A UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) offers crucial protection for your Mac against power surges, spikes, brownouts, and outages. However, if you're away from your Mac when the power goes out, the UPS could run out of battery before power is restored or you return. Fortunately, by connecting your Mac to the UPS via a USB cable, macOS can detect the power outage and automatically shut your Mac down safely.
To avoid losing unsaved work, make it a habit to save documents before stepping away from your Mac. Additionally, macOS provides customizable shutdown settings for when your UPS battery is in use. These can be found under System Settings > Energy Saver > UPS Options, where you can choose to shut down your Mac under any of these conditions:
- After a specified duration of using the UPS battery
- When the UPS battery’s remaining time falls below a certain threshold
- When the battery level of the UPS drops below a set percentage
You can enable all three settings to ensure extra safety. Keep in mind that macOS may take a few minutes to shut down completely, so it's a good idea to choose shorter time limits to minimize risk. Most UPS models from leading manufacturers.
Routine Testing and Maintenance:
It's a good practice to test your UPS periodically to ensure it's functioning properly and the battery is still holding a charge. Here’s how you can test your UPS:
- Charge the UPS: Ensure the UPS is fully charged before testing. This may take several hours if it's been in use.
- Simulate a Power Outage: With your Mac plugged into the UPS, unplug the UPS from the wall to simulate a power failure.
- Observe UPS Behavior: The UPS should continue powering your Mac, and macOS should detect the outage. If you’ve set up automatic shutdown options, the system will eventually begin the shutdown process based on your settings.
- Check Battery Life: Monitor how long the UPS lasts and whether it matches the expected battery runtime. If the UPS drains faster than anticipated, it may be time to replace the battery.
After Power is Restored: Once power returns, verify that your Mac starts up without issues. Check for any data loss or file corruption, particularly if you had open documents or ongoing processes before the shutdown. If something appears off, use Time Machine or other backup tools to recover lost data. It’s also helpful to ensure your UPS is fully charged and ready for the next potential outage.
(Featured image by Adam Engst)
