Power Nap and network waking do different jobs
Power Nap is Apple's name for periodic update work during sleep on supported Intel Macs. Wake for network access concerns making shared services reachable when the computer would otherwise be asleep. One updates the Mac's information; the other permits access to resources it shares.
| Setting | Purpose | Important limit |
|---|---|---|
| Enable Power Nap | Periodic Mail, Calendar and other iCloud updates; additional activities on adapter power. | Apple’s Power Nap settings guide labels the control Intel-only. |
| Wake for network access | Let other devices access shared resources while the Mac sleeps. | Availability and choices depend on the Mac; network conditions also matter. |
| Prevent automatic sleeping on power adapter when the display is off | Keep the Mac awake while connected to power even with the display off. | This is a separate choice, not another name for either setting. |
A dark display doesn't mean the Mac is asleep, and a missing Power Nap checkbox doesn't mean nothing runs during sleep. For a wider diagnosis, use the sleeping-battery guide. Here, choose between the settings according to your battery and network-access needs.
Power Nap depends on the chip and macOS version
Apple's pinned macOS 15 Sequoia and macOS 26 Tahoe Power Nap guides both say: “This option is only available on Intel-based Mac computers.” They describe checks for Mail, Calendar and iCloud during battery-powered sleep, with activities such as software-update downloads and Time Machine backups also possible on adapter power.
For a supported Intel laptop, the documented location is System Settings › Battery › Options › Enable Power Nap; supported desktops use System Settings › Energy. Choose from the options actually shown on that Mac.
Apple's macOS 27 Battery guide no longer lists Enable Power Nap among its additional options. Do not turn that documentation change into a claim that every type of sleep maintenance disappeared, or that a hidden command recreates the same supported setting.
To identify the chip, choose Apple menu › About This Mac. If it names an Apple chip, follow the Apple silicon guide rather than assuming that an older Intel tutorial describes the controls your Mac should have.
Find Wake for network access
On a laptop, open System Settings › Battery › Options and find Wake for network access. On a desktop, use System Settings › Energy. Apple's Battery settings guides for macOS 15, 26 and 27 list this separately from Power Nap.
Depending on the Mac, a laptop offers choices such as Always, Only on Power Adapter and Never. Record your current choice before changing it. Apple's guides note that some options depend on the model, so do not interpret a different set of controls as proof of a fault.
Apple's resource-sharing guidance describes wake requests for shared resources and periodic announcements that those resources are available. Whether a particular remote-access app, router or network can reach a sleeping Mac depends on that setup.
Choose for battery use and reachability
Choose according to whether another device needs the Mac while you are away from it. A laptop used only by you for local work has a different requirement from a Mac serving shared files to another computer.
| Your use | A setting worth considering | What to verify afterward |
|---|---|---|
| No need to reach the sleeping laptop | Never for network waking. | Normal access works after you wake the Mac yourself. |
| Shared resources needed at a desk, but not while traveling | Only on Power Adapter, if offered. | Required sharing works while connected; your battery-use pattern is still acceptable. |
| Other devices depend on the Mac during sleep | Retain the required network-waking option. | The actual shared service can be reached from the intended device. |
| An employer manages the Mac or sharing | Ask IT before changing the established setup. | The change will not interrupt expected backups or access. |
These are decision examples, not measured battery-saving recommendations. Apple cautions that allowing sleep disruption may use more energy, but it does not supply a fixed saving for changing this option on your Mac.
Turning off network waking does not turn off Wi-Fi, disconnect normal networking while you are working, or remove a sharing service's configuration. Its tradeoff concerns access during sleep. If a service stops being reachable until you wake the Mac, that may be the behavior you selected rather than a new network fault.
Compare one setting without losing the useful service
If you are investigating overnight drain, write down the starting charge, power connection, attached devices and approximate sleep interval. Change only the network-access choice for the comparison. Keep the surrounding conditions similar and verify the setting afterward.
Then consider both outcomes: battery change and whether the shared resource you need remained available. A lower battery drop is not a useful improvement if it breaks a service you depend on. An unchanged result also matters: it is a reason to look elsewhere, rather than repeatedly changing the same setting.
No overnight measurements were performed for this article. A single pair of nights cannot isolate every background task, update or connected-device effect. Follow the sleep-drain diagnostic to check other causes and read sleep/wake activity.
If the issue is a job that must continue while you leave the desk, use the keep-awake guide. If the issue is an app's behavior while the computer remains awake, use App Nap explained. These solve different problems from reaching a shared service during sleep.
How Tend helps
Tend runs on Apple silicon Macs with macOS 15 or later. Its free estimated per-app watts and 24-hour energy history help you understand work before and after sleep; that history does not measure sleep drain itself. Pro adds longer history and alerts. Tend helps you look after your Mac; its optional companion shows how it's doing. Choose network waking in macOS's own settings; Tend doesn't add a control for it.
Questions
Is Power Nap available as a setting on Apple silicon?
Apple’s macOS 15 and 26 Power Nap guides label its control as Intel-only. Do not expect the same switch on Apple silicon or treat its absence as proof that no background sleep activity occurs.
Is Wake for network access the same as Power Nap?
No. Network waking concerns access to shared resources while the Mac sleeps. Power Nap concerns periodic update work on supported Intel Macs.
Does disabling network waking guarantee no overnight battery drain?
No. Other activity or devices can affect sleep, and Apple gives no fixed battery-saving figure for this setting. Compare your own use and follow broader sleep diagnostics if needed.
Why did shared files stop responding until I woke the Mac?
If you disabled network waking, access during sleep may no longer be available. Check whether that tradeoff matches your needs, and verify the required service from the device that uses it.
Related guides
Battery drain during sleep
Diagnose the wider sleep/wake pattern.
App Nap
Understand background apps while the Mac is awake.
Keep a job running
Choose an appropriate awake state for a task.
Sleep or shut down
Choose between normal pauses and longer breaks.
Sources
- Apple, Turn Power Nap on or off — macOS 15, Intel-only caveat
- Apple, Turn Power Nap on or off — macOS 26, Intel-only caveat
- Apple, Battery settings — macOS 15
- Apple, Battery settings — macOS 26
- Apple, Battery settings — macOS 27
- Apple, Set sleep and wake settings — macOS 26
- Apple, Share your Mac resources when it is in sleep
Understand the work around your Mac’s sleep
Tend is free to download. Pro is $1.99 a month, $12.99 a year with a 7-day free trial, or $29.99 once.