Apple has shared a straightforward guide for MacBook users seeking to customize their boot-up settings, offering a way to control when their devices start automatically. Users can now prevent their MacBooks from booting up each time the lid is opened or when connected to power by entering specific commands in the Terminal app. This guide applies exclusively to Mac laptops with Apple silicon running macOS Sequoia 15 or later.
To begin the process, users must open the Terminal app, which is conveniently located in the Utilities folder within the Applications folder. Alternatively, users can search for Terminal directly in the Applications folder. Administrative privileges are required for this process, and the user will be prompted to enter their administrator password, which will not be visible on the screen as they type.
For those wishing to prevent their MacBook from starting when both the lid is opened and when connected to power, the command sudo nvram BootPreference=%00 should be used. To stop the startup only when the lid is opened, users should enter sudo nvram BootPreference=%01. Conversely, to prevent startup solely when connecting to power, the command sudo nvram BootPreference=%02 is needed. After entering the desired command, pressing Return will execute the action.
It is essential for users to understand that this method does not stop MacBooks from booting up when a key or the trackpad is pressed. Additionally, no extra software or hardware is necessary to complete this disabling process.
If at any point users wish to revert their settings or delete the existing BootPreference setting, they can do so by entering sudo nvram -d BootPreference in Terminal. This flexibility allows users to customize their device's boot-up behavior according to their preferences.
