macOS Built-in Recovery Mode: Command + R.

Press the keys immediately after hearing the startup sound unless otherwise specified.

To boot your Intel-based Mac into any of the macOS built-in startup modes, you must press and hold one or more keys detailed below after turning on the computer.

Or perhaps you’re looking to isolate the cause of a software issue in the macOS Safe Mode or boot straight into Recovery OS as the last option? Mac startup key combinations Others might wonder about booting a Mac from a disk other than their designated startup disk. Beyond system errors, different people have different needs when it comes to starting up their computers.įor example, you could be a pro user who dual boots between macOS and Windows on a daily basis. Most of the time, your Mac just works-until it refuses to start up properly due to an unforeseen system error, a misbehaving app, a broken system component, and whatnot. For those of you who have wondered about the many ways you can start up your Mac, here’s a list of the Mac startup keyboard shortcuts you can invoke to access handy macOS features, which are only available at boot time.

List of mac startup commands