Apple explains why the Mac Mini power button is hidden underneath

There are three reasons Apple opted to hide the Mac Mini M4 power button

(Credit: Apple)

• 🤔 Apple has shared why the power button on the Mac Mini M4 is hidden

• 🤏 It’s mainly because of the Mac Mini’s compact size

• 🤷‍♂️ But also because users apparently never use the power button on a Mac

• 👉 Apple also says the button can be accessed easily, even though it’s underneath

Apple’s design team is revered for good reason, but sometimes the company leaves us all scratching our heads. The most infamous example is the Magic Mouse’s charging port, which is located underneath the device and means you can’t use it when it needs to be charged.

Not only did Apple double down on this baffling design decision for the new USB-C Magic Mouse, but people quickly discovered that the new Mac Mini M4’s power button is also located underneath. Thankfully, Apple has now come out and explained why.

In an interview with the Chinese site ithome, Apple Vice Presidents Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide marketing, and John Ternus, senior vice president of hardware engineering, were asked why they moved the power button to the bottom of the device.

Essentially, the decision came down to two things: the compact new form factor of the Mac Mini and the fact that most people never use the power button on a Mac. “Honestly, most people almost never use the power button a Mac,” one executive remarked.

Though we’d have to try it ourselves, the VPs also said it’s easy to access the power button by tucking a finger underneath to press it. It doesn’t sound like the most intuitive of methods, but if it works, who are we to argue?

Despite the odd power button placement, the Mac Mini has been hailed for its value. We even went as far to say that the Mac Mini M4 base model might be one of the best deals around, thanks to the new chip, extra RAM and optional storage upgrade.

• Up next: Apple is creating a smart home camera, says top analyst

Adam Vjestica is The Shortcut’s Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadar’s Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.