Sleep the Display or the Mac with pmset

pmset includes two one-shot commands: displaysleepnow blanks the screen, sleepnow puts the whole Mac to sleep.

macOSsleeppmsetPower & SleepLow risk

Run `pmset displaysleepnow` to lock and blank the display now; `sudo pmset sleepnow` sleeps the entire system.

01Command

Command

$ pmset displaysleepnow

02What it does

displaysleepnow is the terminal equivalent of Ctrl-Cmd-Q and the Corner action: the screen locks per your lock settings and energy use drops, but downloads and background work continue. sleepnow is the equivalent of the Apple menu's Sleep and stops everything — use it when packing up. No sudo is needed for the display, while instant system sleep generally requires it because apps that are mid-save would otherwise be interrupted ungracefully.

03Risk

RiskLow risk

RequirementsInstant sleep via `sudo pmset sleepnow` bypasses apps that normally delay sleep.

04Undo

✓No undo needed — this command does not change persistent state.

05Sources

pmset — power management settings (macOS man page)
SS64 · technical · 2026-09-17
Evidence: Documents displaysleepnow to sleep the display and sleepnow to put the whole system to sleep immediately.

Last verified: 2026-09-18 · Category: System & Settings

06Related solutions

See What Is Keeping Your Mac Awake: pmset -g assertions

macOSsleeppmsetPower & Sleep

List every power assertion — the named reason an app, audio stream, or screen share blocks sleep.

Low risk ✓ 2026-09-17

Check your MacBook's battery cycle count

macOSPower & SleepDiagnostics

See how many charge cycles the battery has used and its health condition.

Low risk ✓ 2026-09-16