One of the most common questions I get when teaching a class is: do we need to shut down the Mac every night? The short answer is no. Personally, my Mac has been running for months without shutting down. Let’s explain why, where the recommendation to shut down the Mac comes from—which isn't entirely off base—and, in general, what happens to our computer when we're not using it.
A Mac doesn't need to be shut down, but…
macOS, the Mac’s operating system, is designed to manage memory and processes in a highly intelligent way, so continuous, sustained use shouldn’t have any impact on performance. This is truer than ever if you have a Mac with Apple silicon, but how we use our Mac also plays a role in the equation.
If we use very demanding applications, large files, and, in general, push the system to its limits, restarting or shutting it down can help. How do we know if we’re overloading the system? The short answer is that, in general, we’re not. That said, some applications that aren’t well-optimized or designed may still have some impact on performance.
Closing them is a good idea, but if we notice it’s not enough, restarting the Mac ensures that all processes close and we return to a fresh state. Certain caches are cleared, RAM is freed up, and, just as importantly, some system and security updates are installed. A restart, while it involves shutting down the Mac, is not the same as leaving it turned off overnight.
macOS’s sleep mode is so efficient that there’s no real need to shut the Mac down. When we put it to sleep, power consumption is minimal, and waking it up by opening the lid or moving the mouse is instant—the system is ready for use in just a fraction of a second.
In fact, shutting down and turning on a Mac can consume more energy than leaving it in sleep mode overnight—just like closing apps on the iPhone drains more battery than leaving them open. So, if we use our Mac daily and don’t notice any performance issues, sleep mode is the best option.
That said, if we’re not going to use the Mac for days or weeks, shutting it down is practically a must for laptops. The recommendation, if your Mac has a battery, is to leave it at about 50% charge and then turn it off. For desktop computers without batteries, leaving them on for long periods makes little sense, although it ultimately depends on our needs and preferences—such as if we want remote access at some point.
Restarting as needed is the best approach
My first question when someone tells me about an issue with their Mac is: have you restarted it? It’s surprising how many problems get resolved with a simple restart. And this is something we shouldn’t overlook.
So, answering the question of whether we need to shut down the Mac every night—like before—the answer is no. Clearly not. However, if in our daily use, especially after running certain applications or performing specific tasks, we notice that it's not running as smoothly as it should, a restart can be beneficial.
For all other situations, sleep mode minimizes power consumption while keeping the system ready for immediate use. This availability significantly changes our relationship with the Mac and makes simple tasks as quick as just a few clicks. Shut it down? Generally, no. Restart? Whenever we need to.
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