Why is my MacBook not turning on? Secure ways to troubleshoot [2025]

Mac cannot boot? Don’t panic! This guide helps you easily check

The sudden failure of the Mac to boot is a panic, especially concerns about unsaved files and photos. But don't worry, most problems are not difficult to solve. Often, the problem is simple, such as a battery runs out or a system glitch. Rarely, problems may involve more serious hardware failures.

Let's calm down and gradually troubleshoot the question "Why can't my MacBook start?"

What to do if your MacBook doesn't start?

Before you contact Apple Support, you can try some ways to solve the problem yourself.

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1. Make sure your Mac is powered on

The battery is out of power or the charger is not connected to the Mac can fail to boot. Please check if your Mac is connected to a charger that has been plugged into a power outlet. This sounds simple, but sometimes the simplest steps are the easiest to ignore.

If the Mac still fails to boot, check that the adapter is working properly. Depending on your Mac model, the MagSafe power cord color indicator will show green when fully charged and amber when charging.

Tip: Be careful about wear wires, pungent odors and burnt marks of the power adapter, which may indicate a malfunction of the adapter. If there are any of these signs, you must replace the adapter to make sure your Mac gets the power you need.

2. Perform a forced restart

Forced restart will cut off all power supplies, including battery power. Sometimes, your Mac may be stuck in sleep mode and cannot wake up. At this point, a forced restart (forced startup of the Mac) may help. This approach can also solve other issues such as screen freeze, application crashes, and Wi-Fi issues.

The steps to force restart your MacBook are as follows:

1. Press and hold the power button for 10 seconds. This will force the Mac to go to a shutdown state and cut off all its hardware.
2. Wait for a few seconds.
3. Press the power button to turn it on.

If your Mac doesn't boot and the problem isn't as serious as it initially seems, this approach may help.

3. Reset PRAM/NVRAM

PRAM/NVRAM is the type of memory that stores configurations used by certain Mac services, even if your Mac is turned off. This includes boot disk selection or system configuration. If they are corrupted, your Mac may not boot. This happens rarely, but you can still try resetting PRAM/NVRAM to null state as one of the possible solutions.

Here is how to reset memory on an Intel processor or earlier version of your Mac:

1. Disconnect all devices from your Mac.
2. Press and hold the power button and hold it at the same time Command Option PR .
3. Press and hold these keys for 20 seconds.
4. Release the button to start the Mac.

Note: The M-series Mac only has NVRAM, which will automatically reset on startup. This means that it will automatically reset when you cycle the power to your Mac. Check out our guide to learn more about resetting PRAM/NVRAM.

4. Start to recovery mode

You can use recovery mode to repair your Mac. It's worth a try, as it can help determine if a disk problem, such as a corrupt file or a permission error, is causing the problem.

To enter recovery mode with Intel-based Mac and earlier versions:

1. Press the power button to turn on or restart your Mac.
2. Press and hold Command R , until you see the Apple logo. This will pop up the macOS utility window.
3. Click Disk Utility > Continue.
4. Click First Aid.
5. Follow the on-screen instructions.

To enter recovery mode using an M-series Mac:

1. If your Mac is turned off, press and hold the power button until you see the Options and System Volume buttons.
2. Click Options > Continue.
3. Select a user account and enter your password.
4. In the macOS Utilities window, click Disk Utilities > Continue.
5. Click First Aid.
6. Select the hard drive you want to recover and follow the instructions.

After booting into recovery mode, it is recommended that you use Get Backup Pro to back up files. You can create copies of important files or bootable clones of your Mac and save them on external disk. This way, if the startup problem of your Mac still persists, you can still access your files. Also, if your Mac cannot boot because it has failed, you can use the Recover to Any Computer feature to restore the file to another Mac.

5. Check the Mac's hardware

Unless you are a qualified technician, I do not recommend that you remove your Mac and inspect RAM, hard drives, and other peripherals. Like all laptops, the internal electronics of the Mac are sensitive to static electricity, liquids, high temperatures, and incorrect operations, so your Mac may not be able to boot later.

Instead, it is better to use Apple Diagnostics to find out if there is a problem with the hardware.

If you are using a Mac with an Apple chip, follow these steps:

1. Press and hold the power button. Wait until you see "Options".
2. Release the power button.
3. Press and hold Command D .
4. Follow the on-screen instructions.

Wait for Apple Diagnostics to complete its operations.

For Intel-based Mac users, here is how to run Apple Diagnostics:

1. Start the Mac.
2. Press and hold the D key immediately.
3. When you see a progress bar or language selection, release the key.
4. Wait for Apple Diagnostics to check your Mac.

Once the results are obtained, compare the reference code with the code provided here by Apple. From there, you will understand the root cause and follow-up actions.

For example, if you see PPT002 or PPT003, it means the battery of the Mac is worn and needs to be replaced. But let's not wait until it's too late. You can use AlDente to extend the life of your Mac battery. The app limits the charging rate so the battery can last longer. With the "Thermal Protection" feature, you can stop the charging process because the battery temperature may be too high when the Mac is fully charged.

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6. Check the monitor

If your MacBook Pro doesn't boot but is charging, the monitor may be the problem. Before you draw a conclusion, try adjusting the brightness by pressing the Increase Brightness key. No response? OK, maybe something is wrong with the monitor.

Often, you will see signs of a display failure, such as a flashing screen, distortion, or a color error. But there are some cases where it fails without any warning.

Listen carefully to the Mac after booting:

• For MacBook Pro: If you hear a boot prompt or the sound of the internal fan and drive, but the display is still blank, it may indicate a problem with the display.
• For MacBook Air: The Air version does not have a fan. Check if the indicator light is on. If so, it means your Mac is turned on, but the monitor may be malfunctioning.

You can also check the connection cable or test the device with another monitor. If your Mac monitor still fails, call Apple Support and send it to repair.

7. Start your Mac in Safe Mode

If the problem is not resolved, restart your Mac in safe mode to skip small processes that prevent the device from working properly, such as startup items or system extensions.

For Intel and M-series Macs, the steps to boot into safe mode are slightly different.

If you are using an Intel processor Mac:

1. Open your Mac (if possible).
2. Hold down the Shift key until you see the Apple logo.
3. Log in to your Mac.

If you are using an M-series Mac:

1. Press and hold the power button.
2. When you see "Load Boot Options", select Boot Disk Volume.
3. Hold down the Shift key.
4. Click Continue in Safe Mode.
5. Release Shift key and log in to your Mac.

For both versions of Mac, you should see "Safe Boot" in the menu bar of the login window.

If you manage to enter safe mode, you can determine that the root cause is related to the software. This means no expensive repair is required. Yes, I heard your relieved sigh.

8. Reset the System Management Controller (SMC)

However, if your Mac is running an Intel chip, you need to try resetting the SMC, an internal component that controls power-related features. If the SMC does not function properly, it may prevent the Mac from booting.

To reset the SMC on your Mac, press and hold the power button and hold it at the same time Shift Control Option 10 seconds. Release the button and press the power button again.

If the issue is related to SMC, your Mac will be able to boot again as usual.

Note: This instruction is for Intel-based Macs. It is not recommended to run this process on a MacBook using an M chip, as this model uses different power management systems integrated into the architecture.

9. Regularly backup and monitor your Mac

The truth is, you never know when your Mac will fail and refuse to boot. It can be laborious to complete all of these steps I described earlier. Worse, if the problem is too serious, you may not be able to recover the data. That's why I strongly recommend you keep a close eye on your Mac's health, such as CPU, GPU, RAM, and other metrics.

To do this, please install Novabench. The app analyzes your Mac and provides suggestions on optimizing its performance. From there, you can take appropriate steps to speed up your Mac.

The app also has stress testing capabilities that can evaluate your CPU, GPU, and RAM under reload. This helps identify potential issues and ensure that the Mac runs stably before it's too late.

Tip: If you want to make it easier to improve your Mac's performance, use CleanMyMac. It is a one-click first aid tool for cleaning up your Mac, removing malware and fixing many issues, including startup issues. Once the application is opened, run Smart Maintenance to perform a full cleanup, or go to Performance and Cleanup to perform the necessary troubleshooting.

Why doesn't my MacBook start? (Solved)

In fact, there are many reasons, some of which can only be known after hours of troubleshooting. If your Mac doesn't boot, follow the step-by-step guide described in this article.

Hopefully the app I mentioned makes troubleshooting your Mac easier.

It is wise to back up important files with Get Backup Pro, because you never know if you will encounter similar problems again. Also, use the apps I mentioned to optimize the performance of your Mac and prevent power issues.

• Use Novabench to analyze the performance of your Mac and highlight possible problems.
• CleanMyMac and scan for malware to improve its performance.
• Use AlDente to reduce the charging limit of your Mac battery and extend its lifespan.

You can try these apps for free for seven days with Setapp, a platform that contains over 250 essential utilities and apps for Mac and iPhone. Try it. For me, it was a treasure trove that saved me more than once when my Mac needed extra care.

FAQ

My MacBook screen is black and what should I do if I can't start it?

Perform a forced restart. To do this, press and hold the power button for 10 seconds. If your Mac is stuck in sleep mode, you will be able to turn it on again after circulating its power.

How to force startup of Mac?

If your Mac refuses to boot, you can perform a forced restart. To do this, press and hold the power button for 10 seconds. This will power off the internal hardware and allow your Mac to restart.

Why doesn't my MacBook start when charging?

Reset the SMC of your Mac. Press and hold Power Button Shift Control Option And hold for 10 seconds. Release and start the Mac. This is only available for Macs using Intel chips.

How do I turn on my MacBook Pro when it doesn't boot?

Boot the Mac into recovery mode. Then, click Disk Utility > Continue > First Aid and select the drive you want to recover. In some cases, you can prevent this problem in advance by monitoring the health of your Mac with Novabench and taking precautions.

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