Why your Mac sleeps while running Adobe After Effects
After Effects renders and RAM previews are CPU-intensive but don't request sleep prevention. Multi-hour render queue jobs are especially vulnerable.
macOS tracks idle time based on mouse and keyboard input, not CPU or app activity. If you're not actively moving the mouse while Adobe After Effects does its thing, the idle timer counts down and your Mac sleeps.
Keep your Mac awake with Shake It On
Shake It On moves your mouse slightly at regular intervals, resetting the idle timer. It only runs when your conditions are met, so it activates when Adobe After Effects is working and stops when you're done.
Best condition for Adobe After Effects: Only Shake If CPU is above 20%
Quick setup
- Install Shake It On and grant Accessibility permission
- Open Settings from the menu bar icon
- Under "Only Shake If," enable the condition: Only Shake If CPU is above 20%
- Under "Paused When," enable "On battery" to save power when unplugged
- For long overnight operations, enable "Allow display to sleep" in the General section so the screen turns off but the system stays awake
Keep your Mac awake while Adobe After Effects runs. Smart conditions, $9.99 one-time. Get Shake It On for $9.99 →
Keep your Mac awake the easy way.
Shake It On lives in your menu bar and uses organic mouse movement to prevent sleep. Set it once and forget it.
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