Why your Mac sleeps while running Logic Pro
Logic prevents sleep during playback, but bouncing, exporting, and leaving a session open without playing back doesn't prevent sleep. Long recording sessions where you step away briefly can be interrupted.
macOS tracks idle time based on mouse and keyboard input, not CPU or app activity. If you're not actively moving the mouse while Logic Pro 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 Logic Pro is working and stops when you're done.
Best condition for Logic Pro: Only Shake If audio is playing
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 audio is playing
- 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