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Pulsida

How to keep your Mac awake with the lid closed

The simplest way to close a MacBook and keep it running.

Last updated October 23, 2026

Mac laptops go to sleep when you close the lid, and the usual ways around it need an external display, a power adapter and a keyboard. The simplest way to keep a closed Mac running without any of that is a menu bar app like Pulsida: turn on Closed lid, close the laptop, and your Mac keeps working with the screen off.

Step by step

  1. 1

    Get Pulsida

    Install it and drag it to your Applications folder.

  2. 2

    Turn on Closed lid

    Click the pulse in the menu bar, then Closed lid. The first time, Pulsida asks for your password once to set itself up.

  3. 3

    Choose how long

    Drag the ring to a time, or all the way round to keep going until you stop.

  4. 4

    Close the lid

    The screen turns off and your Mac keeps working. Keep it on an open surface.

What about clamshell mode?
macOS has its own closed-lid mode, often called clamshell mode, but it only works when your Mac is connected to power, an external display and an external keyboard or mouse. It's great at a desk, but it doesn't help when you want to close the laptop and take it with you.
Why the usual keep-awake tricks don't work
Most keep-awake apps, and the caffeinate command built into macOS, stop your Mac from sleeping while it's idle. Closing the lid is a different kind of sleep, and they can't prevent it.
Stay safe
A closed laptop has less airflow, so keep it on a desk rather than in a bag. Pulsida switches closed-lid mode off at 10% battery or if your Mac gets critically hot.

Questions and answers

Can a MacBook run with the lid closed without a monitor?

Not on its own: macOS needs an external display for its built-in clamshell mode. With Pulsida's closed-lid mode, a MacBook keeps running with the lid closed and no monitor attached.

Does closing the lid stop downloads and apps?

Yes, normally. Closing the lid puts your Mac to sleep, which pauses downloads, builds and other work. Closed-lid mode keeps them going.

Will this change my Mac's settings permanently?

No. When you stop Pulsida, the timer ends or you quit, your Mac goes back to sleeping when you close the lid.

Let your Mac finish the job. Even after you close the lid.