TL;DR
To boot Mac into recovery mode:
- On Intel-based Mac: Restart your Mac and press and hold the Command ⌘ + R keys with the Power button.
- On Apple Silicon Mac: Press and hold the Power button until the Startup Options screen appears.
Tried and Tested ✅: The methods and steps mentioned in this article have been tried and tested firsthand by Ojash Yadav on his MacBook Pro M3 and rechecked for errors on Hashir’s MacBook Air M2.
If your Mac is acting up and you’re not sure what to do, macOS Recovery Mode might be the answer. It’s helped me troubleshoot several issues, and I’ll guide you through how it can help you too.
When to Use macOS Recovery Mode
Here are common situations where you should use macOS Recovery Mode:
- Factory Resetting a Mac: Before selling or giving away your Mac, use Recovery Mode to erase your data and reinstall a clean version of macOS. This protects your personal information.
- Recovering Data After a Crash: If your Mac crashes and won’t start, Recovery Mode helps you repair the disk or restore your data using a Time Machine backup.
- Fixing Startup Problems: If your Mac won’t boot properly or gets stuck on the Apple logo, you can troubleshoot and fix startup issues by reinstalling macOS or using Disk Utility.
- Removing Malware: In case of malware or viruses, Recovery Mode lets you reinstall macOS to remove the threat and start fresh.
- Repairing Disk Errors: If your Mac is slow or files are corrupt, use Disk Utility in Recovery Mode to repair disk errors and improve performance.
How to Boot Mac Into Recovery Mode
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Before I explain how to boot Mac into Recovery mode, note that the steps differ for Intel-based and Apple Silicon Macs. Here’s how to check your processor type on Mac:
Go to Apple menu > About This Mac.
- If the new box says Chip, you have Apple silicon
- If the new box says Processor, you have an Intel Mac
You can click the More Info button to find out more about your Mac’s firmware.
Now, I have an Apple M1 Mac, so I’ll start with that:
1. Boot Apple Silicon Mac into Recovery Mode
Follow these steps to boot your Apple Silicon Mac with M1, M2, or M3 chip into Recovery Mode:
- Shut down your Mac by choosing the Apple menu > Shut Down.
- Press and hold the Power button until you see the Startup Options screen.
- Click Options, then click Continue.
This will boot your Apple Silicon Mac into Recovery Mode. When the Recovery app appears, choose from the available options in the window or menu bar.
2. Boot Intel-based Mac into Recovery Mode
Here’s a step-by-step guide to boot your Intel-based Mac into Recovery Mode:
- Click the Apple menu and select Restart.
- Press and hold one of these key combinations until the startup screen appears
- Command ⌘ + R: Start from the built-in macOS Recovery to reinstall the latest macOS or use other Recovery apps.
- Option ⌥ + Command ⌘ + R: Start from macOS Recovery over the internet to reinstall and upgrade to the latest compatible macOS.
- Shift ⇧ + Option ⌥ + Command ⌘ + R: Start from macOS Recovery over the internet to reinstall the macOS that came with your Mac or the closest available version.
- If prompted, enter your Mac’s password.
- If you have multiple volumes, select the one to recover and click Next.
- Choose an admin account, enter the password, and click Continue.
This will boot your Intel-based Mac into Recovery Mode. When the Recovery app appears, select an option from the window or menu bar.
💡 Tip: If your Mac doesn’t enter Recovery Mode, reboot it and hold Option ⌥ + Command ⌘ + R or Shift ⇧ + Option ⌥ + Command ⌘ + R to force boot into macOS Recovery Mode via the internet.
What Can You Do in macOS Recovery Mode?
macOS Recovery Mode offers several tools that help you fix problems with your Mac. Here’s what you can do:
- 🔄 Reinstall macOS: You can reinstall a clean copy of macOS if your system has issues or you want to start fresh. This won’t erase your files unless you choose to wipe the disk first.
- 🛠️ Use Disk Utility to Repair Your Disk: If your Mac is slow or files seem corrupt, use Disk Utility to scan and repair disk errors. This helps improve your Mac’s performance.
- 🕒 Restore From a Time Machine Backup: You can restore your Mac from a previous Time Machine backup to recover lost data or fix issues by going back to an earlier system state.
- 🌐 Access Safari for Online Help: Recovery Mode includes a basic version of Safari so you can browse the web and search for solutions or visit Apple Support while troubleshooting.
- 💻 Use Terminal for Advanced Commands: For advanced users, the Terminal in Recovery Mode allows you to run special commands, such as resetting passwords or fixing complex system issues.
Repair Your Mac In Recovery Mode
Knowing how to boot your Mac into Recovery Mode can help fix various system-related issues. Here are some more tips to troubleshoot Mac issues:
- If the standard Recovery Mode is not working, boot your Mac into Internet Recovery Mode.
- If you suspect hardware issues affecting your system performance, run Apple Diagnostics on your Mac.
- Back up your Mac data to cloud or an external drive before any disk repairs or reinstallation.