Schedule Mac to Turn On Automatically in macOS 13

In macOS 13 Ventura, Apple removed the graphical Energy Saver scheduling interface previously found in System Preferences. Despite this change, you can still easily configure your Mac to automatically start up or wake up at a designated time using the built-in pmset command in Terminal.

Step 1: Open the Terminal App

  1. Press Command + Space to open Spotlight.
  2. Type Terminal and press Return.

Step 2: Check Your Existing Schedule

Before adding a new event, check if any schedule is currently active by typing the following command and pressing Return:

pmset -g sched

If nothing is scheduled, the output will be empty.

Step 3: Set a Recurring Wake or Startup Time

To schedule a recurring power-on or wake event, use the pmset repeat command. Because this changes system power settings, you must prefix it with sudo.

The syntax is:

sudo pmset repeat [event] [days] [time]
  • Event options:
    • wakeorpoweron (Recommended: wakes the Mac if it is asleep, or powers it on if it is shut down)
    • wake (Wakes from sleep only)
    • poweron (Turns on from a powered-off state)
  • Day codes:
    • M = Monday
    • T = Tuesday
    • W = Wednesday
    • R = Thursday
    • F = Friday
    • S = Saturday
    • U = Sunday
  • Time format: HH:MM:SS (24-hour format)

Example Commands

  • Wake or turn on every weekday at 7:30 AM:

    sudo pmset repeat wakeorpoweron MTWRF 07:30:00

  • Wake or turn on every single day at 8:00 AM:

    sudo pmset repeat wakeorpoweron MTWRFSU 08:00:00

After entering the command, press Return, enter your Mac’s administrator password, and press Return again (characters will not show on screen as you type).

Step 4: Confirm the Schedule

Run the check command again to ensure the schedule was saved properly:

pmset -g sched

How to Cancel a Scheduled Startup

If you want to clear your schedule and prevent your Mac from waking or turning on automatically, enter:

sudo pmset repeat cancel

Press Return and provide your administrator password when prompted.

Important Requirements

  • Laptops: A MacBook must be connected to its power adapter to wake or boot automatically; it will not power on according to schedule while running on battery power.
  • Apple Silicon: On Macs with Apple silicon (M1, M2, M3), you must use wakeorpoweron instead of poweron alone for consistent behavior.
  • FileVault: If FileVault is enabled, the Mac will turn on to the login screen, but startup services and user applications will not fully load until you log in.