When you turn on your Macintosh, you have to wait for it to start up before you can use it. You can save time by having it turn itself on automatically at a set time so that it will be waiting for you when you arrive at your desk, just like your morning coffee.
For example, you could schedule your Macintosh to turn itself on at 8:50 am, just before you start work (or when you wake up), and then turn itself off at 5:10 pm, after you get done with work, or whenever you usually go to sleep. By scheduling your Macintosh to turn itself on and off, you won't have to worry about turning it on or off yourself.
Here's how to schedule a time to turn your Macintosh on and off:
Click the Apple menu and select System Preferences. A System Preferences window appears.
Click the Energy Saver icon under the Hardware category. An Energy Saver window appears, as shown in Figure 1-4.
Click the Schedule button in the bottom-right corner of the Energy Saver window. A sheet drops down and displays different time options, as shown in Figure 1-5.
Select the Start up or wake checkbox.
Click the pop-up menu next to the checkbox and choose an option such as Every Day or Monday, as shown in Figure 1-6.
Click in the time text box and enter a time, or choose a preset time using the up and down arrows.
Select the second checkbox underneath the Start up or wake checkbox, click the pop-up menu, and choose Shut Down.
Click the next pop-up menu and choose a day, such as Every Day or Friday.
Click in the time text box and enter a time, or choose a preset time using the up and down arrows.
Click OK. The Energy Saver window appears again.
Click the close button of the System Preferences window, or select System Preferences ▸ Quit System Preferences.
Note
If you're still working on your Macintosh when its scheduled shut down time arrives, a dialog asks whether you want to shut down or keep working. You can, of course, choose either option.