How to Restart Your Mac in Recovery Mode
This article will guide you on how to restart your Mac in Recovery Mode, an essential mode that helps you troubleshoot serious issues, reinstall the operating system, or reformat the drive.
How to Boot into Recovery Mode
Generally, booting your Mac into Recovery Mode is straightforward. If you are using a macOS system running on an Intel chip, simply follow these steps:
Step 1: Click on the Apple icon in the upper left corner of your screen.
Step 2: In the menu that appears, click on Restart.
Step 3: Immediately press and hold the Command and R keys until you see the Apple logo or a spinning globe icon on the screen.
Step 4: You will now see a series of utility options, including Restore from Time Machine Backup, Reinstall macOS, Get Help Online, and Disk Utility. Just select the option you want to use.
For newer Macs running on an M1 chip, the process to access Recovery Mode is slightly different. Detailed instructions are provided in the article below from Gpwebmedia.net.
See more: How to Access Recovery Mode on an M1 Mac
What to Do if Your Mac Doesn't Enter Recovery Mode
If your Mac doesn't enter Recovery Mode using the usual method, try the following steps:
- Restart your Mac.
- Press and hold the Option/Alt-Command-R or Shift-Option/Alt-Command-R keys to force the device to boot into macOS Recovery Mode over the internet.
Can Recovery Mode Erase Data on a Mac?
It can, but it also might not. Simply booting the system into Recovery Mode won't affect any data stored on the device. However, if you select the options to reinstall macOS or erase the drive via Disk Utility, related data will be completely wiped.
Conversely, the Time Machine Backup option in Recovery Mode is quite useful, allowing you to restore your system to an earlier version of the operating system. Of course, this process may delete some data depending on your backup.
Accessing Terminal Through Recovery Mode
You can also access Terminal through macOS Recovery Mode by following these steps:
- Boot the system into Recovery Mode.
- Click on the Utilities option.
- Click on Terminal.
(Tip: You can also access the Startup Security Utility and Network Utility applications from here.)
Why Should You Boot into Recovery Mode?
If you're wondering what Recovery Mode is useful for, here are a few things you need to know:
- You are preparing to sell the device: If you're preparing to sell your Mac to someone else, it's a good idea to erase all data on the system, including your personal Apple ID. Recovery Mode can help you do this quickly and easily.
- You are trying to troubleshoot issues: Like Safe Mode in Windows, Recovery Mode in macOS allows you to boot your computer with minimal resources, which can help you troubleshoot software issues on the system.
- You need to use Disk Utility: If you're experiencing problems with your Mac's hard drive, you can use Recovery Mode to boot into Disk Utility and fix the issue.
- To restore a backup from Time Machine: Recovery Mode makes restoring your system from a Time Machine backup extremely simple and secure.
