MacBook Won't Turn On? 8 Fixes That Work

Quick fix

Plug the Mac into a working outlet with its own charger and give a fully drained MacBook up to 20 minutes to charge, then hold the power button (or Touch ID) for about 10 seconds, let go, and press it again to turn it on.

What it means

When a Mac won't turn on, it usually has no power, a fully drained battery, or it is actually on but stuck with a dark screen. Less often, an accessory, a software problem or a hardware fault stops it from starting. The fixes below go from simple power checks to Apple's built-in recovery tools.

Common causes

The battery is completely drained
A loose or faulty power cable, adapter or outlet
The Mac is on but stuck with a black screen
An accessory such as a hub or drive interfering with startup
A software or startup disk problem
On older Intel Macs, a power controller (SMC) glitch
Liquid damage or another hardware fault

How to fix it

Work down the list. Each fix is safe to try before moving on to the next.

01If it got wet or was dropped, don't charge it yetEasy

Unplug the power adapter and disconnect any accessories.
Don't try to charge it or keep pressing the power button.
Contact Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider and tell them what happened.

Why it helps: Powering a wet or damaged Mac can make the damage worse.

02Check the power and let it chargeEasy

Make sure the power cable is firmly plugged into the Mac and into a wall outlet you know works.
Check the cable and adapter for damage. Stop using anything that is frayed, bent or burned.
If you have another compatible Apple cable or power adapter, try it.
On a MacBook, leave it plugged in for a while before trying to turn it on, since a fully drained battery needs some charge first. Apple says a Mac that has been stored for a long time may need about 20 minutes of charging.
On a Mac mini, Mac Studio or Mac Pro, make sure the external display is plugged in, connected to the Mac and turned on.

Why it helps: Most Macs that seem dead simply have no power reaching them or a battery that is completely empty.

03Force it off, then turn it onEasy

Press and hold the power button for about 10 seconds. On a MacBook with Touch ID, press and hold Touch ID.
Let go and wait a few seconds.
Press and release the power button once to turn the Mac on.
Watch for the Apple logo, a startup sound or any light on the screen.

Why it helps: A Mac can be on but frozen with a dark screen; holding the button forces it fully off so it can start fresh.

04Unplug all accessories and try againEasy

Disconnect everything plugged into the Mac, such as printers, external drives, USB hubs, docks and phones.
Leave only the power cable connected (and the display, keyboard and mouse on a desktop Mac).
Hold the power button for about 10 seconds, then press it again to turn the Mac on.

Why it helps: A faulty accessory can stop a Mac from starting up.

05If you have an Intel Mac, reset the SMCMedium

Skip this on a Mac with Apple silicon (M1 or later). Apple says those Macs don't need it, because their SMC resets on its own when you restart the Mac while it's plugged in. Not sure which you have? If Apple menu > About This Mac shows Chip, it's Apple silicon; if it shows Processor, it's Intel.
Intel MacBook with the Apple T2 Security Chip: shut down, then hold the left Control, left Option and right Shift keys for 7 seconds. Keep holding them and also hold the power button for 7 more seconds. Let go, wait a few seconds, then press the power button.
Intel MacBook without the T2 chip: shut down, then hold left Shift, left Control, left Option and the power button together for 10 seconds. Let go, then press the power button.
Intel desktop Mac: shut down and unplug the power cord. Wait 15 seconds, plug it back in, wait 5 seconds, then press the power button.

Why it helps: On Intel Macs, the System Management Controller handles power and charging, and resetting it can clear power problems.

06If it turns on but won't finish starting, use macOS RecoveryMedium

If you see a folder with a question mark, a circle with a line through it, or a stuck Apple logo, the Mac has power but can't finish starting up.
Apple silicon Mac: shut down, then press and hold the power button until you see Loading startup options. Click Options, then Continue.
Intel Mac: press the power button, then right away press and hold Command and R until you see an Apple logo or spinning globe.
If asked, choose your startup disk and enter the password of a user on the Mac.
In the Recovery window, select Disk Utility and click Continue. Choose View > Show All Devices, select the last volume under your startup disk, click First Aid, then Run. Then select the item above it and repeat, working up to the disk itself.
When it's done, choose Restart from the Apple menu.

Why it helps: Disk Utility can repair startup disk errors that stop macOS from loading.

07Run Apple DiagnosticsMedium

Shut down and unplug everything except the keyboard, mouse, display, Ethernet cable (if used) and power.
Apple silicon Mac: press and hold the power button until startup options appear. Let go when you see Options, then press and hold Command-D.
Intel Mac: turn it on and right away press and hold the D key. Let go when you see a progress bar or are asked to choose a language. If D doesn't work, try Option-D.
Follow the onscreen steps. Write down any reference codes shown at the end and give them to Apple or the repair shop.

Why it helps: Apple Diagnostics checks the Mac's hardware and tells you if a part needs repair.

08If it still won't start, reinstall macOSAdvancedBack up first

Apple says reinstalling macOS doesn't remove your apps or personal files, but it still recommends a backup first. Don't confuse this with erasing the disk, which deletes everything.
Start up from macOS Recovery as described above. The Mac needs an internet connection; Wi-Fi that needs a sign-in page, like some hotel networks, may not work.
Select the option to reinstall macOS, click Continue and follow the onscreen steps.
If asked to pick a disk, choose Macintosh HD. If asked to unlock it, enter your Mac login password.
Don't close the lid or let the Mac sleep until it finishes. The Mac may restart several times and the screen may stay blank for a while.

Why it helps: A fresh copy of macOS replaces damaged system files that stop the Mac from starting.

Check it's fixed

The Mac starts to the login screen or desktop on its own after a full shut down.
A MacBook shows the battery charging in the menu bar when plugged in.
Apple Diagnostics finishes with no reference codes that point to a problem.

When to get help

If none of these steps bring the Mac to life, or Apple Diagnostics reports a problem, contact Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider. Macs with Apple silicon or a T2 chip may sometimes need their firmware revived or restored, which is usually best left to Apple.

Questions

My MacBook is plugged in but still won't turn on. Why?

A fully drained battery needs some charge before the Mac will start, so leave it plugged in for up to 20 minutes. If it still won't start, try another outlet and a different compatible cable or adapter.

How do I know if my Mac is on but the screen is black?

Listen for the fan or a charging sound, check whether a MacBook trackpad clicks, and look for any image on the screen. If any of these happen, the Mac has power and the problem is with startup or the display.

Do I need to reset the SMC or NVRAM on an M1, M2 or newer Mac?

No. Apple says the NVRAM reset steps don't apply to Macs with Apple silicon, and their SMC resets on its own when you restart the Mac while it's plugged in.

Will reinstalling macOS delete my files?

Apple says reinstalling macOS from Recovery doesn't remove your apps or personal data. Erasing the disk is different and removes everything, so only do that with a backup.

Still stuck?

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How to fix a MacBook that won't turn on