macOS 26.5 has fixed a low key hilarious problem that has marred the Mac mini for years

Date:
Tue, 12 May 2026 13:40:35 +0000

Description:
macOS 26.5 allows users to power on their Mac mini without touching the device.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter macOS 26.5 lets you switch on your Mac mini in a new way It no longer requires pressing the power button Some users feel the power button is in an awkward position Apple s M4 Mac
mini is a brilliant little device its one of the best mini PCs money can
buy, in fact but theres one feature that has led to its fair share of criticism: the power button. Located on the underside of the device, it means you have to either flip the Mac mini over or blindly fumble around for it whenever you want to switch on the pint-sized computer.

But now that macOS 26.5 is here, users are discovering that theres a handy
way to bypass this irksome drawback. And it might mean you never have to
worry about that bothersome button placement again. As spotted by 9to5Mac , a new support document on Apples website details how you can switch on a Mac mini, Mac Studio or iMac without having to touch a physical button on the device. Instead, your Mac can be turned on by simply connecting it to power. That works providing you have a Mac mini or iMac from 2024 or later, or a Mac Studio from 2025 or later. Youll also need to be running macOS 26.5 or later on your computer. Latest Videos From You may like 20 years ago, Apple
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that may help your laptop battery last longer I was so sick of Windows 11, I panic-bought an M4 Mac mini ahead of the RAM crisis and I'm totally
converted

Once thats sorted, you just need to open the System Settings app, then click Energy in the sidebar. Next to Start up when power is connected, choose
Always from the menu. Now, you can switch on your Mac whenever you connect a charging lead or power on an already-connected cable. Apple just advises that you should wait around 30 seconds between switching off your Mac and turning it on again to give the power supply time to discharge. Apples odd design choice (Image credit: Future) When we reviewed the M4 Mac mini , we called
its power button placement an odd choice and not one of Apples better design choices. While it wasnt 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 hilarious. Others, however, were more generous, arguing that they barely shut down their computers anyway. That included user Eubank31 , who said: Im not a huge Apple guy but the number of times Ive needed to actually power down my 2020 [MacBook Pro] since I got it is
probably less than 20. And I use it every day for college and after class for dev work/projects. Apple, for its part, says that people hardly use the
button anyway.

Interestingly, macOS 26.5 includes another change that can benefit people fed up with the Mac minis power button. In its release notes, Apple describes a new Power control setting in the Energy section of System Settings. This enables you to power off or restart your Mac using assistive accessories like switches, Apple says, meaning you dont even need to worry about hooking up a power cable to have your Mac switch on. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

If you find yourself regularly reaching for your Mac minis power switch, the latest changes in macOS 26.5 could put paid to 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 conundrum for some time to come. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Today's best Apple Mac Mini M4 Pro deals bundle Apple Mac Mini M4 Pro 1,399 View See all prices We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/computing/macos-26-5-has-fixed-a-low-key-hilarious-p roblem-that-has-marred-the-mac-mini-for-years


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