How Can I Set My Synology NAS to Automatically Shut Down and Power On at Specific Dates Each Month?

Scheduling your Synology NAS to power on and off at specific dates each month — such as the 8th and 13th — requires working around DSM’s built-in limitations. The native Power Schedule feature doesn’t support monthly intervals, but several workarounds achieve the same result.

Understanding the Limitation

Synology’s Control Panel → Hardware & Power → Power Schedule allows you to:

• Set daily shutdown/startup times
• Set weekly schedules (specific days of the week)
• NOT set monthly schedules (specific dates of the month)

This limitation affects users who want their NAS operational only during specific monthly windows — common for backup rotations, energy savings, or maintenance schedules.

Method 1: Task Scheduler + Wake-on-LAN (Recommended)

This method uses Synology’s Task Scheduler for automated shutdown and Wake-on-LAN for remote startup.

Part A: Scheduled Monthly Shutdown

1. Open Control Panel → Task Scheduler
2. Click Create → Scheduled Task → User-defined script
3. General tab:
   • Task name: “Monthly Shutdown (13th)”
   • User: root
   • Enabled: checked
4. Schedule tab:
   • Run on the following date: Select “Monthly”
   • Day: 13
   • Time: Your preferred shutdown time (e.g., 23:00)
5. Task Settings tab:
   • User-defined script: shutdown -h now
6. Click OK and enter your admin password

Alternative shutdown command with delay:

sleep 60 && shutdown -h now 

This adds a 60-second delay, useful if you want time to cancel.

Part B: Wake-on-LAN for Monthly Startup

Since the NAS is powered off, it can’t schedule its own startup. You need an external device to send a Wake-on-LAN (WOL) magic packet.

Option 1: Another Always-On Device

Use a Raspberry Pi, router with scripting capability, or another computer to send WOL packets on schedule.

Raspberry Pi example (using cron):

# Edit crontab crontab -e # Add this line to wake NAS at 6:00 AM on the 8th of each month 0 6 8 * * /usr/bin/wakeonlan AA:BB:CC:DD:EE:FF 

Replace AA:BB:CC:DD:EE:FF with your Synology’s MAC address (found in Control Panel → Network → Network Interface).

Option 2: Router with Scheduling

Some routers (ASUS, OpenWrt, pfSense) support scheduled tasks or WOL triggers. Check your router’s documentation.

Option 3: Cloud-Based WOL Service

Services like Depicus WOL or setting up a cloud function (AWS Lambda, etc.) can send WOL packets remotely, though this requires your network to accept WOL from outside (security considerations apply).

Enabling WOL on Synology:

1. Control Panel → Hardware & Power → General
2. Check Enable WOL on LAN (for wired connection)
3. If using Wi-Fi, check Enable WOL on WLAN (less reliable)

Method 2: Smart Plug with Scheduling

The simplest solution for users without technical expertise is a smart plug with built-in scheduling.

How it works:

1. Connect your Synology NAS power cable to a smart plug
2. Configure the smart plug’s app to:
   • Turn ON at 6:00 AM on the 8th of each month
   • Turn OFF at 11:00 PM on the 13th of each month
3. Enable Control Panel → Hardware & Power → General → Restart automatically after power failure

Important settings for power recovery:

• Restart automatically after power failure: Ensures the NAS boots when power is restored
• Power Recovery: Some models have additional power recovery options in BIOS (accessible during boot)

Recommended Smart Plugs:

• TP-Link Kasa Smart Plug — Reliable, supports monthly schedules via app
• Amazon Smart Plug — Works with Alexa routines for scheduling
• Shelly Plug S — Local control option, no cloud required
• Zigbee/Z-Wave plugs — If you have a home automation hub

Caution:

Hard power cuts (smart plug turning off) don’t allow graceful shutdown. To avoid this:

1. Use Task Scheduler to shut down the NAS a few minutes BEFORE the smart plug cuts power
2. Example: NAS shuts down at 22:55, smart plug cuts power at 23:00

Method 3: Advanced Power Manager Package (Limited Models)

Some older Synology models support the Advanced Power Manager package from Package Center, which offers more scheduling options.

To check availability:

1. Open Package Center
2. Search for “Advanced Power Manager”
3. If available, install and configure

Note: This package has been discontinued for newer DSM versions and models. It may not appear on DSM 7.x devices.

Method 4: Full Script-Based Solution

For advanced users, a comprehensive bash script can handle the shutdown logic with more flexibility:

Create the script:

1. Control Panel → Task Scheduler → Create → Scheduled Task → User-defined script
2. Schedule: Daily at a specific time
3. Script:

#!/bin/bash # Get current day of month DAY=$(date +%d) # Shutdown on the 13th if [ "$DAY" -eq "13" ]; then # Optional: Send notification before shutdown synodsmnotify @administrators "NAS Shutdown" "Monthly scheduled shutdown initiated" # Wait 5 minutes for any active transfers to complete sleep 300 # Shutdown shutdown -h now fi 

This script runs daily but only triggers shutdown on the 13th.

For startup notification (after WOL wakes the NAS):

#!/bin/bash # Get current day of month DAY=$(date +%d) # Send notification on the 8th (startup day) if [ "$DAY" -eq "08" ]; then synodsmnotify @administrators "NAS Started" "Monthly scheduled startup completed" fi 

Complete Setup Example

Scenario: NAS should be ON from the 8th to the 13th of each month.

Setup:

1. Smart Plug Schedule:
   • Power ON: 5:55 AM on the 8th
   • Power OFF: 11:30 PM on the 13th
2. Synology Settings:
   • Enable “Restart automatically after power failure”
3. Task Scheduler (Graceful Shutdown):
   • Monthly task on the 13th at 11:00 PM
   • Script: shutdown -h now
4. Result:
   • 8th at 5:55 AM: Smart plug powers on, NAS boots automatically
   • 13th at 11:00 PM: Task Scheduler gracefully shuts down NAS
   • 13th at 11:30 PM: Smart plug cuts power (NAS already off, so no impact)

Troubleshooting

NAS doesn’t wake via WOL:

• Ensure WOL is enabled in DSM (Control Panel → Hardware & Power)
• Check that your router isn’t blocking broadcast packets
• Try using the NAS’s IP address instead of broadcast address
• Verify the MAC address is correct
• Some ISPs block WOL packets — test locally first

NAS doesn’t boot after smart plug power-on:

• Enable “Restart automatically after power failure” in DSM
• Some models require BIOS setting changes (boot with monitor/keyboard attached)
• Check that the power supply isn’t in a fault state

Task Scheduler script doesn’t run:

• Verify the task is enabled
• Check that the user is “root” for shutdown commands
• Review Task Scheduler logs in Log Center

Related Articles

• Best NAS Drives for Synology
• IronWolf vs WD Red NAS Drives
• Synology DS923+ Review

Summary

For most users, combining Task Scheduler (for graceful monthly shutdown) with a smart plug (for power-on scheduling) provides the most reliable solution with minimal complexity.