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Startup when power is connected on MacOS 15.7.7

G

greenmike

macrumors member
Original poster
Howdy fellas,

My Mac Mini turns on by itself as soon as I switch on power on my power strip since I updated to MacOS 15.7.7.

It's a real problem in my current setup and I can't find an option to deactivate this.

I've tried several variations of selecting and deselecting options under the energy settings but nothing helps.

Does anyone know how to turn it off?

From what I've gathered, this is a new feature from Tahoe, which they have apparently also implemented into Sequoia but seemingly without an option to turn it off?
 
Apple has managed to make a mess of this feature as well.

For laptops, it can be turned off with sudo nvram BootPreference=%02
“Prevent a Mac laptop from turning on when opening its lid or connecting to power”
https://support.apple.com/en-us/120622

For desktops, it should be available only for “macOS Tahoe 26.5 or later and one of these computers: Mac mini introduced in 2024 or later, Mac Studio introduced in 2025 or later, iMac introduced in 2024 or later”
“Turn on a Mac mini, Mac Studio, or iMac without pressing its power button”
https://support.apple.com/en-us/125517

On my Mac mini M4 with Sequoia 15.7.7, I don’t have "Start up when power is connected" in System Settings – Energy.

I tried, with no effect
- sudo nvram BootPreference=%02
- sudo pmset autorestartatconnect 0

"Using pmset to set your Mac to automatically power on when power is available on macOS Tahoe 26.5.0"
https://derflounder.wordpress.com/2...hen-power-is-available-on-macos-tahoe-26-5-0/

Maybe they will fix it in the next release.
 
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The $5-$10 solution is to get either a power cord with a switch or an outlet plug with a switch…to plug the Mini in to that power strip.
 
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BrianBaughn said:
The $5-$10 solution is to get either a power cord with a switch or an outlet plug with a switch…to plug the Mini in to that power strip.
Click to expand...
Yeah I just got extra power strips for the Minis so that they don't turn on when I switch on the entire rack. But it's really annoying.

bogdanw said:
Apple has managed to make a mess of this feature as well.

For laptops, it can be turned off with sudo nvram BootPreference=%02
“Prevent a Mac laptop from turning on when opening its lid or connecting to power”
https://support.apple.com/en-us/120622

For desktops, it should be available only for “macOS Tahoe 26.5 or later and one of these computers: Mac mini introduced in 2024 or later, Mac Studio introduced in 2025 or later, iMac introduced in 2024 or later”
“Turn on a Mac mini, Mac Studio, or iMac without pressing its power button”
https://support.apple.com/en-us/125517

On my Mac mini M4 with Sequoia 15.7.7, I don’t have "Start up when power is connected" in System Settings – Energy.

I tried, with no effect
- sudo nvram BootPreference=%02
- sudo pmset autorestartatconnect 0

"Using pmset to set your Mac to automatically power on when power is available on macOS Tahoe 26.5.0"
https://derflounder.wordpress.com/2...hen-power-is-available-on-macos-tahoe-26-5-0/

Maybe they will fix it in the next release.
Click to expand...
Yeah so I guess I was right with my theory and they have to release an update to fix it?

I posted a similar thread on the official Apple forum and 2 users kept insisting that the feature implementation is correct and I'm not supposed to cut my Mac from power because of the cmos battery. I've been using computers for probably 25 years now and never had any issues with that, neither with Macs. I always disconnect my computers from power when I'm not using them.
 
Last edited:
OP wrote:
"From what I've gathered, this is a new feature from Tahoe, which they have apparently also implemented into Sequoia but seemingly without an option to turn it off?"

That looks to be "the issue", exactly.

The feature has been incorporated into Sequoia, but no graphical user interface to control it has been added to the "Energy" settings pane.

Tahoe DOES have a modified Energy pane that gives the user the option to enable/disable this. GoldenGate has it, too.

My m4 Mini boots/runs Sequoia, but I also have an external SSD with Tahoe on it.
If I boot from Tahoe, I can enable/disable the feature, and the chosen setting "sticks" when booting back to Sequoia...
 
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"pmset -g" returns this:
=====
System-wide power settings:
Currently in use:
standby 0
Sleep On Power Button 1
autorestart 0
powernap 0
networkoversleep 0
disksleep 10
sleep 1 (sleep prevented by powerd)
ttyskeepawake 1
displaysleep 0
tcpkeepalive 1
lowpowermode 0
womp 0
=====
You'll notice there is no "autorestartatconnect" in that, at all...
 
Thank you! As per our previous discussion, I still believe that the value must be set in nvram.
But it doesn't appear to be BootPreference=%00 or BootPreference=%02

I have my Mac connected to an UPS, so it always has power. I only noticed when I unplugged it to dust the UPS. 🙂
 
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bogdanw said:
Thank you! As per our previous discussion, I still believe that the value must be set in nvram.
But it doesn't appear to be BootPreference=%00 or BootPreference=%02

I have my Mac connected to an UPS, so it always has power. I only noticed when I unplugged it to dust the UPS. 🙂
Click to expand...

I tried the various pmset values, none worked. Crud.


nvram -p does show an auto-boot set to true.
 
I've come to like the "boot when connected to power" setting.
This is the way I'm going to keep my m4 Mini set up from now on...
 
Fishrrman said:
I've come to like the "boot when connected to power" setting.
This is the way I'm going to keep my m4 Mini set up from now on...
Click to expand...

I am learning to live with it as well. I have been accustomed to pushing the button, but not anymore. 🙂

I live in a mountainous area where we frequently experience power outages and surges due to wind and falling trees. The only thing I leave plugged in and running is the refrigerator. Most everything else is on surge protectors and usually powered off.
 
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