Mac Won’t Turn On? Complete Troubleshooting for Every Mac Model
Your Mac shows a black screen, won’t boot, or only shows a logo and gets stuck. Here is how to fix it for Intel and Apple Silicon Macs.
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If the Screen Is Completely Black
First, make sure the Mac has power. For laptops, connect the charger and look for the charging indicator light. If there is no light, try a different charger or outlet. Press and hold the power button for 10 seconds to force shutdown. Wait 10 seconds, then press the power button once normally. If you hear the startup chime or see the Apple logo, the Mac is booting. For desktop Macs, check the power cable connection and try a different outlet. Also check that the display cable is firmly connected if using an external monitor.
Apple Silicon Macs (M1, M2, M3, M4)
If your Mac has an Apple Silicon chip (2020 or newer), the troubleshooting is different from Intel Macs. To enter recovery mode, shut down completely and then press and hold the power button until you see Loading Startup Options. Select Options and click Continue. From Recovery Mode, you can repair the disk using Disk Utility, reinstall macOS, or restore from a Time Machine backup. If the Mac does not respond to holding the power button, it may need to be restored using another Mac and Apple Configurator.
Intel Macs: Reset NVRAM and SMC
For Intel Macs, two resets often fix boot problems. NVRAM reset: shut down, then turn on and immediately hold Option+Command+P+R for 20 seconds. Release and let the Mac boot. SMC reset for MacBooks with T2 chip: shut down, press and hold Control+Option+Shift on the left side for 7 seconds, then also press and hold the power button for another 7 seconds (all four keys held simultaneously). Release everything, wait a few seconds, then press the power button normally.
Stuck on Apple Logo or Progress Bar
If the Mac shows the Apple logo but never finishes booting, or the progress bar gets stuck, boot into Safe Mode. For Apple Silicon: shut down, press and hold the power button, click the startup disk, then hold Shift and click Continue in Safe Mode. For Intel: restart and hold Shift immediately until you see the login screen. Safe Mode runs basic diagnostics and clears system caches. If Safe Mode boots successfully, restart normally — the issue often resolves itself. If it does not, boot into Recovery Mode and run First Aid in Disk Utility.
