How Do You Get Your Mac Screensaver to Turn On?

If the image on your Mac's screen stays the same over an extended period, it may cause damage to your monitor. Screensavers prevent that damage from occurring by launching automatically after a specific amount of time passes with no user input. In the Macintosh OS X operating system, you can adjust the amount of time you want the computer to wait before launching the screensaver. You can also establish "Hot Corners." When you drag your mouse to the screensaver-designated hot corner, the screensaver launches automatically.

Instructions

1. Go to the "Apple" menu and select "System Preferences." Select "Desktop and Screen Saver" from the "Personal" category. Select the "Screen Saver" tab.

2. Select the desired screensaver from the menu on the left side of the window. The preview of the selected screensaver appears on the right.

3. Adjust the settings of specific screensavers by pressing the "Options" button. Preview the selected screensaver on the full screen by pressing the "Test" button.

4. Adjust the "Start Screen Saver" time bar to the desired time.

5. Press the "Hot Corners" button, if desired, to select a corner of the screen you can go to at any time to activate the screensaver. Press "OK."

6. Press the circular red button at the upper-left corner of the "Desktop & Screen Saver" window to leave System Preferences.

References

• Princeton University Word Net: Screen Saver
• Apple Support: Turning a Screen Saver On or Off