What MacOS feature did this? Power Nap or something else? A download started at a cafe, completed while my MBA was still closed but once I got home.

[BlueberryMac]

I was at a cafe downtown trying to download a huge file, but the cafe’s connection was too slow (I was only able to download about 20% of it) so eventually I gave up, closed my M1 Macbook Air and went home.

Sometime later (after I had arrived back at home) I opened my backpack, and re-opened my MBA to find that that huge file had apparently re-started downloading and had just finished downloading about 20 minutes before I re-opened the MBA.

That is, it re-started and completed downloading the file while the MBA was closed and still in my bag.

I’m used to Mac laptops being basically “asleep”/non-communicative when they are closed. (my last “new” laptop was a 2011 MBP)

So, I assume that my MBA—although “closed”—was somehow “awake enough” to sense when I got back to my home WiFi and then it restarted the download?…

Is this the Power Nap feature? A new feature of the M1 chip? Something new in Big Sur? Or something else?

 

[appltech]

I don't know about that exactly (however, while in Power Nap your laptop can indeed use your Internet connection for checking emails, for example), but I'm sure I've seen updates downloading while powernapping.
It has been like this for a long time.

 

[DavidLeblond]

Yeah I was noticing my new MBA is closed yet the "Time Capsule" (a Raspberry Pi upstairs mimicking a Time Capsule) upstairs was clearly awake and saving data.

The again, I have no idea if the MBA is asleep or not because there is no pulsing light like my older computers. I miss that.

 

[fisherking]

if the lid is closed, or you've put the mac to sleep... it's asleep. power nap can be turned off in system preferences>battery, in either (or both) 'battery' and 'power adapter'

 

[svenmany]

Putting power nap aside, software can cause a computer to wake up; that's how I have my Carbon Copy Cloner tasks set up. Software can also prevent sleep. More than once, I've had a closed MacBook come out of my computer bag with screaming loud fans because something woke it up and it overheated in the confined space. Now, whenever I put my computer in a bag for any length of time, I shut it off.

 

[fisherking]

Putting power nap aside, software can cause a computer to wake up; that's how I have my Carbon Copy Cloner tasks set up. Software can also prevent sleep. More than once, I've had a closed MacBook come out of my computer bag with screaming loud fans because something woke it up and it overheated in the confined space. Now, whenever I put my computer in a bag for any length of time, I shut it off.

i had that happen, with a powerbook, 15 years ago... but never since. what software? check the console, see what's waking your mac up (that isn't carbon copy cloner)...

 

[svenmany]

i had that happen, with a powerbook, 15 years ago... but never since. what software? check the console, see what's waking your mac up (that isn't carbon copy cloner)...

So, this last happened over a year ago. I've barely been out of the house since then, so my computer hasn't been in a bag.

There's no way at this point to know what software caused it. It certainly happened more than once. If there had been a Carbon Copy Cloner backup scheduled during that in-bag time, and the settings said to wake the computer if asleep, then Carbon Copy Cloner could easily have been the cause (but certainly deserved no blame). Even if that wasn't the culprit, there's no doubt in my mind that it was some other software.

My post was really a response to

if the lid is closed, or you've put the mac to sleep... it's asleep

which I consider to be false. Therefore, the OP might have to consider things other than power nap which could have resulted in the computer not staying asleep, even though the lid was closed.

I find modern day MacBook Pro's hard to keep off or asleep. Yesterday I shut down my laptop. Then I unplugged my external monitor and started carrying the laptop back to my office. On the way there, the computer booted up. These laptops don't require you to push a power button to turn on (unless you alter a setting). Though Apple suggests that raising the lid is what causes the automatic start, that certainly wasn't the case yesterday.

The only way I've found to be sure the computer is not doing anything is to shut it down and ensure I have File Vault on. I believe that if the computer prompts you to unlock the disk and you don't do so, then it shuts off soon after.

 

[svenmany]

The only way I've found to be sure the computer is not doing anything is to shut it down and ensure I have File Vault on. I believe that if the computer prompts you to unlock the disk and you don't do so, then it shuts off soon after.

I've decided it could be a bit mysterious as to why File Vault is required. If there is no File Vault, the computer does complete booting and presents the login screen. At that point, all entries in /Library/LaunchDaemons and all system daemons will have run or be running. These are all running whether you log in or not. Keeping the disk locked prevents that from happening.

 

[fisherking]

So, this last happened over a year ago. I've barely been out of the house since then, so my computer hasn't been in a bag.

There's no way at this point to know what software caused it. It certainly happened more than once. If there had been a Carbon Copy Cloner backup scheduled during that in-bag time, and the settings said to wake the computer if asleep, then Carbon Copy Cloner could easily have been the cause (but certainly deserved no blame). Even if that wasn't the culprit, there's no doubt in my mind that it was some other software.

My post was really a response to



which I consider to be false. Therefore, the OP might have to consider things other than power nap which could have resulted in the computer not staying asleep, even though the lid was closed.

I find modern day MacBook Pro's hard to keep off or asleep. Yesterday I shut down my laptop. Then I unplugged my external monitor and started carrying the laptop back to my office. On the way there, the computer booted up. These laptops don't require you to push a power button to turn on (unless you alter a setting). Though Apple suggests that raising the lid is what causes the automatic start, that certainly wasn't the case yesterday.

The only way I've found to be sure the computer is not doing anything is to shut it down and ensure I have File Vault on. I believe that if the computer prompts you to unlock the disk and you don't do so, then it shuts off soon after.

well, again, something is waking it up. an alternative to shutting it down regularly would be to track down what's waking it. but no harm in shutting down.

how many 'modern macbook pro's' have you been thru? and what's the common (software) denominator? anyway, i've not had trouble sleeping any of many macbooks/macbook pros since that powerbook, way back when...

 

[chabig]

Is this the Power Nap feature? A new feature of the M1 chip?

M1 Macs don't have Power Nap. That was feature of Macs with Intel chips, where the machine would kind of wake up for network things. Since M1 is so power efficient, Power Nap isn't a thing. They just run the efficiency cores when necessary to achieve the same ends.

 

[svenmany]

well, again, something is waking it up. an alternative to shutting it down regularly would be to track down what's waking it. but no harm in shutting down.

how many 'modern macbook pro's' have you been thru? and what's the common (software) denominator? anyway, i've not had trouble sleeping any of many macbooks/macbook pros since that powerbook, way back when...

We're just agreeing. Software can wake a computer and it can be a dedicated effort to track it down. That's one answer to give the OP with regard to the question of what might have allowed the download to complete.

Perhaps I was just reading too much into your comment "if the lid is closed, or you've put the mac to sleep... it's asleep". I'll just put that aside and apologize for the distraction.

 

[svenmany]

M1 Macs don't have Power Nap. That was feature of Macs with Intel chips, where the machine would kind of wake up for network things. Since M1 is so power efficient, Power Nap isn't a thing. They just run the efficiency cores when necessary to achieve the same ends.

That's interesting. I found some articles on this. I wonder that implies related to the OP's download.

I always understood Power Nap as a functionality that let specific Apple activities happen while the computer is asleep. Is it now the case that "any" software can run when the computer has been put to sleep, the OP's download being such a thing?