You choose Shut Down in the Apple menu, but your MacBook does not turn off. The screen hangs, a wheel spins, or it turns off briefly and starts again immediately. Or it does turn off, but jumps back on as soon as you open the lid. This article explains how to turn off a MacBook that will not shut down, what the cause can be and which things are actually normal.
Blue Apple repairs MacBooks in Amsterdam. Usually it is an app or setting, sometimes hardware.
An app is blocking shutdown
If a document with unsaved changes is open, the app first asks whether to save. That window is sometimes behind other windows. Check the Dock for apps still open and quit them with Command + Q. If an app does not respond, force quit it with Command + Option + Esc. See force quitting an app. Note: the red button only closes a window; the app itself often stays open. Command + Q really quits the app.
Forcing it off
If nothing happens after a few minutes, hold the power button (Touch ID) for about ten seconds until the screen goes black. Unsaved work may be lost, but your Mac is not damaged by it.
It starts again immediately
- Disconnect connected devices: docks, hubs, drives and printers. Some devices wake the Mac.
- Check System Settings, Battery, Options for "Wake for network access".
- On an Intel MacBook: try an SMC reset. See resetting the SMC.
- If the MacBook keeps restarting by itself, even during use, read MacBook keeps restarting.
It turns on when you open the lid
That is normal on MacBooks from about 2018: opening or connecting the charger turns it on. On MacBooks with an Apple chip and macOS Sequoia or newer you can turn that off in Terminal with sudo nvram BootPreference=%00. Undo it with sudo nvram -d BootPreference. See using Terminal.
The screen is black, but the fan runs
Then the Mac may not be off, but the screen has failed or it is half asleep. Press Caps Lock: if the light comes on, it is still running. Hold the power button for ten seconds to really turn it off. If this happens more often, read MacBook will not wake.
Software
- Install the latest macOS update.
- Check Activity Monitor for a process doing a lot that does not stop.
- Test whether shutting down works in safe mode. See safe mode.
Shut down, sleep or log out?
For daily use you do not need to shut your MacBook down every time; closing it and letting it sleep is fine. Do turn it fully off or restart it now and then, for example once a week. See shutting down, restarting and sleep.
When is it hardware?
- The power button does not respond. See power button not working.
- The MacBook will not turn off even with the button, or comes straight back, with nothing connected.
- It started after liquid.
What we do at Blue Apple in Amsterdam
We test the power button, keyboard and logic board, and check whether software blocks shutdown. You hear beforehand what is needed. More on our page about MacBook repair in Amsterdam.
Frequently asked questions
Is forcing it off harmful?
Not for the hardware. Only unsaved work can be lost. So only do it when a normal shutdown really fails.
Why does my MacBook turn on when I connect the charger?
That is standard on newer MacBooks. It is not a fault.
My MacBook stays on a black screen with a wheel when shutting down. What now?
Wait a few minutes. If nothing happens, force it off and check which app stayed open.
