TL;DR
To reset the SMC on a Mac:
- On MacBooks with removable batteries: Shut down, remove the battery, press the Power button for 5 seconds, reinsert the battery, and turn on the Mac.
- On MacBooks with non-removable batteries: Hold Shift ⇧ + Control ^ + Option ⌥ and the Power for 10 seconds.
- On Mac desktops: Unplug for 15 seconds, reconnect, power on after 5 seconds.
- On Macs with T2 chip: Shut down, hold Power for 10 seconds, release, wait 5 seconds, power on.
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 having performance or battery issues, resetting the SMC can help. It’s a quick fix for common problems like overheating or fan noise. In this post, I’ll show you how to reset it and improve your Mac’s performance.
Warning: Be careful to follow the correct instructions based on your Mac’s model and battery type. Performing an incorrect reset can cause temporary system issues.
How to Reset the SMC on Different Mac Models
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Keep reading for a detailed step-by-step guide to reset the SMC on MacBook, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, Mac mini, iMac, and Mac Pro:
1. Reset the SMC on a MacBook
If you own a Mac laptop, the process for resetting the SMC will vary based on whether your device has a replaceable battery. Generally, older models produced before 2009 had batteries users could easily replace.
Refer to the Removable Battery section only if your Mac has a battery that you can replace without tools.
a. With a Removable Battery
Follow the steps below to reset the SMC:
- Remove your MacBook’s battery.
- Press and hold the Power button for 5 seconds while the battery is removed.
- Release the Power button and reinstall the battery.
- Turn on your Mac by pressing the Power button.
b. With Non-Removable Battery
Alternatively, if you have a MacBook with a non-removable battery, follow these steps:
- Tap the Apple icon and select Shut Down from the drop-down menu.
- Press and hold the Shift ⇧ + Control ^ + Option ⌥ keys with the power button for 10 seconds.
- Release all the keys and press the power button to turn on your MacBook.
2. Reset the SMC on an iMac
If you have a Mac desktop, follow these instructions to reset the SMC:
- Shut down your Mac computer.
- Unplug the power cable.
- Leave the system for 15 or more seconds.
- Plug the cable again.
- Wait for five or more seconds and turn your Mac on again.
3. Reset the SMC on a Mac With a T2 Chip
(iMac Pro, Mac Pro, and more)
Mac computers with Apple’s T2 Security Chip offer a soft technique for resetting the SMC. If your Mac has a T2 chip, follow the steps below to reset the SMC:
- From the Apple menu, shut down the computer by clicking the Apple icon and tapping Shut Down.
- After completely shutting down the device, press and hold the power button for 10 seconds.
- Release the power button and wait for five seconds.
- Finally, press the power button again to turn on your Mac, and its SMC will be reset.
4. How to Reset the SMC on a Mac Mini
If you have a Mac Mini, follow these steps to reset the SMC:
- Selecting Shut Down from the Apple menu.
- Once the device has shut down completely, unplug the power cord.
- After 15 seconds, reconnect the power cord.
- Wait an additional 5 seconds before pressing the power button to turn on your Mac.
- This should complete the SMC reset process on your Mac Mini.
Did you know? The SMC (System Management Controller) controls several hardware functions like power management, battery charging, and fan speed. Resetting the SMC can fix issues related to these components.
Wrapping Up
Now that you know how to reset the SMC on your Mac, you can move on to other steps to optimize your Mac’s performance. Here are a few tips for you:
- Clear cache files to boost Mac performance.
- Regularly clean your Mac to avoid slowdowns from junk files.
- Reset NVRAM/PRAM to fix sluggish performance.
