If a MacBook Air will not start, begin with power: charge it for a while, then press and hold the power button for about ten seconds to see whether startup options appear. Apple silicon Airs enter recovery by holding the power button on start until Loading startup options shows, then choosing Options. From recovery you can run Disk Utility's First Aid, reinstall macOS without erasing your data, or restore from Time Machine. If the Air will not reach recovery at all, a second Mac with Apple Configurator can revive or restore the firmware over USB-C. Back up before erasing anything.
Differential
Likely causes of “Apple MacBook Air is stuck at startup, automatic repair or recovery”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
A flat battery
What separates it Nothing happens when you press the power button
How to confirm Charge for at least half an hour before judging
- 2
An interrupted update
What separates it The Air restarts in a loop or shows a progress bar
How to confirm Wait, then enter recovery and reinstall macOS
- 3
A disk or startup problem
What separates it A question mark, a prohibition sign or a loop at startup
How to confirm Run First Aid from recovery
- 4
A peripheral blocking startup
What separates it Starts only with accessories disconnected
How to confirm Unplug everything and try again
- 5
A firmware or hardware fault
What separates it Will not enter recovery
How to confirm Use Apple Configurator on another Mac or contact Apple
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- What the screen shows at startup
- Whether it charges and whether recovery appears
- The macOS version before the problem
- Which Air it is, M2, M3 or M4
Try in this order
0 of 6 completedCharge it
ReversibleConnect the adapter and wait before judging a dead Air.
Hold the power button
ReversibleHold it for about ten seconds and watch for startup options.
Open recovery
ReversibleChoose Options to open recovery tools.
Run First Aid
ReversibleUse Disk Utility's First Aid on the startup disk.
Reinstall macOS
ReversibleChoose Reinstall macOS, which keeps your files in most cases.
Use another Mac if recovery fails
ReversibleRevive or restore with Apple Configurator over USB-C.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Apple silicon
- All M2, M3 and M4 Airs use the same startup options and recovery process.
- Other models this page answers
- These steps also fit the MacBook Air (M2), MacBook Air 13-inch (M3).
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If it will not enter recovery and Apple Configurator cannot revive it, contact Apple
- !If liquid or damage is involved, contact Apple
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.
Thunderbolt 4, two external displays, 12MP Center Stage camera, adapters and weight.
Fanless design, one and two external display limits by generation, SSD, memory and the M5 generation.
Exact questions
Common questions
How do I enter recovery on an Apple silicon MacBook Air?+
Shut down, then press and hold the power button until the startup options screen shows, then choose Options.
Will reinstalling macOS erase my files?+
Reinstalling from recovery normally keeps your files, but you should back up first.
What is Apple Configurator for?+
It lets a second Mac revive or restore the firmware of an Apple silicon Mac that will not start.
Do I need a recovery key to reinstall macOS?+
Not to reinstall. If FileVault is on, you sign in with your password, your Apple Account or the recovery key you saved when you turned it on.