Therefore, it is important to ensure that your MacBook / Air / Pro is otherwise adequately ventilated. You may find that your Mac laptop fans run more often when your computer is running with the lid closed in clamshell mode.īoth the MacBook and MacBook Pro use the keyboard as a way to help heat evaporate, so keeping the machine in a seashell can reduce the cooling efficiency of your Mac. Important notes about using your MacBook or MacBook Pro with the lid closed in clamshell mode: The screens may flash for a moment as the screens adjust to the new setting when exiting shell mode, and this is normal behavior. When the lid is no longer closed, the built-in MacBook / Air / Pro monitor should turn back on. You can exit shell mode at any time by simply lifting the lid on your Mac laptop. How do I exit shell mode on my MacBook Pro, Air?

Whichever method you switch to clamshell mode, your Mac laptop works this way with the lid closed.Ĭlamshell mode works with any modern Mac laptop, including MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and MacBook, and virtually all versions of MacOS and Mac OS X, including MacOS Mojave 10.14, High Sierra, macOS X El Capitan, MacOS Sierra, Mac OS X Yosemite, Mac OS X Mavericks, Mac OS X 10.7, Mac OS X 10.6.8 and even earlier.

The Mac now uses the external monitor as the primary monitor, keeping the laptop in shell mode.

Keep the lid closed, press any key on the external keyboard to wake your MacBook / Pro from sleep.

Put the machine to sleep and close the lid.

Make sure the external keyboard, mouse, power adapter, and external monitor are connected to your MacBook, MacBook Air, or MacBook Pro.

You can place your Mac in shell mode at any time using the hibernation mechanism, here’s how it works: How to use shell mode when waking your Mac from sleep mode That’s it, as long as you have an external keyboard, mouse, and of course an external monitor to use your Mac, you’ll continue to use your Mac laptop in clamshell mode.

Mac OS X now starts up using the external monitor, which is the main screen, and the laptop is in shell mode.

Turn on your MacBook, and when you see the Apple logo, close the lid.

Connect an external keyboard, mouse, power adapter, and monitor to your MacBook, MacBook Pro, or MacBook Air.

Use external keyboard with laptop