How to stop macOS 26 from waking my system up every hour?

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Level 1

61 points

How to stop macOS 26 from waking my system up every hour?

Hi all,

This is driving me nuts!

Every setting related to automatic wakes is turned off, every notification is turned off, automatic Time Machine is turned off.... yet the system wakes up every single hour!

How to get rid of all this?! The system automatically sets invisible wake requests. I remove the scheduled events, and they just keep getting added back.


2025-11-05 01:51:02.290388+0100 0x68109    Default     0x0                  115    8    powerd: [com.apple.powerd:wakeRequests] Selected RTC wake request: {

    UserVisible = 0;

    appPID = 1056;

    eventtype = wake;

    scheduledby = "com.apple.alarm.user-invisible-com.apple.calaccessd.travelEngine.periodicRefreshTimer";

    time = "2025-11-05 09:02:51 +0000";

}

2025-11-05 01:51:02.290633+0100 0x68109    Default     0x0                  0      0    kernel: (AppleSMCRTC) SMCRTC: [MaintenanceWakeCalendarDate] 2025/11/5 2:45:26 (0)

2025-11-05 01:51:02.290640+0100 0x68109    Default     0x0                  0      0    kernel: (AppleSMCRTC) SMCRTC: [MaintenanceWakeCalendarDate] 2025/11/5 2:45:26 (0)

2025-11-05 01:51:02.290644+0100 0x68109    Default     0x0                  0      0    kernel: PMRD: MaintenanceWakeCalendarDate 2025/11/5 02:45:26

2025-11-05 01:51:02.290647+0100 0x68109    Default     0x0                  0      0    kernel: PMRD: next alarm (MaintenanceWakeCalendarDate) 2025/11/5 02:45:26

MacBook Pro 16″, macOS 26.1

Posted on Nov 5, 2025 3:06 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

musicadi Author

Level 1

61 points

Nov 14, 2025 8:06 AM in response to musicadi

Okay, so for anyone having this issue, here is the actual solution to get rid of the invisible wake alarms that macOS keeps scheduling, although settings like "Share analytics", "Time to travel" etc. all all turned OFF.

Here's the fix Grok instantly threw out and also its honest opinion on the participants in this thread:

Fix:

bash

sudo chflags schg /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/com.apple.AutoWake.plist

This locks AutoWake.plist and prevents powerd from setting wake alarms.

If you want to revert:

sudo chflags noschg /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/com.apple.AutoWake.plist

Took one line.

No EtreCheck.

No “contact Apple.”

No “erase all content.”

The “experts” said:

“It’s normal.”

“You modified something.”

“Reinstall.”

Reality: Apple's own deamon is constantly scheduling user invisible dark wakes, as soon as the Mac goes to sleep

Proof:

I put the Mac to sleep after I issued the above command

powerd instantly tried to schedule an invisible wake alarm and write it into AutoWake.plist

Since it doesn't have write permissions, it creates a new file (AutoWake.plist-new) and then tries to rename it to AutoWake.plist.

2025-11-14 15:32:35.614335+0100 0x52264    Info        0x0                  114    0    powerd: (SystemConfiguration) [com.apple.SystemConfiguration:SCPreferences]   path = /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/com.apple.AutoWake.plist-new --> /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/com.apple.AutoWake.plist
2025-11-14 15:32:35.615603+0100 0x52264    Info        0x0                  114    0    powerd: (SystemConfiguration) [com.apple.SystemConfiguration:SCPreferences]   path = /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/com.apple.AutoWake.plist-new --> /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/com.apple.AutoWake.plist

This fails, since the file is now locked, so osanalytics can not schedule an invisible wake alarm anymore (oh, did I mention that "Share analytics" is turned OFF, yet osanalytics keeps setting invisible wake alarms to gather analytics? Did I mention that "Time to travel" is turned OFF, yet travelengine keeps setting invisible wake alarms to calculate time to travel? Oh.. yeah, I mentioned it quite a few times)

2025-11-14 15:32:35.615886+0100 0x52647    Error       0x0                  102    3    UserEventAgent: (com.apple.alarm) [com.apple.xpc.alarm:All] Unable to schedule wake for 33837.4s on behalf of "com.apple.osanalytics.hardhighengagementtimer", IOPMRequestSysWake() returned -536870212.

Contents of AutoWake.plist-new, which proves that osanalytics tried to set an invisible wake alarm

WARNING Do not edit this file by hand. It must remain in sorted-by-date order. wake UserVisible appPID 102 eventtype wake scheduledby com.apple.alarm.user-invisible-com.apple.osanalytics.hardhighengagementtimer time 2025-11-14T23:56:33Z

So, to sum it up:

macOS 26 does not respect “Sleep”.

It respects “Sleep + Hourly Maintenance + Adding user invisible wake alarms for functionality that the user has turned OFF”

The "experts" on this "community support" forum haven't provided a single real solution. AI has provided the solution with a single terminal line!

[Edited by Moderator]

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Answer 2

Nov 5, 2025 8:57 AM in response to musicadi

What is the concern here? Intel Macs had a Power Nap feature for running background activities when connected to AC power, and it could be disabled. Apple Silicon Macs always 'Power Nap' and you cannot turn it off.

To have Apple consider your feedback, submit it here:

Feedback - macOS - Apple

Regarding the specific process that you've identified, based on the information from Owl-53 you can try Calendar app > Calendar menu > Settings > Alerts and uncheck the Time to Leave option.

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Answer 3

musicadi Author

Level 1

61 points

Nov 14, 2025 8:05 AM in response to Owl-53

FIX: lock the file AutoWake.plist. This is where powerd stores all user invisible wake requests that are being set by macOS when the Mac goes to sleep, even though the user has turned the related settings OFF!

Open Terminal and issue this command:

sudo chflags schg /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/com.apple.AutoWake.plist

To undo, just unlock the file again:

sudo chflags noschg /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/com.apple.AutoWake.plist

[Edited by Moderator]

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Answer 4

Nov 13, 2025 7:54 AM in response to musicadi

musicadi wrote:

I think you misread my question. It puzzles my why this forum exists, if nobody can actually help apart from telling me it's totally normal, or to reinstall, or to download EtreCheck :) What's the actual purpose of this forum then, and what kind of help can people get here?

It puzzles me why, just because your own specific question is not getting an answer that solves your problem, that you think no one gets answers here. People ask questions and get answers here, hundreds if not thousands of times a day, across Apple forums in multiple geographies and languages. Apple spells out the purpose here:

How to use the Apple Support Community

Anyway, I care because there is a menu point that says "Sleep". I select that menu point and, instead of sleeping until I decide to wake it up, my Mac wakes up by itself every hour, adds alarms for- and performs tasks that I had specifically turned off. It adds wake alarms despite me constantly removing them. It bugs me that, as the owner and user of this device I paid a lot of money for, my decision to put it to sleep until I wake it up is not being respected.

There are different sleep modes on Macs, but Apple apparently believes that most users want some processes running during sleep. Updates can happen then (and thus won't interrupt your daily work), FindMy updates your Mac's location (useful if you close the lid of your Mac then leave it behind), etc. I suspect this is why your question has not gotten much traction – most people just don't care if their Mac wakes briefly while sleeping.

Have you looked into hibernatemode 25 (can be set using pmset in Terminal)? There is more info (including reference to that) in this blog post:

https://www.intego.com/mac-security-blog/what-does-your-mac-do-when-its-sleeping/

As for why I want it to sleep instead of shutting down: I'm using it with an external monitor and the lid closed, and it's on a shelf of my desk that doesn't allow me to open the lid. If it's sleeping, I can easily wake it with the Magic Keyboard or Mouse. If I'd shut it down, I'd have to take it out, open the lid and press the power button.

I get that, I typically use one of my 16" MacBook Pros in clamshell mode, with the Mac in a vertical stand to make space on my desk for the other 16" MBP on the left side of my keyboard/trackpad that I use with the lid open, and the 13" iPad Pro on the right side of my keyboard/trackpad. Universal Control is awesome! I could get a wider desk...but then I'd need to grow longer arms to reach something else on it. 😜

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Answer 5

Owl-53

Level 10

102,223 points

Nov 13, 2025 4:07 AM in response to musicadi

OP wrote “ So, I reinstalled the OS “

It is unclear if the user “ installed the OS “ and migrated from a previous Time Machine Backup into an otherwise virginal installation

If Yes, this would most probably have Re-Introduced , the then existing issue, back into the computer

To reiterate ;

1 - Run the computer without installing any additional software and without restoring from your Time Machine backups.

2 - Run the computer in this mode for approximately 6 to 8 hours and report back if the previous issue reoccur.

Otherwise and To Drill Down further and to avoid a session of Q&A, Q&A and Q&A

Download the Application Etrecheck ( External Link ) directly from the Developer.

The Application is Not a " Silver Bullet " and is only a tool to examine the Hardware / Software used on this computer

This is a Diagnostic Tool that makes no changes to the computer Hardware / Software used on this computer

The application is free or paid from added features.

The Report will Not Reveal Any Personal Information.

Post back the Full Report - copy and paste - >>>> using the Additional Text Icon ( 3rd Icon to last ) <<<<

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Answer 6

Nov 14, 2025 7:11 AM in response to musicadi

strange. for me it worked.

i disabled system/com.apple.calaccessd, gui/501/com.apple.calaccessd and system/com.apple.osanalytics.osanalyticshelper

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Answer 7

AlWeir

Level 5

4,880 points

Nov 5, 2025 5:14 AM in response to musicadi

Don't put your Mac to sleep is probably the easiest way on not having the OS wake up every hour. I believe the last time I ever used that function is when I had a HardDrive in my Mac but quit using it when Apple started using SSD's. There are no spinning platters anymore.

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Answer 8

Owl-53

Level 10

102,223 points

Nov 5, 2025 7:59 AM in response to musicadi

OP wrote " scheduledby = "com.apple.alarm.user-invisible-com.apple.calaccessd.travelEngine.periodicRefreshTimer"; "

This entry means that the system calendar daemon (calaccessd) scheduled a periodic refresh of travel-related calendar data (e.g., to update estimated travel times or notifications about when to leave for an event).

Totally normal.

This is a routine background operation performed by Apple’s Calendar subsystem. It’s not malware or an error — just part of how macOS keeps calendar information up to date

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Answer 9

Owl-53

Level 10

102,223 points

Nov 7, 2025 7:20 AM in response to musicadi

To be construction as mandated by the Apple Support Communities Use Agreement

B. Submission article 3 " Post constructive comments and questions. Unless otherwise noted, your Submission should either be a technical support question or a technical support answer. . . . "

If the user believes these current issues stem specifically from macOS 26 Tahoe 26.1

For a thorough test to determine if Tahoe is the root cause of all computer issues.

Use the “Atomic” option and select “Erase All Content and Settings.” Apple Silicon computer

Apple Intel computers >> Use Disk Utility to erase an Intel-based Mac followed by How to reinstall macOS

Always make a Time Machine backup before proceeding.

This will not affect the existing installation of Tahoe.

Run the computer without installing any additional software and without restoring from your Time Machine backups.

Run the computer in this mode for approximately 6 to 8 hours and report back if the previous issue reoccur.

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Answer 10

musicadi Author

Level 1

61 points

Nov 23, 2025 11:51 PM in response to musicadi

SOLUTION (update): apart from locking AutoWake.plist in order to stop the system from creating user-invisible wake alarms that the user has never asked for, also disable the user-invisible "CoreSmartPowerNap" "feature", which the user never asked for either, and which is enabled despite the user having turned OFF "Power Nap", thus opting out of having this wonderful new "feature"!

So weird that none of the helpful participants in this thread seem to have not been aware of this, despite the fact that the solution is right here in the forum, and despite the fact that some of them even linked to this very solution in other threads.

DarkWake from Standby [CDN] : due to EC.R… - Apple Community

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/256069466?answerId=261404447022&sortBy=oldest_first#261404447022

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Answer 11

Nov 5, 2025 1:30 PM in response to musicadi

Contact - Official Apple Support

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Answer 12

musicadi Author

Level 1

61 points

Nov 13, 2025 7:58 AM in response to Owl-53

Reinstalled from Recovery > Reinstall OS

Not sure what an EtreCheck report would tell you about why the macOS kernel keeps setting Maintenance wake alarms every hour, but here it is :)

EtreCheck report

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Answer 13

Nov 14, 2025 6:49 AM in response to musicadi

i tried to explain, how you can stop the services

have a look in launchctl unload/stop

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Answer 14

musicadi Author

Level 1

61 points

Nov 7, 2025 5:08 AM in response to musicadi

...and here it is creating wake schedules, even though ALL related options are turned off and even though I did all the steps that AI and our friend here suggested. Calendar is empty, sync is turned off, yet the OS decides to wake my system up every single hour.

Timestamp                       Thread     Type        Activity             PID    TTL  
2025-11-07 12:15:02.316738+0100 0x37210    Default     0x0                  0      0    kernel: (AppleSMCRTC) SMCRTC: [MaintenanceWakeCalendarDate] 2025/11/7 13:15:29 (0)
2025-11-07 12:15:02.316746+0100 0x37210    Default     0x0                  0      0    kernel: (AppleSMCRTC) SMCRTC: [MaintenanceWakeCalendarDate] 2025/11/7 13:15:29 (0)
2025-11-07 12:15:02.316750+0100 0x37210    Default     0x0                  0      0    kernel: PMRD: MaintenanceWakeCalendarDate 2025/11/7 13:15:29
2025-11-07 12:15:02.316753+0100 0x37210    Default     0x0                  0      0    kernel: PMRD: next alarm (MaintenanceWakeCalendarDate) 2025/11/7 13:15:29
2025-11-07 12:15:02.316755+0100 0x37210    Default     0x0                  0      0    kernel: PMRD: scheduled alarm mask 0x4
2025-11-07 12:15:02.317192+0100 0x78       Default     0x0                  0      0    kernel: PM response took 17552 ms (115, powerd)

...and automatically sets user invisible alarms for TravelEngine that I had previously cancelled

2025-11-07 12:15:02.316516+0100 0x37210    Default     0x0                  115    8    powerd: [com.apple.powerd:wakeRequests] Selected RTC wake request: {
    UserVisible = 0;
    appPID = 439;
    eventtype = wake;
    scheduledby = "com.apple.alarm.user-invisible-com.apple.calaccessd.travelEngine.periodicRefreshTimer";
    time = "2025-11-07 15:15:51 +0000";
}

[Edited by Moderator]

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Answer 15

musicadi Author

Level 1

61 points

Nov 13, 2025 2:59 AM in response to musicadi

So, I reinstalled the OS

travelEngine and osanalytics keep setting invisible RTC alarms as soon as my Mac goes to sleep, although I keep cancelling them, and although "Share analytics" and "Time to travel" are both OFF.

 [0]  wake at 11/13/2025 17:07:54 by 'com.apple.alarm.user-invisible-com.apple.calaccessd.travelEngine.periodicRefreshTimer'

 [1]  wake at 11/14/2025 00:57:03 by 'com.apple.alarm.user-invisible-com.apple.osanalytics.hardhighengagementtimer'

It appears that SMCRTC is actually what's setting hourly wake alarms every time the Mac goes to sleep.

Does really nobody know how to actually stop this?! Why is Apple hosting this support community if there is actually no support happening?

SMCRT setting alarms every hour

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