OpenClaw No Response When Screen Off on Mac Mini – Complete 24/7 Fix | Blog

Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure you have:

Mac Mini running macOS Sequoia or later (Apple Silicon preferred)
Latest OpenClaw installed globally (npm install -g openclaw@latest)
Gateway already running normally when screen is on (openclaw gateway status shows running)
Confirmed symptom: works perfectly → turn screen off (or let it sleep) → after 5–30 minutes, messages get no reply
Terminal.app access and basic comfort with pmset / caffeinate
Optional but highly recommended: Dummy HDMI dongle

Symptom details: Everything is normal with screen on. After turning off the display (or auto sleep), WebSocket/Gateway becomes unresponsive after a while — no thinking, no reply, logs show connection drops.

Step 1: Confirm the Exact Trigger with Logs

Turn screen on, send a test message (“What time is it?”) — confirm it replies instantly.
Turn screen off (or let it sleep).
Wait 10–15 minutes, then send another test message.
Immediately check logs while screen is still off:

openclaw logs --tail 100 | grep -i sleep\|websocket\|connection\|error

Look for clues like WebSocket closed, connection reset, energy saver, or Ollama timeout. This proves the issue is tied to display sleep / power management.

Step 2: Understand Why Screen Off Breaks OpenClaw

macOS aggressively enters low-power states when the display is off:

Display sleep → Wi-Fi throttled or disconnected
Background processes (Gateway, Ollama, browser skills) get suspended
WebSocket connections drop silently
Even LaunchAgent services can be affected if not marked “KeepAlive” + caffeinate wrapper

The fix is to prevent display sleep entirely while keeping the Mac Mini headless and energy-efficient.

Step 3: Disable Display Sleep Permanently (Core Fix)

Run these one-time commands (apply to all power sources):

sudo pmset -a displaysleep 0
sudo pmset -a sleep 0
sudo pmset -a hibernatemode 0
sudo pmset -a disablesleep 1
sudo pmset -a autorestart 1

Verify settings:

pmset -g

Expected output should show displaysleep: 0, sleep: 0, disablesleep: 1.

Reboot and test: turn screen off → wait 30+ minutes → ask a question. Most users see instant replies after this step alone.

Step 4: Add caffeinate Wrapper for Extra Protection

caffeinate keeps the system awake even if pmset is overridden.

Create a permanent wrapper in your LaunchAgent:

openclaw gateway install --daemon

Then edit ~/Library/LaunchAgents/ai.openclaw.gateway.plist and change the ProgramArguments section to:

<key>ProgramArguments</key>
<array>
    <string>/usr/bin/caffeinate</string>
    <string>-u</string>
    <string>-t</string>
    <string>0</string>
    <string>/usr/local/bin/openclaw</string>
    <string>gateway</string>
    <string>start</string>
</array>

Reload:

launchctl unload ~/Library/LaunchAgents/ai.openclaw.gateway.plist
launchctl load ~/Library/LaunchAgents/ai.openclaw.gateway.plist

Now the Gateway runs under caffeinate — screen off has zero effect.

Step 5: Add Dummy HDMI + Final Polish for True 24/7

Insert a dummy HDMI plug into the Mac Mini (cheap on Amazon, ~$10). This tricks macOS into thinking a display is always connected.
Confirm auto-login is enabled for the OpenClaw account (System Settings → Users & Groups → Login Options).
Use wired Ethernet (or Tailscale) to avoid any Wi-Fi sleep behavior.
Restart once and test: screen off for 1–2 hours → send messages → should respond immediately.

Common Issues & Troubleshooting

Still no response after 30+ minutes → Run pmset -g again and confirm displaysleep 0; add caffeinate -dimsu & manually in Terminal and re-test
Logs show “power nap” or “dark wake” → sudo pmset -a powernap 0 and sudo pmset -a standby 0
LaunchAgent stops after reboot → Re-run openclaw gateway install --daemon and check launchctl list | grep openclaw
Wi-Fi drops despite settings → Switch to Ethernet or install “Keep Wi-Fi Alive” app / Tailscale always-on
Ollama specifically sleeps → Run Ollama under its own caffeinate: caffeinate -u -t 0 ollama serve &
Full health check: openclaw doctor --deep (run with screen off via SSH)

Next Steps

Add watchdog skill to auto-restart Gateway if it ever goes silent
Set up remote access via Tailscale so you can check openclaw logs without turning screen on
Configure multiple channels (Telegram + iMessage) for easy testing from phone
Explore low-power mode tweaks for even better electricity bill
Official daemon guide: https://docs.openclaw.ai/gateway/daemon
Join Discord for Mac-specific tips: https://discord.gg/clawd

After these steps, your OpenClaw will stay fully responsive on Mac Mini even if the screen stays off for days — no more “问话没反应” after turning off the display.