- macOS 26.5 lets you turn on your Mac mini in a new way
- It no longer requires pressing the power button
- Some users feel that the power button is in an awkward position
Apple’s M4 Mac mini is a brilliant little device—it’s actually one of the best mini PCs money can buy—but there’s one feature that’s drawn its fair share of criticism: the power button. Located on the underside of the unit, it means you either have to turn the Mac mini over or blindly fumble for it when you want to turn on the pint-sized computer.
But now that macOS 26.5 is here, users are discovering that there is a practical way around this annoying drawback. And it could mean you never have to worry about annoying button placement again.
As spotted by 9to5Mac, a new support document on Apple’s website details how to turn on a Mac mini, Mac Studio, or iMac without having to press a physical button on the device. Instead, your Mac can be turned on by simply plugging it into power. It works if you have a Mac mini or iMac from 2024 or later, or a Mac Studio from 2025 or later. You must also be running macOS 26.5 or later on your computer.
Once that’s sorted, simply open the System Settings app and then click on Power in the sidebar. Next to ‘Start up when power is connected’, select Always in the menu. Now you can turn on your Mac every time you plug in a charging cord or turn on an already connected cable. Apple simply recommends that you wait about 30 seconds between turning off your Mac and turning it back on to give the power supply time to discharge.
Apple’s strange design choice
When we reviewed the M4 Mac mini, we called the placement of the power button “an odd choice” and “not one of Apple’s better design choices.” While it wasn’t enough to detract from our five-star verdict, it was still a feature we could have done without.
At the time, the response on Reddit was mixed. User YZJay, for example, described it as “low-key fun.” Others, however, were more generous, claiming that they barely shut down their computers anyway. That included user Eubank31, who said: “I’m not a big Apple guy, but the number of times I’ve needed to actually turn off my 2020 [MacBook Pro] since I got it, it’s probably less than 20. And I use it every day for college and after class for development work/projects.” Apple, for its part, says people “barely use” the button anyway.
Interestingly, macOS 26.5 includes another change that may benefit people tired of the Mac mini’s power button. In its release notes, Apple describes a new “Power Management setting” in the Power section of System Preferences. This “enables you to turn off or restart your Mac using accessories like switches,” Apple says, meaning you don’t even have to worry about plugging in a power cable to turn on your Mac.
If you find yourself regularly reaching for your Mac mini’s power switch, the latest changes in macOS 26.5 may cause a minor headache. Apple is rumored to be working on an M5 Mac mini, but with no new physical design expected for several years, this software tweak is your best bet at fixing the power button problem for some time to come.
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