Why it happens

Your Mac turns the screen off after a set time without a key press or mouse movement, to save power and protect your privacy. Laptops have two timers, one for battery and one for the power adapter, and the battery one is often short. The screen saver has its own timer too, so either can make the screen go dark.

How to fix it

1. Open the Apple menu, choose System Settings, and click Lock Screen in the sidebar.

2. Set Turn display off on battery when inactive to a longer time. This is the one that catches you out when you're reading unplugged.

   Lock Screen

3. Set Turn display off on power adapter when inactive to a longer time as well. On an iMac, Mac mini or other desktop Mac you'll see just one menu, Turn display off when inactive.

   Lock Screen

4. If a screen saver starts before the screen goes off, set Start Screen Saver when inactive to a longer time, or Never. Wallpaper settings only choose which screen saver you see, not when it starts.

   Lock Screen

5. Leave the Mac alone for a minute and check that the screen stays on for the new time.

Still not fixed?

1. If the screen gets dimmer as soon as you unplug, that's Slightly dim the display on battery. Turn it off in Battery, then Options. A short dim a few seconds before the screen turns off is normal, and moving the mouse brings it back.

   Battery›Options…

2. If the screen saver starts when your pointer touches a corner, a Hot Corner is set to start it. Set that corner to the dash in Hot Corners.

   Desktop & Dock›Hot Corners…

3. If the screen goes black during a video, update the app or browser you're watching in. Video players normally keep the screen awake while they play.

4. An external monitor can have its own sleep timer. Check its on-screen menu if only that screen goes dark.

5. If the menus are greyed out or keep changing back, a school or company may manage your Mac. Ask whoever set it up.

6. Contact Apple Support if the screen goes black much sooner than the times you chose, or flickers off while you're using it. That can point to a display problem.