Mac safe mode and resetting NVRAM or SMC

Safe mode starts your Mac with fewer things running, which helps you find out whether startup software is causing a problem. NVRAM and SMC resets are covered too, but they apply only to older Intel-based Macs.

What you need

First find out which kind of Mac you have, because the steps are different.

1. Choose Apple menu then About This Mac.
2. Look at the Chip or Processor line. A name starting with Apple M, such as M1, means Apple silicon. A name that includes Intel means an Intel-based Mac.

Safe mode does not erase anything. Even so, it is wise to have a recent backup. See how to back up your Mac with Time Machine.

Start in safe mode

Apple says safe mode can help you identify whether problems are caused by software that loads as your Mac starts up. It is a test, not a repair.

Apple silicon Mac

1. Choose Apple menu then Shut Down. Wait until the screen is black and any lights are off.
2. Press and hold the power button until Loading startup options appears. Release it when your startup disk and an Options gear appear.
3. Select your startup disk, usually Macintosh HD.
4. Press and hold Shift, then click Continue in Safe Mode. Release Shift.
5. The Mac restarts by itself. At the login window you should see Safe Boot in the menu bar.

Intel-based Mac

1. Turn the Mac on, or restart it.
2. Immediately press and hold Shift until the login window appears.
3. Log in. You may be asked to log in a second time.
4. On the first or second login window, look for Safe Boot in the menu bar.

Check that safe mode is on

1. Hold down Option and choose the Apple menu, then choose System Information.
2. In the sidebar, select Software.
3. Read the Boot Mode line. Safe means safe mode is on. Normal means it is not.

Use it, then leave it

• Use the Mac for a while. If the problem you had does not appear, startup software, such as login items or extensions, may be the cause.
• To leave safe mode, choose Apple menu then Restart and let the Mac start normally without holding any key.
• If the problem went away only in safe mode, review your login items. See how to speed up a slow Mac.

Reset NVRAM or PRAM (Intel-based Macs only)

NVRAM (also called PRAM) is a small memory that stores settings such as speaker volume, screen resolution and the startup disk. Apple lists the reset under Intel-based Macs. If your Mac has Apple silicon, you do not need it: shut down fully and start the Mac again.

1. Shut down the Mac.
2. Turn it on, wait a few seconds so the Mac can recognize the keyboard, then press and hold Option + Command + P + R together.
3. Keep holding the keys until the Mac restarts, then release them. Press all four keys together, not one at a time.
4. When the Mac has started, open System Settings then Sound and System Settings then Displays to check your settings. On macOS Monterey and earlier, open System Preferences instead.
5. Check the startup disk under System Settings then General then Startup Disk.

Reset the SMC (Intel-based Macs only)

The System Management Controller (SMC) handles power, charging, fans and sleep on older Macs. Apple says you do not need to reset it on a Mac with Apple silicon, and to restart instead. On an Intel-based Mac, Apple describes it for problems with power, charging, fans or sleep.

The key steps differ between a desktop, a laptop with a removable battery, a laptop with a built-in battery, and a Mac with the Apple T2 chip. Use Apple's article "Reset the SMC of your Mac" at support.apple.com for your exact model. This guide does not list the key sequences, so that you do not follow the wrong ones.

If something goes wrong

• Safe mode does not start: repeat the steps carefully. On Intel, press Shift as soon as you power on, and release it only at the login window. On a Mac that will not start at all, see what to try when your Mac will not start.
• The Mac still has the problem in safe mode: the cause is probably not startup software. Try First Aid in Recovery, or reinstall macOS from Recovery.
• An app keeps freezing: see how to force quit a frozen app.

Frequently asked questions