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Screensaver randomly coming on

2020 Mac mini M1. The screen saver has been randomly coming on. Moving the mouse or pressing a key does nothing. I can see the cursor moving around so I know that that input is still working. The few times it has happened so far I’ve had to hold the power button in to shut it down and restart. I have disabled screen saver in system settings. I’m wondering if this is a bug with Big Sur.

Posted on Dec 12, 2020 6:29 AM

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12 replies

Dec 21, 2020 10:05 AM in response to fusionlore77

That's happened to me a few times, too. Same deal: screensaver is set to off but it suddenly comes on anyway, no clicking or typing will wake it. But I found that if I close and reopen the lid it'll go away, no need for a force restart!


[EDIT: Sorry, I missed the bit that you're on a Mac Mini, so the lid trick is not an option for you. I'm on an M1 MBP.]

Jan 10, 2021 10:25 AM in response to MyApple8MyPC

I am having the exact same issue - using a new Apple mini M1 running Big Sur 11.1, - I have found as a work around touch the power button to send the Mac mini to sleep and then once its sleeping - wake up and it gets you back in, that at least avoids a force restart. Seems to be getting worse so have logged an apple support case

Jan 16, 2021 7:22 AM in response to GFH1

I'm having this too and found that sometimes pressing power doesn't work either - so my workaround is to press CTRL+SHIFT+EJECT


Seems to work.


I think it's something to do with fast user switching, I have two profiles set and switch between them, the screensaver seems to come on within the primary profile, even though I don't have a screensaver set.

Screensaver randomly coming on

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