TL;DR
To boot your Mac in Safe Mode:
- Apple Silicon Macs: Shut down, hold the Power button to access startup options, then press Shift ⇧ and select Continue in Safe Mode.
- Intel-Based Macs: Restart, hold Shift ⇧ until the login screen appears, then release and log in to enter Safe Mode.
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.
Booting a Mac in Safe Mode is one of the best ways to troubleshoot problems, and it often clears up issues quickly. In this post, I’ll walk you through the steps to enter Safe Mode on both Apple Silicon and Intel-based Macs, so you can fix whatever’s causing trouble.
How to Boot Your Mac in Safe Mode
Why You Can Trust MacBook Journal 
We always conduct first-hand research and verify every method or solution we present, ensuring you receive reliable and effective advice. Learn more about our process.
Below, I’ll walk you through the step-by-step instructions to boot your Mac in Safe Mode.
If you’re unsure about your Mac’s processor, you can find out from Apple’s official support page.
Apple Silicon Macs
Here’s how to boot your Mac in Safe Mode on an Apple Silicon chip:
- Shut down your Mac by clicking the Apple icon and choosing Shut Down from the drop-down menu.
- Wait for your Mac to shut down completely, and press the Power button to turn it on.
- Keep holding the Power button until you see the Loading startup options screen.
- Select a volume from the options.
- Press and hold the Shift ⇧ key and click Continue in Safe Mode.
- Your Mac will restart automatically, and you will see Safe Boot in the menu bar when the login screen appears.
Intel-Based Macs
Here’s how to boot your Intel-based Mac in Safe Mode:
- Restart or turn on your Mac and press and hold the Shift ⇧ key immediately.
- Keep holding the Shift ⇧ key until you see the login screen.
- Release the Shift ⇧ key and log in to your Mac.
- You may be asked to log in again.
- You’ll see Safe Boot in the menu bar on your first or second login window.
How Do I Know if My Mac Is in Safe Mode?
It’s super easy to tell if your Mac is in Safe Mode. When you start your computer in Safe Mode, your screen will display Safe Boot in red letters in the menu bar.
Rebooting Your Mac in Regular Mode
Now that you’ve used Safe Mode to solve your Mac’s problems, it’s time to bring it back to regular mode. Rebooting your Mac in regular mode is pretty straightforward.
Here’s how to reboot your Mac in regular mode:
- Click the Apple icon and select Restart.
- Wait for your Mac to restart and boot up in regular mode.
Troubleshoot Mac Problems in Safe Mode
Now that your Mac is back in optimized condition, you may want to keep it that way. Here are some of the best ways to optimize your Mac’s performance:
- Keep your system running smoothly by clearing cache on your Mac.
- Avoid app crashes and reduce app startup time by updating apps on Mac.
- Identify and uninstall problematic apps from Mac to keep them running without crashes and unresponsive windows.
