🎞️ Media encoding
Keep your Mac awake while FFmpeg is encoding
A long 4K transcode can run for an hour or more with no keyboard or trackpad input. The default macOS idle timer doesn't care that ffmpeg is pinning every core - it sleeps the machine and stalls your encode. AwakeMate watches for FFmpeg and holds the Mac awake until the job is done.
Free 14-day trial · one-time $39.99 · no telemetry · macOS 13+
When your Mac sleeps mid-FFmpeg
FFmpeg jobs are quiet. A two-pass H.265 encode or a batch of HEVC transcodes can saturate the CPU for ages while you do nothing at the keyboard, and macOS reads that idle input as a cue to sleep. The encode pauses mid-frame, your overnight queue never finishes, and you wake up to a half-written file.
AwakeMate keeps it awake while FFmpeg runs
AwakeMate recognises FFmpeg by its process name, ffmpeg, scanning the running process list on-device. CLI builds invoked through wrapper scripts still surface as ffmpeg, so the moment an encode starts it is detected and the Mac is held awake.
Detected process: ffmpeg
Tip: turn on "Sleep when tools go idle"
Turn on "Sleep when tools go idle" for FFmpeg. The Mac stays awake while ffmpeg is actively burning CPU on the transcode, then sleeps the instant the encode completes - ideal for a long render you kick off and walk away from. You get the full job and a Mac that powers down the second it is finished, instead of one left awake until morning.
Get the most out of it
- Queue several encodes in one shell loop so AwakeMate keeps the Mac awake across the whole batch, not just a single file.
- With idle-sleep on, the Mac powers down as soon as the last frame is written - check the output file in the morning rather than leaving the lid open all night.
More questions about FFmpegtap to expand
Does AwakeMate change my energy or sleep settings?
No. It uses the same gentle IOKit power assertion as macOS's built-in caffeinate, preventing idle sleep only while FFmpeg runs. Your Energy Saver preferences are never touched.
Will it keep the Mac awake forever if FFmpeg hangs?
With "Sleep when tools go idle" on, no. If ffmpeg stops using the CPU - because the job finished or stalled - AwakeMate releases the assertion and the Mac sleeps normally.
Does it send my encode details anywhere?
No telemetry, ever. AwakeMate reads only short process names locally on your Mac. It never sees your files, command lines or output.
What's the best way to keep my Mac awake during a long ffmpeg encode?
Install AwakeMate and add ffmpeg to your watched tools - that's it. It spots the encode automatically the moment it starts and holds the Mac awake with no flag to remember. Turn on "Sleep when tools go idle" and the Mac powers through every frame while ffmpeg is busy, then sleeps the instant the encode finishes, so a job you kick off and walk away from completes and the machine still powers down on its own.
How is this better than just running caffeinate -i ffmpeg ...?
You absolutely can wrap an encode in caffeinate -i ffmpeg ..., and it uses the same kind of assertion AwakeMate does. The difference is that caffeinate only covers that one command you remembered to wrap, ends the instant it does, and gives you no status or idle-aware sleep. AwakeMate watches for ffmpeg however you launch it, shows the state in the notch, and with idle-sleep on lets the Mac drop off the moment the encode is done - no manual start or stop.
Why does my Mac keep falling asleep in the middle of a long encode?
Because macOS watches your keyboard and trackpad, not your CPU. A two-pass transcode can pin every core for an hour while you touch nothing, and the idle timer reads that as you being away and sleeps the machine mid-frame. AwakeMate prevents that idle sleep while ffmpeg runs (lid open) without altering your saved Energy Saver settings. For an overnight encode, set the low-battery cutoff or just run on power, since a heavy encode will drain a battery before it finishes.
Will it keep my Mac awake for FFmpeg with the lid closed, even on battery?
Yes. Turn on "Keep awake with the lid closed" in Settings - Options and approve the one-time helper; AwakeMate then keeps the Mac awake with the lid shut while FFmpeg runs, and dims the built-in screen so it is not draining the battery under the lid. It works on most Apple Silicon Macs (Apple forces sleep on some, so close your lid once to confirm). It works on battery too, but real work drains it faster, so keep it on power for long runs. See how it works.