If a desktop Mac will not finish starting, an Apple silicon Mac has one door for every repair: turn it off (hold the power button up to 10 seconds if needed), press and hold the power button again until you see Loading startup options, then choose Options and Continue to open macOS Recovery. Recovery offers Disk Utility, reinstalling macOS, restoring from Time Machine and more.
On a Mac mini the power button is on the back and on a Mac Studio it is on the back too, so a keyboard shortcut is not available before login; connect a wired keyboard. Apple's startup article maps each stuck screen (question mark, circle with a line, Apple logo that never finishes, blank screen) to its fix, and Apple says a Mac that will not enter Recovery might need its firmware revived or restored from another Mac.
Differential
Likely causes of “Apple Mac mini M4 is stuck at startup, automatic repair or recovery”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
A startup disk error
What separates it The Mac stops at a progress bar, a question mark or the Recovery Assistant screen
How to confirm Start Recovery and run First Aid in Disk Utility
- 2
An interrupted macOS installation
What separates it It will not finish starting after a power loss or a stopped update
How to confirm Reinstall macOS from Recovery; Apple says rarely a firmware revive or restore is needed
- 3
A peripheral in the way
What separates it Startup stops with a drive, hub or display attached
How to confirm Unplug everything except power, as Apple's will-not-turn-on article says, and test again
- 4
A wireless keyboard that is not ready
What separates it You cannot choose an option at startup because a wireless keyboard is not ready
How to confirm Connect a wired keyboard; Apple says a keyboard may need time and wireless ones may not work in startup
- 5
A failing SSD or logic board
What separates it Recovery loads and Disk Utility cannot see the internal disk
How to confirm Contact Apple, because the SSD is soldered and cannot be replaced at home
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- Which desktop you have and the last thing that happened (update, power loss, move, spill)
- What is on the screen (Apple logo, progress bar, question mark, circle with a line, blank)
- Whether the Mac will start into Options and Recovery, and what keyboard you used
- Whether you have a current Time Machine or other backup
Try in this order
0 of 7 completedTurn it off properly
ReversibleIf it will not shut down, press and hold the power button for up to 10 seconds.
Use a wired keyboard
ReversibleUse a wired keyboard, by connecting a wired keyboard and mouse, since wireless accessories may not work before login.
Unplug the rest
ReversibleRemove drives, hubs and extra displays, and keep only power, one display and the keyboard.
Open startup options
ReversiblePress and hold the power button until you see Loading startup options, then choose Options and Continue.
Run First Aid
ReversibleIn Disk Utility, choose the startup volume and run First Aid, which checks the file system and repairs any errors it finds.
Reinstall macOS
ReversibleReinstall macOS, and if the disk is healthy, reinstall macOS from Recovery with the power cord secure.
Revive or restore firmware
ReversibleIf Recovery will not load, use a second Mac and a USB-C cable as Apple's article describes for desktops.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Startup on Apple silicon
- The iMac, Mac mini M4 and Mac Studio M2 all use the power-button startup options window.
- Recovery tools
- Disk Utility, reinstalling macOS, restoring from a Time Machine backup and other utilities such as Terminal, per Apple's Recovery article.
- Tools and supplies
- A second Mac, a USB-C cable that carries data and charging, a wired keyboard, a known-good power cord and a dry towel for the desk. The Mac should not be opened at home.
- Repair cost
- A logic-board or SSD repair is quoted by Apple after diagnosis. Apple's AppleCare+ page lists $149 to $299 for accidental damage repairs and $49 to $99 for a damaged screen or enclosure.
- Other models this page answers
- These steps also fit the Mac Studio (M2 Max/M2 Ultra).
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If Recovery loads and Disk Utility cannot repair the disk, back up if possible and contact Apple
- !If Recovery will not load, follow Apple's firmware revive or restore article or contact Apple
- !If the Mac was wet or moved roughly before the fault, stop and have it inspected
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Apple silicon startup options, Options and Continue, Disk Utility and Reinstall macOS.
Question mark, prohibitory circle, globe, Apple logo, blank screen and Recovery Assistant.
Holding the power button for startup options, safe mode and other startup modes.
Reviving or restoring firmware from another Mac with a USB-C cable and preparing a desktop.
M4 and M4 Pro ports, HDMI, Ethernet, display support, speaker, Wi-Fi 6E and weight.
M2 Max and M2 Ultra ports, SDXC slot, HDMI, 10Gb Ethernet, display support, speaker and weight.
AppleCare+ service fees for Mac models: $49 to $99 for damaged screens or external enclosures and $149 to $299 for other accidental damage.
Exact questions
Common questions
How do I open Recovery on an Apple silicon desktop?+
Apple says turn the Mac off, press and hold the power button until you see Loading startup options or the Options icon, then click Options and Continue.
Where is the power button?+
On the Mac mini and Mac Studio it is on the back; on the iMac it is on the back edge. Apple says every Mac has a power button.
Can I start from an external drive?+
Apple says the startup options window lets you choose a different startup disk, including an external one that has macOS installed.
Why won't a peripheral let me get past the startup screen?+
Apple's will-not-turn-on guidance treats an attached drive, hub or display as a real suspect: unplug everything except power and a single display before assuming the fault is the Mac itself, then add peripherals back one at a time once it starts normally.
Does startup take longer the first time after a big macOS update?+
Yes — the Mac finishes parts of the update during that first boot, so a longer-than-usual wait right after installing new software is expected and worth letting run before assuming the startup process has actually stalled.