Support and FAQs

It depends on whether you want to control your Mac from your phone:

• The Mac app alone is all you need to keep your Mac awake. It runs on its own from the menu bar, free, with no account and no setup. Set a timer or keep your Mac awake until a chosen time, and it does the rest. You'll need a Mac running macOS 14 Sonoma or later.
• The iPhone app is a companion, not a standalone app. It doesn't keep anything awake by itself. It talks to the Mac app to show your Mac's status and control it from your phone, so it needs Awake Qubit installed and running on your Mac to do anything.
• Pairing the two is where the magic is. Install Awake Qubit on your Mac and your iPhone (or iPad), sign in to the same Apple ID, and they find each other automatically through iCloud, with no codes to enter. Then you can check your Mac from anywhere, and with Pro, get alerts and start, extend, or stop a session right from your phone.

In short: the Mac app works on its own; the iPhone app needs the Mac app; together they let you run your Mac's sleep from your pocket.

The Mac app needs to be running to keep your Mac awake, but it stays out of your way. It lives in the menu bar (look for its icon at the top of your screen), not in a window, so there's nothing to keep open. If you quit it, any active session ends and your Mac can sleep normally again.

• Turn on Launch at Login in Awake Qubit's settings so it's always ready, especially if you want to reach your Mac from your iPhone.
• The iPhone app does not need to stay open. You can close it and your Mac's session keeps running. Open it whenever you want to check in or make a change.

1. Launch Awake Qubit from your Applications folder.
2. If the menu bar is full, macOS Sonoma and later may hide some icons. Look for the icon in the overflow area.
3. Hold Command and drag menu bar icons to move Awake Qubit into a visible position.

1. Install Awake Qubit from the Mac App Store when possible; that avoids Gatekeeper quarantine entirely.
2. If you downloaded a build directly, right-click the app, choose Open, then confirm.
3. If macOS still says the app is damaged, re-download it. That message usually means the download was incomplete.

1. Quit Awake Qubit from the menu bar popover.
2. Drag Awake Qubit from your Applications folder to the Trash.
3. There is nothing else to remove: Awake Qubit does not install background daemons or kernel extensions.

Any Pro purchase stays tied to your Apple ID and can be restored later.

• Awake Qubit overrides clear automatically when the duration or until-time expires.
• If the override expired, open the menu bar popover and set a new one.
• If your Mac sleeps before the override expires, make sure Awake Qubit is still running. Look for the sun icon in your menu bar.

Awake Qubit lets you choose how awake your Mac stays:

• System only: your Mac keeps running, but the screen is allowed to turn off. Best for background work you don't need to watch, like downloads, renders, builds, or backups. It uses less battery.
• System + display: your Mac stays fully awake and the screen stays on. Best when you need to see it, like presentations, watching a download finish, dashboards, or streaming.

You can switch between them at any time, even while a session is running. Either way, your Mac won't sleep on its own until the session ends.

No more than using your Mac normally. Keeping it awake simply stops it from sleeping. It doesn't push your Mac to work harder, so it won't harm it.

• On a laptop, you can set a session to stop automatically when the battery drops to a level you choose, so it never drains flat while you're away.
• Use System only mode (screen off) to use less power when you don't need to see the display.
• Every session clears itself when it's done, when the timer or until-time is reached, so nothing keeps your Mac awake forever by accident.

If your Mac gets warm, that's from the work it's doing, such as a render or a build, not from Awake Qubit keeping it awake.

No, that's Smart Pause doing its job (a Pro feature). With Smart Pause on, a timed session's countdown only runs while you're away from your Mac.

• It freezes the moment you're actively using your Mac, such as typing, on a call or in a meeting, or watching something fullscreen.
• It resumes after a short period of inactivity once you step away again.

So "keep awake for 1 hour" means an hour of unattended time, not an hour of clock time that burns down while you're sitting right there. You can turn Smart Pause off in Settings if you'd rather the timer always count straight down.

When the lid is closed and no external display is connected, macOS forces the Mac to sleep.

• This clamshell sleep is separate from normal wake settings.
• The standard power assertions Awake Qubit uses cannot override it.
• Disabling it system-wide would require admin privileges and a privileged helper outside the App Store sandbox, with real overheating risk.
• If you need the Mac awake with the lid closed, connect an external display.

Yes. This is a macOS limitation, not a bug in Awake Qubit.

• With no external display connected, closing the lid forces the Mac to sleep regardless of an active session.
• Awake Qubit cannot override that without a privileged root helper outside the App Store sandbox.
• To keep your Mac awake with the lid down, connect an external display first.

Yes. Locking the screen secures your Mac but does not put it to sleep, so an active Awake Qubit session keeps running while you are away.

• System only: recommended for locked Macs. The Mac stays awake, but the display can turn off behind the lock screen.
• System + display: also keeps the session running, but deliberately holds the display on.
• Closing the lid is different from locking the screen. A locked Mac with the lid open can stay awake; a closed lid may force sleep.

• Duration: keeps your Mac awake for a fixed length of time, such as 2 hours.
• Until-time: keeps your Mac awake until a specific clock time, such as 6 PM.

Both clear automatically when they expire, so you can set one and walk away.

On the Mac, Awake Qubit has an optional keep-active nudge for when simply preventing sleep is not enough. Some apps and servers watch for cursor movement and treat a perfectly still pointer as idle. The nudge moves the cursor a little so they keep seeing activity.

• Free on the Mac, with no permission prompt. It runs inside the App Store sandbox, so there is nothing to allow in System Settings.
• It keeps the cursor visibly moving. Use it for screensaver-style idling, or for apps that watch the pointer. It does not change how macOS itself measures input idle time, so it is not a way to look active in a chat app or keep a status dot green.
• Turning it on or off remotely from your iPhone is an Awake Qubit Pro extra. The nudge itself is free on the Mac.

Yes, and it is free for everyone. While a session is running, Awake Qubit watches for the few things that keeping a Mac awake can lead to, and warns you on the Mac and on your paired iPhone if one happens:

• Your Mac overheating.
• The battery getting critically low.
• The disk getting critically full.

A hardware-safety warning should never sit behind a paywall, so this floor is free, the same way battery-aware auto-stop is. A couple of notes:

• It watches only while a session is running, since that is when keep-awake could be the cause. It is not a full-time background health monitor.
• It warns you, it does not fix things for you. To have a session end on its own at a battery level you choose, use battery-aware auto-stop.

• Awake Qubit uses your private iCloud database to sync state between your Mac and iPhone on the same Apple ID.
• This lets your iPhone receive live updates from your Mac without a custom server.
• Local Mac-only sessions do not require iCloud.

1. Sign in to the same Apple ID on both devices.
2. Make sure iCloud Drive is enabled.
3. Open Awake Qubit on your Mac and on your iPhone or iPad.
4. Wait a moment for the devices to discover each other through iCloud.

There is no pairing code to enter. Once paired, you can control your Mac's sleep remotely from your iPhone.

1. Open Awake Qubit on your iPhone.
2. Allow notifications when prompted.
3. If you skipped the prompt, enable them later in iOS Settings → Notifications → Awake Qubit.

Awake Qubit can notify you when an override is about to expire, so you know when to extend it or let the Mac sleep.

Yes, with Awake Qubit Pro. If you step away and forget to lock your Mac, you can lock its screen from your iPhone so a running session keeps going but nobody can see or use the Mac.

• It locks a Mac that is awake with Awake Qubit running. It cannot wake a sleeping Mac or reopen the app if you quit it, and it is not Find My or a remote wipe. Think of it as reaching over to lock a Mac that is on, not recovering a lost one.
• Your session keeps running behind the lock. A download, render, or build carries on while the screen is locked. Locking is separate from keeping the Mac awake.
• One-time setup on the Mac. The first time, macOS asks you to grant Awake Qubit permission to control your Mac (Automation and Accessibility). After that it just works.
• Each remote lock is recorded in your activity, so you can see it happened.

Awake Qubit always warns you, free, when something is critically wrong during a session, such as your Mac overheating, the battery getting critically low, or the disk getting critically full. Advanced notifications are the Awake Qubit Pro layer of insight on top of that safety floor.

• Battery trend context: instead of only battery low, it can tell you your battery dropped below your auto-stop level while you were away, with a one-tap way to respond.
• Thermal detail: more context on how hot your Mac is running and when it starts throttling, rather than a single bare warning.

The plain safety warnings stay free for everyone. Pro adds the trend and stage-by-stage context, each with an action you can take right from the alert.

The iOS app expects the same setup its troubleshooting screen checks:

1. Paired with Mac: both devices must share one iCloud account.
2. Signed in to iCloud: the iPhone or iPad must be signed in under Settings → [your name].
3. Awake Qubit running on Mac: open Awake Qubit on your Mac. It must be active and visible in the menu bar.
4. Internet on both devices: both devices need an internet connection to sync state via iCloud.
5. iCloud sync enabled: make sure iCloud Drive is turned on in Settings → [your name] → iCloud.

Awake Qubit pairs automatically through your private iCloud database. There is no pairing code to enter.

Yes. The current companion connection is same-iCloud-account only.

• In the app, the Paired with Mac check turns green only when the iPhone can see a Mac entry in your private iCloud device registry.
• If the check says Not paired yet, both devices must be signed into the same iCloud account. Open Awake Qubit on your Mac. If the accounts match, it will appear automatically.
• A different Apple ID, even in the same Family Sharing group, will not connect yet.
• Apple does not expose the account email to apps, so verify the account in System Settings → Apple ID on Mac and Settings → [your name] on iPhone or iPad.

1. On the connecting screen, tap Troubleshoot connection.
2. Fix anything listed under Needs attention.
3. If you see Finish iCloud setup, tap Open iCloud Settings and turn on iCloud Drive.
4. If Awake Qubit running on Mac needs attention, open Awake Qubit on your Mac. It must be active and visible in the menu bar.
5. If Internet on both devices needs attention, check Wi‑Fi/cellular on the iPhone and internet on the Mac.
6. Tap Retry after making changes.
7. If it still fails, tap Copy diagnostics and include that text in your support email.

• Paired with Mac means this iPhone and the Mac share an iCloud account.
• Not connected means the iPhone has not received a fresh Mac state update yet.

The app chooses the next message from what it can verify:

• If the Mac was seen recently, Awake Qubit may say the Mac is responding but the connection has not settled yet. Tap Retry in a moment.
• If the Mac has not been seen for a while, open Awake Qubit on that Mac.
• To avoid this recurring, turn on Launch at Login in Awake Qubit's Mac settings so it stays ready.

No. Awake Qubit can receive remote commands only while the Mac is awake enough for the app to run and check iCloud.

• If the Mac looks asleep during a session, the iOS app shows Session paused. The countdown or session resumes when the Mac wakes.
• If a start command cannot reach the Mac, the app shows Couldn't reach your Mac and asks you to open Awake Qubit on the Mac.
• The command is retried when the Mac reconnects, but it cannot wake a fully sleeping Mac by itself.
• Closing a MacBook lid can still force sleep unless your external-display setup keeps macOS awake.

Remote control is synced through iCloud, so confirmation depends on network and CloudKit timing.

• While a command is in progress, the iOS app may show Starting on your Mac…, Waiting for your Mac to respond…, or Almost there….
• When a session is active, the Mac checks for incoming commands frequently.
• When idle, the Mac still checks, but less aggressively to avoid unnecessary background work.
• If the iPhone is offline, the app shows No internet connection and asks you to check Wi‑Fi or turn off Airplane Mode.
• If the Mac does not confirm, the app shows Couldn't reach your Mac and retries when the Mac publishes again.

The pill at the top of the iPhone app is a single, tappable read on your Mac's connection, so one glance tells you where things stand. It shows one state at a time:

• Connected: your iPhone is seeing fresh updates from your Mac.
• Asleep: your Mac is sleeping. Your iPhone can't wake a sleeping Mac on its own, but a session you start waits and runs the moment the Mac next wakes. If it shows the lid is closed, you'll need to open the Mac yourself first.
• Reconnecting: it is settling and should catch up in a moment.
• Unreachable: your iPhone cannot reach the Mac right now. Open Awake Qubit on your Mac.
• Not paired yet: tap to start pairing.

Tap the pill to open a details sheet with your Mac's battery, what is running on it, and whether it is locked. It is a clear status view, not a setting you have to hunt for, and it is free.

Once in a while, iCloud sync can get stuck on the Mac. When that happens your two devices can tell you opposite stories: the iPhone shows the Mac as unreachable while the Mac is still happily running a session.

Awake Qubit now notices this on the Mac. Instead of quietly disagreeing, the Mac shows a banner telling you iCloud sync is not responding and how to fix it:

• Quit and reopen Awake Qubit on the Mac. That restarts sync, and the two devices line back up on their own once a sync gets through.
• Your session keeps running on the Mac the whole time. Only the syncing between devices is affected, not keep-awake itself.

This is free and needs nothing on the iPhone side. The fix lives on the Mac, where sync actually runs.

• Free includes the core keep-awake controls: timed, until-time, and indefinite sessions, keep-awake while a chosen app runs, display-awake mode, smart suggestions, battery-aware stops, the assertions inspector, pairing, activity, history, and menu bar controls. You can also pair your iPhone to view your Mac's status.
• Pro unlocks iPhone remote control (start, extend, stop, and adjust sessions from your phone), sleep and inactivity warnings sent to your phone, and Smart Pause for timed sessions.

Pro is $1.99/month, $19.99/year, or $49.99 one-time. The yearly plan includes a 7-day free trial.

1. On iPhone or iPad: Settings → [Your Name] → Subscriptions → Awake Qubit Pro → Cancel Subscription.
2. On Mac: App Store → [Your Name] → Manage Subscriptions.
3. Cancel at least 24 hours before your renewal date to avoid being charged.

Apple's guide →

1. Purchases go through Apple, so refunds are handled by Apple rather than us.
2. Request a refund at reportaproblem.apple.com.
3. If something is not working, email support@awakequbit.com first. We'll usually be able to help.

• Awake Qubit has no ads and no data brokers.
• Local Mac sessions work on-device.
• Device sync uses your private iCloud, so your session data stays in your Apple account — we cannot read it.
• Product analytics are on by default and can be switched off in Settings; they never include the names of apps you watch, your device name, or your Apple Account.
• Lock Screen notifications pass through a small relay we run, which stores nothing.

See our Privacy Policy for the full detail, including how to turn analytics off.

1. Open the Awake Qubit menu bar popover.
2. Click Settings.
3. Choose Copy Diagnostics.
4. Paste the copied text into your support email.

Diagnostics include a plain-text summary of current assertions, app version, and system info so we can investigate faster.