From AppleScript to Automator, there's pretty much nothing you can't automate on the Mac. That includes starting up and shutting down your Mac on a schedule. By implementing a schedule, you'll never need to touch your Mac's power button again. Fire up System Preferences and read on to learn how it's done.
To begin, head to System Preferences > Energy Saver > Schedule. Once there, check the "Startup or Wake" checkbox, and then Weekends, Weekdays, Everyday, or a specific day of the week from the drop-down menu. You can then specify a time.
Use the second checkbox and drop-down menu to set whether your Mac will Sleep, Restart, or Shut Down. You can then use the second drop-down menu on this row to set the day of the week, and you can then specify a time.
Whenever the specified day and time lapses, then the Mac will start up and shut down by the schedule.
It is important to note that in order for your portable Mac to automatically start up, it must be connected to a power source. To shut down your Mac, you must be logged into your OS X account, and the computer must not be in sleep mode.
Cory Bohon is a freelance technology writer, indie Mac and iOS developer, and amateur photographer. Follow Cory on Twitter.
