If a 16 inch MacBook Pro with Apple silicon will not finish starting, macOS has built-in recovery that works differently from older Intel Macs, and the order of steps matters. First confirm there is power: connect the MagSafe charger and wait several minutes, since a fully drained battery can show nothing. Press and hold the power button for ten seconds to force a shut-down, wait a few seconds and then press and hold the power button again until you see Loading startup options, with the options icon.
The checks in more detail
That is the recovery entry on Apple silicon. If the Mac shows a folder with a question mark, a spinning globe or a lock screen, the drive may not be seen, or macOS may have problems. Disconnect all accessories, docks and displays first. From Startup Options, choose Options and Continue to open macOS Recovery. First Aid in Disk Utility checks and repairs the startup disk; run it on the Macintosh HD volumes and on the data volume. Safari is available if you need to look for help.
If the Mac starts but behaves oddly, restart in Safe Mode by holding Shift while choosing the startup disk in Startup Options, which loads only the essential software and checks the disk. If a recent macOS update is the cause, recovery can reinstall macOS without erasing your data, by choosing Reinstall macOS, and keep your files. If the Mac does not appear to start at all, with a black screen and no signs, an Apple silicon Mac can sometimes be revived by another Mac using Apple Configurator through a USB-C cable in DFU mode, a procedure described on Apple's support page;
this is a deeper step and should follow the standard ones. Check the Time Machine backup before reinstalling or erasing, and sign out of iCloud only if you must erase. If the Mac asks for a firmware password or an Activation Lock sign-in, you will need the owner's credentials. Run Apple Diagnostics by holding the power button at start-up and pressing Command and D to check the hardware. If diagnostics report an error, or recovery cannot open, contact Apple Support with the serial number.
Differential
Likely causes of “Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch is stuck at startup, automatic repair or recovery”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
A drained battery
What separates it No signs of life
How to confirm Charge for several minutes
- 2
A failed update
What separates it A loop or a folder with a question mark
How to confirm Reinstall macOS from Recovery
- 3
A disk problem
What separates it First Aid reports errors
How to confirm Run First Aid and repair
- 4
A device interfering
What separates it Start-up stalls with accessories connected
How to confirm Disconnect all accessories
- 5
A hardware fault
What separates it Diagnostics report an error
How to confirm Apple Support
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- What the Mac shows at start-up
- Whether the options icon appears
- The Disk Utility result
- The Apple Diagnostics reference code
Try in this order
0 of 6 completedCharge and disconnect accessories
ReversibleWait several minutes.
Hold power until Startup Options
ReversibleThe options icon.
Run First Aid
ReversibleIn Disk Utility.
Try Safe Mode
ReversibleWith Shift.
Reinstall macOS
ReversibleKeeping your data.
Run Apple Diagnostics
ReversibleHold power, then Command and D.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Apple silicon
- Recovery starts from the power button.
- Backup
- Use Time Machine first.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If recovery cannot open or diagnostics fail, contact Apple Support with the serial number
- !Do not erase without a backup
- !Keep your Apple Account details for Activation Lock
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Exact questions
Common questions
How do I enter recovery on an M3 MacBook Pro?+
Hold the power button until Startup Options appears.
Will reinstalling erase my files?+
No, if you choose Reinstall macOS.
What is First Aid?+
A disk repair tool.
What is DFU mode?+
A deeper restore using another Mac.