How to Restart (Start Up) Your Mac (All Methods Explained)

Restart is always the first thing to do when encountering an error, and for some reason, errors on your Mac, minor ones, will magically resolve after a restart. But do you know Mac has more than just one way of restarting?

Knowing these methods can save you a trip to a technician or Apple Support. In this article, we’ll explore various ways to restart and start up your Mac. Whether it’s troubleshooting a stubborn problem or performing routine maintenance, these methods will help keep your Mac running smoothly.

Overview:

1. Manual Restart

A manual restart is often necessary when your Mac becomes completely unresponsive or frozen. It forces your Mac to shut down and restart, which can help resolve software issues or system crashes that prevent normal operation.

While it’s a more drastic measure, it can be a quick fix for severe problems.

How to Perform a Manual Restart

To manually restart your Mac, press and hold the power button until the screen goes black and the computer shuts off completely.

Wait a few moments, then press the power button again to start your Mac.

Be aware that you may lose any unsaved changes in open documents when performing a manual restart.

2. Restart and Prevent Automatic Login

Preventing automatic login can be useful when troubleshooting login issues or when you need to access a different user account.

This method is especially helpful if a specific user account is causing problems or if you need to perform maintenance tasks under a different account.

It ensures you have control over the login process and can address any issues that might arise.

How to Prevent Automatic Login

To prevent automatic login, start your Mac and wait for the progress indicator to appear on the screen.

As soon as you see the progress indicator, press and hold the left Shift key.

Continue holding the Shift key until the login window appears, then release the key and proceed with logging in.

3. Restart and Prevent Opening of Finder Windows and Login Items

This method is useful when you’re troubleshooting issues that might be caused by login items or previously opened Finder windows.

Sometimes, a problematic application set to start at login can cause your Mac to become slow or unresponsive.

By preventing these items from opening, you can identify and resolve such issues without interference.

How to Prevent Finder Windows and Login Items

After clicking the Log In button in the login window, immediately press and hold the Shift key.

Keep holding the Shift key until you see the desktop.

This will prevent any login items and Finder windows from opening automatically.

4. Start Up in Target Disk Mode

Target disk mode is an efficient way to transfer files between two Macs. This method is particularly useful when one Mac isn’t booting properly, but you need to access its files.

It allows the non-booting Mac to act as an external hard drive, making file transfers quick and easy.

This can also be a lifesaver when performing data migrations or backups.

How to Use Target Disk Mode

To start up your Mac in target disk mode, follow these steps:

1. Use a USB, USB-C, or Thunderbolt cable to connect the two Mac computers (if either Mac has macOS 11 or later, use a Thunderbolt cable).
2. Start the Mac in Target Disk Mode by either starting it up while holding the T key if it’s off, or by going to the Apple menu > System Settings > General > Startup Disk > Restart in Target Disk Mode if it’s already on.
3. Once the Mac has started in Target Disk Mode, its disk icon will appear on the desktop of the other Mac, allowing you to drag files to and from the disk as needed.
4. Eject the disk by dragging its icon to the Trash, which changes to an Eject icon when you drag, then on the Mac used as a disk, press the power button to shut it down and disconnect the cable.

5. Restart and Run Apple Diagnostics

Apple Diagnostics is a powerful tool for identifying hardware issues with your Mac, such as problems with the logic board, memory, or wireless components. This tool can be especially useful if your Mac isn’t starting up properly using macOS.

By running Apple Diagnostics, you can pinpoint the exact hardware issue and seek appropriate repairs, ensuring your Mac’s functionality and safety.

If the diagnostics report a problem, such as a malfunctioning Wi-Fi card, it’s recommended to contact Apple or an authorized service provider for professional repairs, as using non-genuine parts or untrained service can compromise your device.

How to Run Apple Diagnostics

To use Apple Diagnostics, follow these steps:

1. Ensure your Mac is connected to a stable internet connection and disconnect any external devices except the keyboard, mouse, display, and speakers.
2. Shut down your Mac, turn it on and immediately press and hold the D key, releasing the D key when you see a progress bar or a language selection screen.
3. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the diagnostics and review the list of potential issues detected by Apple Diagnostics once the test is complete.
4. Before starting the diagnostics, you might want to print the instructions from the Apple Support article Use Apple Diagnostics to test your Mac by going to File > Print, then clicking Print.

6. Restart and Select a Startup Disk

Changing your Mac’s startup disk can be useful for a variety of reasons, such as booting from an external drive, running a different operating system, or accessing a network volume. This flexibility allows you to troubleshoot issues, perform maintenance tasks, or use specific software environments.

However, be cautious when selecting a network startup volume. Ensure you choose a standard network volume (displayed as a globe with a folder) and not a network install image (shown as a globe with a downward-pointing green arrow), as the latter can reinstall system software and potentially erase your disk’s contents.

How to Change the Startup Disk

To change your Mac’s startup disk and boot from a different drive, network volume, or operating system, follow these steps:

Apple Silicon Macs

1. Shut down your Mac.
2. Press and hold the power button until the “Loading startup options” message appears.
3. Select the desired startup disk from the available options on the screen.
4. Click the Continue button.
5. To set a default startup disk, go to the Apple menu > System Settings, click General in the sidebar, then click Startup Disk on the right, select the icon of the disk you want to use as the default startup disk, and click Restart.

Mac Mini

1. Shut down your Mac Mini.
2. Press and hold the power button until the system indicator light turns amber.
3. Select the desired startup disk from the available options on the screen.
4. Click the Continue button.
5. To set a default startup disk, go to the Apple menu > System Settings, click General in the sidebar, then click Startup Disk on the right, select the icon of the disk you want to use as the default startup disk, and click Restart.

Intel Macs

1. Shut down your Mac.
2. Press and hold the Option key while pressing the power button to start your Mac.
3. When the available startup disks appear on the screen, select the desired disk.
4. Click the Up arrow to continue.
5. To set a default startup disk, go to the Apple menu > System Preferences, click Startup Disk, select the icon of the disk you want to use as the default startup disk, and click Restart.

7. Start Up in Safe Mode

Safe mode is a diagnostic mode that helps you troubleshoot issues by preventing certain software from loading.

This can be particularly useful if your Mac is experiencing problems that may be caused by login items, system extensions, or fonts that load during startup.

Safe mode also runs a basic check of your startup disk, repairing directory issues if needed, which can help improve your Mac’s performance and stability.

How to Use Safe Mode

Starting your Mac in safe mode can help you determine if issues you’re experiencing are caused by software that loads during startup. Here’s how to do it based on your Mac type:

Identifying Your Mac Type

1. Click the Apple menu > About This Mac.
2. If it says “Chip” followed by a name, you have a Mac with Apple silicon.
3. If it says “Processor” followed by the name of an Intel processor, you have an Intel-based Mac.

For Macs with Apple Silicon

1. Shut down your Mac by selecting Apple menu > Shut Down.
2. Once it’s completely shut down (screen is black and lights are off), press and hold the power button until “Loading startup options” appears.
3. Select your startup volume.
4. Press and hold the Shift key, then click Continue in Safe Mode.
5. Your Mac will restart and you should see “Safe Boot” in the menu bar at the login window.

For Intel-based Macs

1. Turn on or restart your Mac.
2. Immediately press and hold the Shift key.
3. Release the Shift key when the login window appears.
4. Log in to your Mac (you might need to log in twice).
5. You should see “Safe Boot” in the menu bar on the login screen.

Verify Safe Mode

To confirm your Mac started in safe mode, use the System Information app:

1. Press and hold the Option key, then click the Apple menu > System Information.
2. Select Software in the sidebar.
3. Check the value next to “Boot Mode” where “Safe” means your Mac is in safe mode and “Normal” means your Mac is not in safe mode.

8. Start Up in macOS Recovery

macOS Recovery provides a versatile set of tools to help you troubleshoot and fix various issues with your Mac.

Whether you need to reinstall macOS, restore from a backup, repair your disk, or change security settings, macOS Recovery has you covered.

It’s particularly useful for addressing problems that prevent your Mac from starting up normally, ensuring you can get your system back to a functional state.

How to Use macOS Recovery

macOS Recovery is a built-in recovery system on your Mac that provides a variety of tools to help you fix your computer. Here’s how to access and use macOS Recovery:

1. To access macOS Recovery, shut down your Mac, turn it on and continue holding the power button until you see “Loading startup options”, then select Options and click Continue.
2. In macOS Recovery, here are the tasks you can do:

   Task	Steps
   Reinstall macOS	Select “Reinstall macOS”, click Continue, and ensure you have an internet connection to download the installation files.
   Restore from Time Machine Backup	Choose “Restore from Time Machine” and follow the on-screen instructions to recover your data.
   Use Disk Utility	Select “Disk Utility” and click Continue to repair or erase your internal storage.
   Browse the Web for Support Information	Select “Safari” and click Continue.
   Set Security Policies	Choose “Startup Security Utility” from the Utilities menu.
   Access Command Line	Select “Terminal” from the Utilities menu.
   Share Disk	Select “Share Disk” from the Utilities menu.
   Set Startup Disk	Choose “Startup Disk” from the Apple menu.

Note: If you need to prepare your Mac for trade-in or sale, use the Erase Assistant in macOS by starting up your computer normally, going to Apple menu > System Settings > General > Transfer or Reset, then clicking “Erase All Content and Settings” and following the instructions.