Ways to keep a Mac awake, compared
Whether each one survives a closed lid, and whether it undoes itself when the work is done — in one table.
At a glance
| caffeinate | pmset | Keep-awake apps | Lidnight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prevents idle sleep | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Lid closed, no monitor | — | ✓ | Varies | ✓ |
| Undoes itself when work ends | When the command exits | — | Timers, triggers | When AI work ends |
| Battery & heat protection | — | — | Some | ✓ |
| AI approvals & limits | — | — | — | ✓ |
Keep-awake apps differ, so check each one's docs for specifics. This table is based on macOS's built-in behavior and what Lidnight does.
Which to pick
One short command: caffeinate -i your-command. Long runs with the lid closed: use pmset yourself and remember to undo it, or use something like Lidnight that turns it on and off for you. More on lid-closed use
Try Lidnight free
Apple Silicon Macs · macOS 13 or later. Every download includes a 7-day trial of everything in Pro, no payment details needed. Pro is a one-time payment (1 Mac $9.99 · 3 Macs $14.99, 50% off through Oct 31) with a 14-day refund.