How to Boot in Safe Mode on Mac Computers

If your Apple Macintosh computer is not starting up, you might need to access safe mode to troubleshoot and fix the problem. Safe mode, also known as safe boot, is a helpful tool that allows you to isolate and identify the reasons why your computer is not starting up properly. In this article, we will explain how to access safe mode on your Mac computer.

To enter safe mode, your computer must be switched off. Once you power up the computer and hear the chime, press and hold down the shift button until the login window appears. When in safe mode, your computer will check and repair file directories, load required kernel extensions, prevent startup and login items from loading automatically, and disable non-default fonts while deleting font caches, kernel caches, and other cached files.

You will know that your computer is in safe mode when you see the label “Safe Boot” in the top right-hand corner of the screen. You can then try to log in, and if the issue you were experiencing does not reoccur, you can reboot the computer without holding down the shift key. If the problem does not reappear when you start the computer normally, it was likely related to either a faulty directory or cache and was fixed when you were in safe mode.

However, if the problem persists even after restarting the computer normally, the issue may be caused by a custom font or an incompatible item loading at login. You can fix these issues while in safe mode. To exit safe mode, simply restart the computer or shut it down.

In summary, safe mode is a useful tool that can help you troubleshoot issues with your Mac computer. By following these simple steps, you can easily access safe mode, identify the problem, and fix it.