How to Start Your Mac in Safe Mode

Easy-to-follow steps on starting your Mac in Safe Mode

Co-authored by Jack Lloyd

Last Updated: August 11, 2022 Tested

This wikiHow teaches you how to restart your Mac into Safe Mode. Safe Mode is a diagnostic tool that disables non-essential programs and services on your Mac, thus allowing you to remove troublesome programs or change persistent settings.

Steps

1
Prompt your Mac to restart. If your Mac is currently on, you'll need to begin restarting it before you can access Safe Mode. Click the Apple menu
, click Restart..., and click Restart when prompted.
- If your Mac is already off, press the "Power"
  key or button to begin starting up your Mac.
2
Press and hold the ⇧ Shift key. As soon as your Mac begins restarting, hold down the ⇧ Shift key and don't let go.
- If you're using a Bluetooth keyboard, make sure you press ⇧ Shift after the boot-up sound (or directly after the Apple logo appears).^{[1]
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3
Wait for the login screen to appear. This screen will pop up after a minute or two.
4
Release the ⇧ Shift key. Once the login screen appears, your Mac should be in Safe Mode, meaning you can release the ⇧ Shift key.
5
Log into your Mac. Select your user account, then enter your account password to do so.
- If your Mac has FileVault enabled, you'll first need to log in to unlock your Mac's startup disk.^{[2]
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6
Troubleshoot program problems. If you've been having an issue with your Mac's startup sequence or general operation, look to see if the problem persists while in Safe Mode; if it doesn't, one of your Mac's programs is probably at fault.
- Unfortunately, if the problem is still present, your Mac's base hardware or software is causing the issue.
7
Disable startup programs. While you're in Safe Mode, remove any problematic or resource-heavy programs from your list of startup items. This will help your Mac boot up faster.
- You can also remove problematic applications, such as third-party antivirus suites or stubborn programs, in Safe Mode.
8
Restart your Mac to exit Safe Mode. When you're done using Safe Mode on your Mac, click the Apple menu
and click Restart..., then follow any on-screen prompts. Your Mac will restart into its regular mode.

Community Q&A

Question

I migrated all of my files and apps to a new mac and evidently it sucked everything out of my older mac because now that one doesn't work at all. It's not even starting up in safe mode! There was nothing wrong with the computer, I just wanted to update to the newer one.

Community Answer

If the computer is not starting up, you may need to reinstall the operating system. You can take a look at the article on How to Install MacOS for general guidelines.
Question

Why does my Mac not start in Safe Mode?

Aasim

Top Answerer

Your keyboard is probably not working. Insert an external keyboard, hold the shift key on the external keyboard, and try again.
Question

What do I do if my Mac goes into safe mode on its own when I turn it off, and back on again?

Aasim

Top Answerer

Your Mac likely started from something different called macOS recovery. This is used when the necessary boot files are damaged or destroyed. Your Mac may also be starting from internet recovery, which uses a PXN network to download damaged boot files.