Here’s How DIYers Plan to Fix the Mac Mini’s Awkward Power Button

Apple’s all-new Mac mini with M4 is acceptable to deed store shelves connected Nov. 8. Even earlier astir people tin get their hands connected one, designers are already trying to hole a expected flaw successful the design. The Mac mini puts the powerfulness fastener connected the underside of the device. In response, DIYers person devised a fewer caller methods for turning it connected without digging underneath with their fingers similar a unsighted rodent searching for its hole.

The previous Mac mini was acold longer than the new, 5- by 5-inch small Mac, though the caller mentation is astir .5 inches taller than before. Apple’s erstwhile tiny desktop instrumentality besides stood overmuch much level connected the desk, and the institution enactment the “on” fastener on the rear information adjacent to the powerfulness port. The caller Mac mini packs 3 Thunderbolt 4 oregon Thunderbolt 5 USB-C (with the amended larboard restricted to the mentation with M4 Pro chips), an HDMI, and a powerfulness port. The powerfulness fastener is alternatively located connected the bottommost of the instrumentality connected the raised support supra the instrumentality intake and exhaust.

While that fastener is not needfully hard to press, particularly since the instrumentality weighs lone 1.5 pounds, it’s surely not the astir intuitive design. Apple expects astir radical to enactment their devices to sleep, and they volition seldom request to usage the powerfulness button. Despite that, a fewer radical online who cognize they whitethorn privation to property the fastener much often person crafted their ain 3D models for fastener switches.

One of the astir notable designs comes from self-described hardware hacker Ivan Kulashov. On his Twitter page, Kulashov debuted the iFixTheButton, a elemental 3D-printed azygous hinge plan that acts arsenic a powerfulness power flipper. He said helium modeled the iFixTheButton based connected Apple’s stated dimensions and past loaded it into a 3D model, stating, “[I] judge it volition work.” He included links to the files for anybody to download and print.

While it seems elemental and effective, I’m much funny successful different 1 of Kulashov’s designs. He showed a render for a circular pad that the Mac mini mightiness beryllium connected apical of. The thought is that a idiosyncratic could property the Mac mini itself down onto brushed pads. When pressed, a raised nub disconnected the broadside of the pad would deed the powerfulness fastener to crook it on.

https://x.com/Merocle/status/1851583379621228806

Japanese Twitter idiosyncratic @shapoco created another, two-hing flip-switch powerfulness fastener presser. It sits connected apical of the Mac mini, and erstwhile you property down connected a lever, it should property successful connected the button. The creator wrote connected their account—as transcribed with instrumentality translation—that they “just wanted to marque it easier to property the powerfulness button” and weren’t trying to knock Apple’s plan decisions.

They added, “I already recognize Apple’s intent successful placing the powerfulness fastener connected the bottom, but since I ordered a Mac mini for occasional verification, I astir apt volition not usage it regularly and whitethorn interaction its powerfulness power much than others.”

https://x.com/shapoco/status/1851998987714511099

There are adjacent much 3D people renders making the rounds. One is from idiosyncratic danielha2058, who made his people disposable connected MakerWorld. This plan includes a rod and a fastener connected top. When pressed, it pivots a flipper connected the bottommost with capable unit to hopefully crook the Mac mini connected oregon off.

The Mac mini isn’t yet disposable for consumers, truthful it’s hard to archer whether immoderate of these designs volition bash the job. Still, it’s ever bully to spot autarkic makers solving problems, adjacent those caused by multi-billion dollar companies.