Put your AirPods under your MacBook, your MacBook falls asleep

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Encountered this on Reddit today. Crazy.

If you have an older MacBook or MacBook Pro, try this (make sure you have a current backup first):

  • Fire up your Mac
  • Take your AirPods case and place it under your MacBook, on the left side, about halfway down
  • Your Mac will go to sleep

Basically, this is how the Mac detects that the lid is closed. Which is why it goes to sleep and, when you remove the magnet, it wakes back up.

I verified this with my 2015 MacBook Pro. Did not work with my 2018 MacBook Pro, though I suspect I just haven’t hit the right sweet spot.

Of course, I wouldn’t do this experiment without making sure you have a current backup, just cause magnets and magnetic media.