The best way to power restart a problematic Mac


Key Takeaways

  • Pressure-restarting your Mac is a fast answer for frozen screens or unresponsive Macs.
  • To force-restart, use fast keyboard shortcuts to work across the frozen display screen.
  • Pressure quitting an app may be a substitute for force-restarting the Mac.


One of many first issues to attempt when troubleshooting a pc is to easily restart it — however how do you restart a Mac if it is frozen, and you may’t click on the Apple icon? In case your MacBook, MacBook Air, MacBook Professional or desktop Mac is performing up, and you do not know what to do subsequent, contemplate force-restarting. Typically used as a final resort, a power restart could also be your quickest (and solely) possibility for getting your Mac up and operating once more.

In case your display screen is caught on the Apple Brand at startup, your cursor is caught on that dreaded spinning wheel of demise, or your Mac is in any other case frozen, a power restart can usually repair the difficulty. We’ll stroll you thru the best way to carry out a power restart your Mac to get you again up and operating.

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The best way to shortly force-restart a Mac

Earlier than taking this drastic route, attempt restarting your Mac the basic manner: Click on the Apple image within the higher left nook of the display screen and choose Restart. When you choose Restart from the Apple menu, your pc will shut out every app individually, asking if you wish to save any unsaved work. In case your pc is frozen, nevertheless, this will not be an possibility.


You can too power a shutdown of your Mac by urgent and holding the ability button till your Mac shuts down. After the pc powers off, you may then use the identical button to get it again up and operating once more.

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If neither of these strategies are working for you, or perhaps your display screen and cursor are caught, and you may’t choose something, then attempt the power restart possibility under.

  1. Press and maintain down the Command and Management keys with the ability button concurrently.
    • On a MacBook, the ability button can also be a Contact ID‌ / eject button, relying on the mannequin.
    • On any MacBook Professional with a Contact Bar, the ‌Contact ID‌ button is on the correct aspect of the Contact Bar.
    • On an iMac or Mac Mini, the ability button is usually on the again of the gadget.
  2. Your Mac’s display screen ought to go darkish, then your Mac ought to restart.
  3. Log in to your pc and proceed to make use of it as regular. Simple, proper?


Apple MacBook Pro M3 - 14What occurs whenever you power a restart?

A power restart is a quick answer that ought to return your pc to a standard state. Earlier than you power restart your MacBook, relaxation assured this course of will not wipe your pc’s saved knowledge. You could lose progress on open initiatives that you have not saved but, however a pressured restart will not return your pc to its manufacturing unit settings. It merely reboots your gadget. Restarting additionally clears your cache and RAM and, in some instances, your Mac will set up updates on the restart.

The display screen will go black, and when the machine boots again up, you’ll have to log again into your account.

iMac 2023 - Rear New - 3

The best way to power give up an app on a Mac

If an app you had been utilizing is frozen, and your Mac is working properly in any other case, then attempt force-quitting the app relatively than force-quitting your laptop computer. You possibly can maintain down the Possibility (⌥) key, then right-click the offending app’s icon within the Dock and choose Pressure Give up. Or you may press Possibility + Command + Escape to view an inventory of operating apps. Choose the problematic app, click on Pressure Give up. Alternatively, you may as well entry the Pressure Give up pane from the Apple menu within the nook of your display screen.


Apple MacBook Pro M3 - 13How do I power restart a Mac with out the ability button?

Each Mac has an influence button — however on some fashions, the important thing is not labeled or is hidden within the again, creating confusion. On older fashions of MacBooks, the ability button is similar because the eject key. On fashions with Contact ID, that fingerprint sensor doubles as an influence button. On fashions with the Contact Bar, the ability button is on the correct aspect of the bar the place the Contact ID button is.

Normally, the ability button is within the higher proper nook of the keyboard for MacBooks. iMacs have an influence button on the again of the show. The Mac Mini’s button is housed on the again close to the ability wire.

If the button in your gadget is bodily broken and your frozen Mac prevents entry to the reset contained in the Apple menu, attempt to power give up the Finder app. The Finder is the Mac’s file supervisor and, whereas it is necessary to run your Mac, it may be rebooted to right glitches. To power restart the Finder, push Possibility + Command + Escape concurrently, then choose Finder from the Job Supervisor and click on Pressure Give up.


Apple MacBook Pro M3 - 22

Why is my Mac frozen?

Quite a few completely different points could cause a Mac to freeze. Typically, these points may be corrected with a restart. If, after you restart your Mac, it continues to freeze, there’s doubtless an unresolved concern nonetheless at play. A few of the largest culprits of fixed freezes embody:

A virtually full onerous drive.

Strive clearing unneeded information or applications or transferring older information to an exterior onerous drive.

Not sufficient RAM

When the RAM, or working reminiscence of your pc, turns into too full, it might gradual your pc down and even trigger freezes. To repair this, use this information to see what’s utilizing up all of your RAM.

An replace to macOS is likely to be wanted

MacOS updates usually are not nearly new options. When Apple finds points, it releases fixes within the type of working system updates. If you happen to’re going through frequent freezes, verify to see if there’s an replace obtainable.


Glitches in software program can even trigger freezes.

In case your Mac usually freezes if you are utilizing the identical app, verify for an replace to that app, discover another, or e mail the developer to assist troubleshoot.

You have not powered off your Mac shortly

When my very own MacBook Professional begins to get severely sluggish, the very first thing I ask myself is when was the final time I powered it off utterly? Whereas sleep mode is okay for a lot of instances, particularly whenever you wish to soar proper again to the place you left off, powering off your gadget may be helpful. While you flip your Mac off or restart it, it clears the cache and RAM and in some instances runs diagnostics and checks for updates. If you have not powered off shortly, give it a attempt — you would be shocked what number of instances this step fixes points.

Do you continue to need assistance along with your Mac?

In case your MacBook repeatedly freezes, and also you’re uncertain what’s occurring, maybe restart your Mac in Apple Diagnostics mode to verify if it is a {hardware} drawback.