Missing Energy Saver Schedule in macOS 13

Acknowledging the removal of the power schedule from Energy Saver.

With the launch the macOS 13, aka Ventura, Apple removed their user interface for scheduling power events.

The omission is conspicuous, particularly during a time when energy costs are making news headlines. Reducing energy use through automation is an effective way to reducing costs. So this removal of a simple built-in interface is unfortunate.

Hopefully the user interface will return in a minor update to macOS 13, but hope is not enough. If this omission affects or concerns you, please let Apple know.

A greater concern is that this interface removal will lead to the removal of the required hardware in future devices.

With the graphical interface gone, Apple’s metrics will likely show a decline in the use of the power scheduling functionality. It is reasonable to presume the removal of a discoverable built-in graphical interface will reduce the number of Mac users who know that power scheduling is possible on their computer. That decline in use can then be used to justify the removal of the specialised hardware. Anything that simplifies hardware, reduces Apple’s manufacturing costs. It would be a removal unnoticed by the majority of Apple’s customers but that does not mean it would be without consequences.

For today at least, the underlying functionality remains available via the command line tool pmset and through third party tools, such as our own Power Manager.

Since System 7.6

macOS’s power scheduling functionality has been present since System 7.6, and maybe earlier. The underlying operating system support disappeared in OS X 10.0 and returned with OS X 10.3.

Interface Before and After

The power event interface could previously be found within the System Preferences.app:

  1. Launch System Preferences.app on macOS (prior to macOS 13.0, Ventura) System Preferences.app on macOS 10.12
  2. Select Energy Saver Energy Saver on macOS 10.12
  3. Select Schedule… Power Schedule macOS 10.12

This is the missing interface from macOS 13:

Power Schedule inteface on macOS prior to 13.0, Ventura

On macOS 13.0, the System Settings > Energy Saver no longer contains a Schedule button or alternative power schedule interface:

Energy Saver on macOS 13.0