1. Perform a Power Cycle
- If your Mac is stuck, a power cycle can help.
- Hold the power button until your Mac turns off.
- Wait a few seconds, then press the power button to turn it back on.
2. Check Peripheral Devices
- Disconnect all external devices (USB drives, printers, etc.).
- Try to boot your Mac again.
- If it boots successfully, one of the peripherals might be causing the issue. Reconnect them one by one to identify the problematic device.
3. Boot into Safe Mode
- Safe Mode loads only essential system components and performs a disk check.
- Shut down your Mac.
- Turn it on and immediately press and hold the Shift key.
- Release the Shift key when you see the login window.
- If your Mac boots successfully, restart it normally and see if the issue is resolved.
4. Reset NVRAM
- NVRAM stores certain settings that a restart doesn’t reset.
- Shut down your Mac.
- Turn it on and immediately press and hold Option + Command + P + R.
- Release the keys after about 20 seconds, or when you hear the startup sound for the second time.
5. Reset the SMC
- The SMC controls power management and other functions.
- Shut down your Mac.
- For laptops with non-removable batteries: Press and hold Shift + Control + Option on the left side of the keyboard, then press and hold the power button for 10 seconds. Release all keys, then press the power button to turn on your Mac.
- For desktop Macs: Unplug the power cord, wait 15 seconds, plug it back in, wait 5 seconds, then turn on your Mac.
6. Run Disk Utility in Recovery Mode
- Disk Utility can help you find and repair disk problems.
- Restart your Mac and hold Command + R until the Apple logo appears.
- In the macOS Utilities window, select “Disk Utility”.
- Select your startup disk and click “First Aid” > “Run”.
7. Reinstall macOS in Recovery Mode
- If Disk Utility doesn’t find any issues, you may need to reinstall macOS.
- Restart your Mac and hold Command + R until the Apple logo appears.
- In the macOS Utilities window, select “Reinstall macOS” and follow the on-screen instructions.
- This will reinstall macOS without affecting your data.
8. Use Target Disk Mode
- If you have another Mac and a compatible cable, you can use Target Disk Mode to access your files.
- Shut down the problem Mac.
- Connect the two Macs using a Thunderbolt, FireWire, or USB-C cable.
- Turn on the problem Mac and immediately press and hold the T key.
- The problem Mac’s hard drive should appear as an external drive on the other Mac, allowing you to copy important files.
9. Check for Hardware Issues
- If none of the above steps work, there may be a hardware issue.
- Listen for unusual sounds from your Mac (like beeping or clicking) which can indicate hardware problems.
- Visit an Apple Store or contact Apple Support for a hardware diagnostic.