8 Easy Ways to Fix a Mac that Won’t Start-Up

Macbooks are the optimum choice for numerous tech-savvies around the globe due to their sassy look, user-friendly interface, and brand name. However, they are not free from technical or logical glitches. One of the most common problems of Mac is it doesn’t startup.

You press the Power button but it shows nothing but a blank, black screen. Don’t panic; maybe, the Mac can’t get the login screen or macOS has failed loading. Apart from these, there are many causes behind this black screen. 

If you notice that Mac is responding but can’t boot up then Recovery Mode is the best option. However, there are many simple techniques rather than Recovery Mode. 

Here, we are about to discuss them in a detailed procedure, below. So, let’s try out with the simplest ways to revive your Macbook again. 

  • Has the Mac Got Power?

Before blaming your Macbook, make sure that you have properly connected it to a power outlet. If the laptop has exhausted its battery then it’s not possible to turn it on without plugging it into a power source. 

If you have made no mistake in charging the Mac, then check if the adapter is fit and fine. Try plugging in the adapter into another electrical outlet. If you are relying on a Mac that has ended its battery life then you should wait for a few minutes to turn your laptop on.

  • Check the Cables

We haven’t forgotten that Macbooks are also available as desktops. Hence, ensure that your power plug isn’t stuck anywhere among other cables and plug it into an electrical outlet. In case you are struggling with a Mac Mini then check if you connected the Mac Mini to the display. You might reconnect them to assure the best connection.

Have you interfered with the hardware of your Mac? Then, it can be a cause of such a situation. In case you have configured RAM, try reconfiguring it. If this doesn’t work, there are many possible methods to reboot your Mac.

  • It’s Time for a Power Cycle

If you haven’t seen any improvement then you can try a power cycle without any hesitation. Power cycle means to kill the power fed to Mac and reboot. Just hold the Power button of your Macbook for merely a few seconds. Don’t release until you can notice any squeaking sound. After several minutes, you can dare to start your Macbook.

If it’s a desktop then unplug the power plug from the device. Leave everything in the same condition for more or less ten seconds. Now, replug the power cable and turn on your Mac. If it doesn’t work, there are more fixes to go.

  • Is the Display Ok?

In case you are encountering the error to the desktops, especially the Mac Mini and Pro then check if the issue persists due to faulty display. Consider this process only if you have another display at yours. 

Check the entire system by connecting to another display. By the way, you can fix the display issue with a troubleshooting method advised by Apple support. 

Here it goes:

  1. Ensure that you have connected every component to the power source.
  2. Don’t place or connect any kind of device or extenders between Mac and the display.
  3. Reconnect the video cable.
  4. If you have connected to several monitors then unplug them and carry the procedure with a single one.
  5. Moreover, you can try a different monitor. For example, you can switch to VGA instead of DVI or vice versa.

If it doesn’t work, try modifying the screen resolutions. 

5. Initiate Safe Boot

Safe Boot makes sure that Mac uses minimum resources and diagnostics are carried out. Sometimes, safe boot works for Macs. Shut down your Macbook and restart the device by pressing down the Shift key. You have entered a Safe Boot mode.

Additionally, if you want to track what’s going on during Safe Boot you can opt for Verbose mode. To activate, you have to restart your Mac by holding Command, Shift, and V keys down. Through Safe Boot, you might be able to enter the screen with Dock where you can make relevant changes. 

  • Try Recovery Mode

If macOS fails to load then there are chances that the drives have corrupted. You can fix this tantrum in Recovery Mode. If you are on Mountain Lion or an advanced version of macOS then follow the guidelines below:

  1. Mac should be shut down for performing Disk Utility in Recovery mode. If it has stuck with a blue, grey or white screen then press and hold the Power button. Proceed with next steps one you confirm that Mac has turned off.
  2. Hold Command, Power, and R keys. Keep pressing Command and R buttons till you notice the logo of Apple.
  3. Hopefully, you have observed macOS Utilities. Choose the Disk Utility option.
  4. Now, find your primary drive. Click on it followed by the First Aid option.

And, Disk Utility would start an immediate repair of the affected disk, automatically. Otherwise, it would ask your permission to initiate the process, manually.

7. PRAM/NVRAM Reset

NVRAM is a dedicated storage option for Macs. It can store data even if you turn off your Mac. Resetting this NVRAM has helped several users, reportedly. Know how to reset NVRAM or PRAM:

  1. Hold this combination of keys: Option, Command, P, and R. then start the device.
  2. Don’t release those keys until you observe that Mac is restarting.
  3. You can release them after you hear the second reboot.

The Mac should have started normally without any trouble. 

8. SMC Reset

This is another attempt to fix the issue. Otherwise, you have to reinstall the macOS. Here’s what you have to do:

  1. Turn off the Mac and reconnect the Power cable.
  2. Now, hold Option, Shift and Ctrl keys and press the Power button.
  3. Release all of them at the same point in time. You may notice a light on cable flicker.
  4. Reboot the Macbook.

Hopefully, all these methods work for your Macbook and you can experience a seamless performance of the device, again. If none of these works then contact a nearby Macbook repair service provider to resolve critical solutions. 

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