Essential mac keyboard shortcuts and key combinations. Your mac and os x have a variety of startup keys and key combinations you can use to affect how the device starts up. Mac keyboard shortcuts cheatsheet for windows users. Shift safe boot mode press shift asap after the startup chime. Safe boot hold shift key when booting holding the shift key when booting will launch. This mode is commonly used to troubleshoot startup issues and resolve problems with kernel extensions and custom hardware while allowing you to see exactly whats going on. Safe mode limitations unfortunately, the responsibility to locate software issues still resides with the user in safe mode. If your mac is using a firmware password, it ignores this key combination or starts up from macos recovery.
There are several reasons to start your mac in safe mode. Apr 04, 2012 for example, if you have a time machine backup of your computer on an external drive, you can use startup manager to select that volume and boot to it. The shift key gets pressed automatically only on my macbook pro during startup, and it start up to safe mode. Sep 04, 2014 well use nvram to enable safe booting entirely through the command line, preventing a user from needing to use the standard mac method to boot into safe mode by holding down a shift key upon system start of mac os x, this opens the door for remotely enabling safe mode and improved remote troubleshooting, and for a variety of scripting. Safe mode on mac is the special way to start troubleshooting.
Apr 26, 2012 booting to safe mode in os x is done by holding the shift key at startup, which triggers a minimal boot environment where only basic applesupplied extensions and services are loaded. In macos mojave or later, take a screenshot or make a screen recording. For example, to use command c copy, press and hold the command key, then the c key, then release both keys. Other keyboard shortcuts are available after your mac has started up. Wait for the system to reset and sound the boot chimes once more, and then. Start your mac, then immediately hold the shift key. If your mac has no keyboard to boot up in safe mode or you cant use shift key. All the keyboard shortcuts you can use when starting up your mac. Safe boot hold shift key when booting holding the shift key when booting will launch safe boot, mac os xs version of the windows safe mode. The screen will start in single user mode with a command line. First, here are the available startup key combinations.
Start up your machine while holding down the shift key to have os x only load required kernel extensions and login items. Of course, you will have to beat those common problems by executing command line in the safe mode so that your os runs on very compatible and problemfree. Aug 16, 2018 on the other hand, there are users who want to boot a mac from a disk other than their designated startup disk. Shift key, for instance, starts your mac in safe mode, and c or c starts up from a bootable cd, dvd, or thumb drive. You can stop holding the shift key when you see an apple logo and progress bar. These key combinations must be pressed while powering on the machine or while pressing the power button s commands boot into single user mode commandline v command v boot using verbose mode shift boot using safe mode temporarily disables login items and nonessential kernel stuff option. Or use option command r or shift option command r to start up from macos recovery over the internet.
It also includes an automatic disk check and repair which might resolve boot problems and allow you to start up your. After startup, the screen will seem very much like a terminal. As an example, you could be a geek who dual boots between os x and windows on a regular basis. A safe boot takes longer that a typical startup because it includes a disk check and other operations. Or use shift command 3 or shift command 4 for screenshots. How to boot to safe mode in macos make tech easier. Make tech easier may earn commission on products purchased through our links, which supports the work we do for our readers. Click mouse button and hold not all these functions work with every version of mac os x or with every hardware upgrade, but.
All the special key combinations that change your macs startup. Or, you are a casual user looking to isolate the cause of a software problem in the safe mode or, boot right into recovery os as the last option. The following is a more comprehensive list of the keyboard commands you know and many. V key combination after hearing the startup chime to enter verbose mode. Fixing issues in your mac can offer you severe troubles if you are not fully aware of the programs and computer language. These key combinations must be pressed while powering on the machine or while pressing the power button s commands boot into single user mode command line v command v boot using verbose mode shift boot using safe mode temporarily disables login items and nonessential kernel stuff option. On the other hand, there are users who want to boot a mac from a disk other than their designated startup disk. How to start up your mac from a bootable cddvd, usb thumb.
Of course, you will have to beat those common problems by executing command line in the safe mode so that your os runs on very compatible and problemfree configurations. Jun 26, 2019 this guide explains how to boot mac in safe mode. If you dont have a keyboard to boot up in safe mode, but you can access your mac remotely, configure it to start up in safe mode from a command line. Or use shift command3 or shift command4 for screenshots. But sometimes a mac can seemingly get stuck in safe mode regardless of restarting, and. Booting mac in safe mode can be done in a few easy steps. How long does safe modesafe boot take to apple community. To do this, reboot your mac and then hold down the optioncommandpr keys together when you hear the boot chimes. Jun 02, 2004 if pressed during startup, system will go into safe boot mode and temporarily disable login items and nonessential kernel extension files mac os x 10. You will see all the descriptive text of all the boot steps, similar to windowss safe mode. Safe mode is a macos diagnostic mode designed to fix several problems in your mac. That enters both safe boot and something called verbose mode, which spits out. Fix os x yosemite always booting into safe mode macissues.
Troubleshoot your mac with these hidden startup options. Many users are aware of some boot commands for mac os x that provide different functionality for your system. The ability to boot to safe mode in os x can be affected by hardware faults, settings, and even filevault. Shut down your mac, and then press and hold the leftside shift. On the older macs, shift used to be start without extensions, ctrlappleof would boot to openfirmware, but didnt the intel macs switc. Computer technicians guide to the apple mac boot shortcuts. To start up into safe mode to safe boot, follow these steps. May 07, 2020 experienced mac users swear by keyboard shortcuts. If pressed during startup, system will go into safe boot mode and temporarily disable login items and nonessential kernel extension files mac os x 10. Safe mode if your mac gets stuck during the boot process, booting in safe mode might help you diagnose whats wrong. Open terminal remotely or log in to your mac using ssh to access the command line.
So if you have hit a major snag with your mac, heres a helpful guide to boot it into a safe mode to fix it. His mac always seems to boot into safe mode he writes. When you hold the shift key to boot into safe mode, you are passing a boot variable to os x. Dec 05, 2019 by pressing certain key combinations, you can do things that normally need a mouse, trackpad, or other input device. Sep 14, 2015 safe modeinvoked by pressing and holding the shift. Safe mode on the mac is typically accessed intentionally and on a perboot basis by holding down the shift key during system restart or boot, then whenever the troubleshooting action is complete that required safe mode, the next reboot should be normal again. But sometimes a mac can seemingly get stuck in safe mode regardless of restarting, and the mac then constantly boots into. Troubleshoot from the command line with singleuser mode. If a startup function doesnt work and you use a thirdparty keyboard, connect an apple keyboard and try again. Macos includes several shortcuts and key combinations you can use to quickly access commands and features without having to. For example, if you have a time machine backup of your computer on an external drive, you can use startup manager to select that volume and boot to it. Force mac os x startup if nonmac os x startup volumes are present command v.
Completely shut off the mac off and start it up again by holding down shift to launch in safe boot. To use a keyboard shortcut, press and hold one or more modifier keys and then press the last key of the shortcut. This is mainly popular with the use of fsck to check the computer disk permission. What are the mac hardwares various startup key sequences. Immediately after you hear the startup tone, hold the shift key. To leave safe mode, just reboot your mac without holding the shift key.
Apr 01, 2020 if your mac is using a firmware password, youre prompted to enter the password. D start apple diagnostics from first partition or apple hardware test on pre 2012 macs. Macos includes several shortcuts and key combinations you can use to quickly access commands and features without having to open menus or. How to use the macs mysterious startup keyboard combos.
You can also see a list over at apples support pages. Unfortunatly the key board was in english at thisi level and some characters was not corresponding to the french keyboard. To get some feedback about whats happening, you might choose to start up while holding down shift, command, and v. Find out how to boot your mac in safe mode to identify problems, fix your mac when it is struggling and streamline your macos performance. Shift key, for instance, starts your mac in safe mode, and c or c starts up. How to use os x boot options to troubleshoot your mac techradar. Sep 01, 2016 stuck on apple logo at start up mac fix macbook pro, imac, mac mini, macbook retina display duration. The shift key should be held as soon as possible after the startup tone, but not before the tone. Now release the keys and then turn your mac back on using the power button. To check your drives formatting when your mac cannot boot fully, you have two approaches. Shift command3 to take a screenshot on a mac shift command4 for more screen shot tools shift command5 for even more screen shot we cover these last three in more detail here.
It is a unixlike interface where you can enter many simple commands to troubleshoot the machine. How to use os x boot options to troubleshoot your mac. Commands is for singleuser mode, which essentially means booting to the. Or use optioncommandr or shift optioncommandr to start up from macos recovery over the internet. Start up your machine while holding down the shift key to have os x only load required. Sep 01, 2018 safe mode on the mac is typically accessed intentionally and on a perboot basis by holding down the shift key during system restart or boot, then whenever the troubleshooting action is complete that required safe mode, the next reboot should be normal again. Reboot your mac and hold commandr at startup to enter recovery mode. In singleuser mode, youll be presented with a textmode terminal you can use to enter commands you might need to troubleshoot problems. To boot your intelbased mac into any of the macos builtin startup modes, you must press and hold one or more keys detailed below after turning on the computer. A fix for os x hanging at startup, even in safe mode. Feb 07, 2020 safe mode is a macos diagnostic mode designed to fix several problems in your mac.