New MacBook Air powers up when you press any key or the trackpad

Joined
Jun 21, 2010
Messages
53
Reaction score
4
Points
8
Location
USA
Your Mac's Specs
M1 MacBook Pro
The new MacBook Air (2018) powers up when you open the lid or press any key or the trackpad. The terminal nvram command still works to disable power-on when raising the lid but it doesn't stop power on when pressing any key or the trackpad. I only want power-on when I press the power key; is there a secret new terminal command that will enable this for the new MacBook Air? I'd like to be able to clean my MacBook without the machine turning on.
 

Raz0rEdge

Well-known member
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Jul 17, 2009
Messages
15,745
Reaction score
2,071
Points
113
Location
MA
Your Mac's Specs
2022 Mac Studio M1 Max, 2023 M2 MBA
I believe this is how the new Notebooks work. If you have any of them powered off, opening the lid or clicking on keys powers them on. This is by design.
 

pigoo3

Well-known member
Staff member
Admin
Joined
May 20, 2008
Messages
44,210
Reaction score
1,418
Points
113
Location
U.S.
Your Mac's Specs
2017 15" MBP, 16gig ram, 1TB SSD, OS 10.15
Just to verify what's happening. Prior to touching anything...is this MacBook Air in a "shut-down" state or is it "sleeping"?

- Nick
 

IWT


Joined
Jan 23, 2009
Messages
10,218
Reaction score
2,175
Points
113
Location
Born Scotland. Worked all over UK. Live in Wales
Your Mac's Specs
M2 Max Studio Extra, 32GB memory, 4TB, Sonoma 14.4 Apple 5K Retina Studio Monitor
Key question. Our response depends on your answer.


I suspect that things are working as they should, but need confirmation of your Mac’s status as requested by Nick.

Ian
 
Joined
Oct 16, 2010
Messages
17,494
Reaction score
1,541
Points
113
Location
Brentwood Bay, BC, Canada
Your Mac's Specs
2011 27" iMac, 1TB(partitioned) SSD, 20GB, OS X 10.11.6 El Capitan
Just to verify what's happening. Prior to touching anything...is this MacBook Air in a "shut-down" state or is it "sleeping"?

- Nick


I can't believe that Apple would enable such a "feature" or they just goofed up (spelt with a capitol F), but it seems it doesn't matter what state the MB Air is in:
Additionally, MacBook Pro (2018) and MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2018) turn on when you press any key on the keyboard or press the trackpad.

NOTE TO APPLE: That's stupid IMHO!!! And I can't believe I don't see many complaining about it, or I just cannot find any such posts anywhere with my google searches.

Gheese!!! :p



- Patrick
======
 

IWT


Joined
Jan 23, 2009
Messages
10,218
Reaction score
2,175
Points
113
Location
Born Scotland. Worked all over UK. Live in Wales
Your Mac's Specs
M2 Max Studio Extra, 32GB memory, 4TB, Sonoma 14.4 Apple 5K Retina Studio Monitor
Bear in mind, Patrick, that the OP has not got back to us with the information we asked; namely is the Mac in sleep mode where this would be the normal and correct response - or is it shut down where it wouldn’t be.

Ian
 
Joined
Jul 6, 2008
Messages
863
Reaction score
52
Points
28
Bear in mind, Patrick, that the OP has not got back to us with the information we asked; namely is the Mac in sleep mode where this would be the normal and correct response - or is it shut down where it wouldn’t be.

Ian

Actually, according to the quote Patrick posted (it's from Apple: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201150), this indeed would be the correct response to any keystroke (i.e. power on, not just wake from sleep). And I agree with Patrick that this is quite an odd setup, especially if there's no UI option to control it.

44387251910_09f118c472_b.jpg
 
Joined
May 21, 2012
Messages
10,703
Reaction score
1,158
Points
113
Location
Rhode Island
Your Mac's Specs
M1 Mac Studio, 11" iPad Pro 3rdGen, iPhone 13 ProMax, Watch S7, 2018 15" MBP, AirPods Pro
I guess Apple is trying to get everyone used to using a login password, just as they do with Passcodes, for iOS devices. If you do not use a login password, you open yourself up to a world of difficulty.
 
Joined
Jan 1, 2009
Messages
15,453
Reaction score
3,808
Points
113
Location
Winchester, VA
Your Mac's Specs
MBP 16" 2023 (M3 Pro), iPhone 15 Pro, plus ATVs, AWatch, MacMinis (multiple)
Bob, not sure how passwords come into this. The MBA will power on, password or not, when the case is opened or any key pressed. If, in fact, the MBA now turn on with just a key press on any key, even if powered off, then maybe what Apple is trying to accomplish is to have the machine "instantly" available to the user. Open the case, voila! it's running. Press any key, bingo, it's there. Basically, it's another step on the "computer as an appliance" trail. You don't have a power switch on the oven, or refrigerator, or microwave, you just press buttons and it works. So, no power key needed on MBA, just open it or press a key and it is there. Next up is the  Watch approach of "always on" where you don't even have the option to power it off. I'm ok with it as long as the battery life is reasonable. Think of this: You have an MBA (or even MBP) with "always on" and facial recognition. You want to use it, so you open the case, the screen lights up, the camera looks to see that it's you and, Boom! you are operating. Nice!
 
Joined
Oct 16, 2010
Messages
17,494
Reaction score
1,541
Points
113
Location
Brentwood Bay, BC, Canada
Your Mac's Specs
2011 27" iMac, 1TB(partitioned) SSD, 20GB, OS X 10.11.6 El Capitan
If, in fact, the MBA now turn on with just a key press on any key, even if powered off, then maybe what Apple is trying to accomplish is to have the machine "instantly" available to the user.


After sleeping on this new Laptop "wake" Apple feature and giving it a bit of thought, actually it makes a fair bit of sense. Especially consideringIf one is going to be opening the cover, then one is probably going to be using the laptop and a press on a key or keypad saves hunting for the power switch, which at least they didn't hide on the back on the laptops!!! :Smirk:

And at least they finally gave a sentenceIn their support article that the behavior was intended.

I guess for those with those affected models who don't like the feature can try and learn not to touch the keyboard or Keypad when they open the lid and maybe let Apple know they're not a happy camper with the feature. Or at least without an option to turn it off. And that lacking option really surprises me, or maybe they have just hidden it somewhere which seems to be their new method lately.


I guess the good news is they now don't get what could have been an embarrassing Startup Sound:
https://youtu.be/Mt1bgsvsWms







- Patrick
======
 
Joined
May 21, 2012
Messages
10,703
Reaction score
1,158
Points
113
Location
Rhode Island
Your Mac's Specs
M1 Mac Studio, 11" iPad Pro 3rdGen, iPhone 13 ProMax, Watch S7, 2018 15" MBP, AirPods Pro
Bob, not sure how passwords come into this. The MBA will power on, password or not, when the case is opened or any key pressed. If, in fact, the MBA now turn on with just a key press on any key, even if powered off, then maybe what Apple is trying to accomplish is to have the machine "instantly" available to the user. Open the case, voila! it's running. Press any key, bingo, it's there. Basically, it's another step on the "computer as an appliance" trail. You don't have a power switch on the oven, or refrigerator, or microwave, you just press buttons and it works. So, no power key needed on MBA, just open it or press a key and it is there. Next up is the  Watch approach of "always on" where you don't even have the option to power it off. I'm ok with it as long as the battery life is reasonable. Think of this: You have an MBA (or even MBP) with "always on" and facial recognition. You want to use it, so you open the case, the screen lights up, the camera looks to see that it's you and, Boom! you are operating. Nice!
Just saying, if someone else gets access to the laptop, then all that information becomes theirs, IF, of course, there is no password/passcode.
 

IWT


Joined
Jan 23, 2009
Messages
10,218
Reaction score
2,175
Points
113
Location
Born Scotland. Worked all over UK. Live in Wales
Your Mac's Specs
M2 Max Studio Extra, 32GB memory, 4TB, Sonoma 14.4 Apple 5K Retina Studio Monitor
@Patrick

If I spoke in haste about how Macs should or did work and if it turns out that even with the Mac shut down, a keyboard click can open it, then I apologise. I don’t know of the latest changes in the 2018 Notebooks. I may be in a minority, but I don’t see this as an advance.

We still await a response from the OP, of course.

Ian
 
Joined
Jan 1, 2009
Messages
15,453
Reaction score
3,808
Points
113
Location
Winchester, VA
Your Mac's Specs
MBP 16" 2023 (M3 Pro), iPhone 15 Pro, plus ATVs, AWatch, MacMinis (multiple)
Bob, you are absolutely correct. Even more reason to have a good password in place.
 

IWT


Joined
Jan 23, 2009
Messages
10,218
Reaction score
2,175
Points
113
Location
Born Scotland. Worked all over UK. Live in Wales
Your Mac's Specs
M2 Max Studio Extra, 32GB memory, 4TB, Sonoma 14.4 Apple 5K Retina Studio Monitor
Agreed. And agreed again. If this is how things are on the newest Mac Notebooks, then a lot of people are going to find themselves in potential trouble.

Well done,Bob, Patrick and Jake.

Ian
 
Joined
Jul 6, 2008
Messages
863
Reaction score
52
Points
28
Just saying, if someone else gets access to the laptop, then all that information becomes theirs, IF, of course, there is no password/passcode.

Yeah I still don't see how that is relevant to Apple designing every key to turn on the computer. It's not like it was a mystery how to turn it on before, so it doesn't make having a password any more relevant than it already was.

I still think it's a really odd design choice for powering on (imo it ought to be an option that is off by default but can be changed in settings). Waking from sleep is another story.
 

Shop Amazon


Shop for your Apple, Mac, iPhone and other computer products on Amazon.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
Top