In the event of a serious problem with your Mac, you may demand to reinstall your Mac operating system. There's a elementary way to practise this using your Mac Recovery partition or via Mac Net Recovery. Yous tin access the Recovery mode via the keyboard combination Command + R on an Intel Mac (the process on an M1 Mac is slightly unlike as we will talk over below).

But what do you practise if Mac recovery manner isn't working or Control + R doesn't piece of work?

We'll await at the best solutions to these issues below. If yous desire to acquire how to reinstall Mac Os using Recovery Manner we comprehend that in a dissever article (via the link to a higher place).

What is Mac Recovery?

A quick word on what Mac Recovery way can practise and how information technology works.

Most people don't actually think about their difficult drives (well, SSD these days) in terms of partitions. They only run into the whole bulldoze as 1 thing. A hard drive is typically a unmarried volume, only it is so divide up into multiple areas, known as partitions or volumes. Call up of your difficult drive equally the house, and the partitions as different rooms. (Read: How to partition a Mac hard drive or SSD, or create a APFS volume for more information.)

You're used to only seeing one room in the firm, the one which has your Desktop, Folders and Applications. But there are actually iv partitions, and 1 is used in farthermost cases where you may want to completely reinstall the operating organisation macOS (or Mac Os 10 on really onetime Macs).

Even if you completely wipe your Mac, and kickoff again from scratch, the Recovery partition should even so be in that location to brand it possible to reinstall macOS, restore from your Time Motorcar backup, and repair or erase your hard disk. Nosotros wait in item at what yous tin exercise in Recovery way here.

It'south a problem if you need to reinstall the operating system from scratch and the Recovery partition is missing or for some reason you tin can't access. A trouble, but luckily there are solutions available.

Back in the days before Mac Bone X King of beasts launched in 2022 there wasn't a Recovery partitioning, instead you needed to have a physical disc with the software on information technology and an optical drive to insert it into. These days it's rare to find a Mac with a optical drive, allow alone find someone who has their original discs - not that Macs have shipped with install discs in recent times. We'll expect at what to do if you fit into this category later in this article.

Why is Command R not working?

At that place are a few reasons why y'all might find that Command + R doesn't work and your Mac won't offset up in Recovery Mode:

  • Number i reason right now is that your Mac is a M1 Mac - ane of the new Macs introduced since Nov 2022 which uses one of Apple tree'southward new processors rather than Intel. If that sounds like you there is a new manner to enter Recovery on an M1 Mac. We comprehend this in new ways to do things on M1 Macs, only nosotros'll also discuss information technology below.
  • If your Mac is actually old - as in so old it'southward running Mac OS Ten Snow Leopard or older - information technology will not have a Recovery partition, the only way to reinstall the OS is to employ the discs that shipped with the Mac. We'll look at what to do in that case afterwards.
  • If your Mac is running a version of macOS older than Sierra (which launched in 2022) then you won't take all the Recovery options available that yous may have heard of.
  • The keyboard might exist faulty or your Mac may non connect to it via Bluetooth - in which instance, try using another - we propose one that plugs in directly.
  • Something might have corrupted your Recovery partition, or y'all might take deleted it while replacing your hard drive, or installing Windows via Kick Camp.

M1 Mac

How to enter Recovery when Command+R doesn't work

Follow these steps to discover out why Recovery way isn't working for you.

Step 1: Try again

The get-go matter to try is to restart your Mac and press Command and R again as you kicking upward. Information technology may work the second time.

Footstep 2: Check your keyboard

Yous may too desire to check your keyboard (especially if information technology's a Bluetooth keyboard). Try using a wired keyboard if possible. Peradventure you can't enter Recovery because your keyboard isn't working.

Step 3: Make certain you are using the correct Recovery command on an M1 Mac

You may as well exist using the incorrect command for your Mac. If y'all have an M1 Mac then you lot should follow these steps to offset in Recovery fashion:

How to enter Recovery on an M1 Mac:

  1. Plough off the Mac.
  2. Press the on button - and go along information technology pressed.
  3. When the Apple logo appears text will announced informing y'all that if you continue holding the power button you volition be able to admission startup options.
  4. Eventually you lot will exist able to select Options > Go on and this will open up Recovery.

If Recovery mode isn't working on your M1 Mac then attempt 'fallback recovery mode'. This is a new feature for M1 Macs (detailed past Apple here). It esseicnally replaces the Cyberspace Recovery pick found on Intel Macs.

To enter Fallback Recovery Manner on an M1 Mac you demand to:

  • Double press the power button: offset press information technology, release, and and then press and hold downwards the power push button.

This gives you lot admission to a 2d copy of the recoveryOS.

Step iv: Attempt alternative Recovery options for Intel Macs

There are a few other ways you might be able to force your Mac to start up in recovery mode if Control + R isn't working for you. Apple tree has a couple of other commands that you could try:

Yous could utilise Net Recovery Fashion - an selection that we will discuss in more than detail below. This method volition download a version of macOS from the internet, which might be a solution if you tin can't access the Recovery sectionalization on your Mac. We discuss Cyberspace Recovery Fashion in more than detail in a department below.

  • Printing Pick/Alt + Command + R when you lot boot up to enter Cyberspace Recovery Mode.

Once y'all enter this mode you will exist able to admission an Apple server to download the version of macOS. This will be the latest macOS compatible with your Mac. Note: If you aren't running Sierra 10.12.iv of subsequently, this will install the version that came with your Mac.

If you don't desire to install the latest version of macOS try this:

  • Shift + Option/Alt + Command R (if you are running Sierra 10.12.4 of later) will install the version of macOS that came with your Mac, or the ane closest to it that is nevertheless available.

Note that if your Mac has a T2 chip in that location may be a elementary reason why Command + R isn't working for yous. In that case:

  • Choice/Alt + Command + R will install the latest macOS on your Mac if you take a T2 chip.

What to do if Mac recovery mode isn't working

Perhaps you take tried the higher up and had no luck. Or maybe you got into Recovery Mode only for everything to freeze up.

Perhaps your Mac's disc is beyond repair and Recovery Manner inaccessible. In that case our commodity about How to recover data from a damaged Mac might be helpful. For ways to cheque whether your Recovery sectionalisation is broken or missing jump to this section below.

There are some other options to try before yous attempt to ready your Recovery sectionalisation though. We explain how to use Internet Recovery on Intel Macs and Fallback Recovery on M1 Macs next. We also run through how to install macOS from a bootable USB stick below and in a separate article here: How to create a bootable USB macOS installer.

How to use Internet Recovery to reinstall macOS (Intel Macs)

How to restore a Mac without a recovery partition: Internet recovery

Here's what to do if yous haven't got a recovery partition on your Mac and demand to reinstall macOS (in fact, even if yous don't demand to reinstall macOS you probably should, because a missing Recovery Partition is not a good sign).

The first approach is to use a feature called Cyberspace Recovery. Newer Macs are able to boot directly from an internet connection, even with no Recovery division available. Here is how to apply macOS Internet Recovery:

  1. Close down your Mac.
  2. Concord down Command-Option/Alt-R and press the Power push. (On some Mac keyboards the Pick key will be named Alt).
  3. Hold down those keys until you lot a spinning globe and the bulletin "Starting Internet Recovery. This may take a while".
  4. The message will be replaced with a progress bar. Wait for information technology to fill. Wait information technology to take a while...
  5. Wait for the MacOS Utilities screen to appear.
  6. Click Reinstall macOS and follow the installation procedure.

If you have accessed Internet Recovery mode it might be a very wearisome process depending on your connection speed. When we experienced this problem nosotros continued our Mac to the hub via an Ethernet cable (you may demand an adapter, such as this Thunderbolt to Ethernet Adapter from Apple, £29/$29).

How to use Fallback Recovery to reinstall macOS (M1 Macs)

If at that place is a problem with Recovery Way on the M1 Mac in that location is a new 'fallback Recovery manner', that is detailed by Apple here. In this case y'all double printing the ability button: showtime press it, release, and and so press and hold down the power button.

Fallback recovery mode accesses a second copy of the recoveryOS on the SSD of the Macs with M1 Scrap. Apple says the second copy is there for resiliency.

On M1:

  1. Close down your Mac.
  2. Printing and concur the Ability push and wait while your Mac starts up.
  3. Eventually you will see the Apple Logo. Once a "Loading Startup Options" message appears yous can allow go of the Power button.
  4. At present click on Options.
  5. This volition take you to the Recovery Mode.
  6. Cull your language and click on Next.
  7. Wait for the internet recovery screen to load.

How to restore a Mac with no Recovery partition

It is possible to restore a Mac without a recovery division, but information technology tin be catchy (especially on older Macs). You lot accept a few approaches available:

  • Use Net Recovery to reinstall macOS on an Intel Mac with a missing recovery sectionalization. Jump to this section to find out how to do that.
  • Create a bootable macOS installer to install a re-create of macOS from.
  • Use your Fourth dimension Car fill-in equally your showtime-upwards bulldoze.
  • You may also be able to create a Recovery partition, we look at how to do that here: How to create a Recovery partition on Mac.

We're going to look at these options below - but first, a quick caption of what a recovery partition is.

How to cheque if your Recovery partition is working

Recovery Mode macOS

First you lot should check that your Mac definitely hasn't got a working Recovery partition. It'southward possible that you have been using the wrong key combination, or that your keyboard wasn't working, for example.

Equally higher up, you need to follow the usual method to reach Recovery Mode. So, on an Intel Mac press Command + R, and on an Intel Mac press On and go on it pressed until you see Option.

However, despite pressing these key combinations the Mac boots upward to your normal view, or you're faced with a completely bare screen, then you haven't got a Recovery partition.

If your Mac does boot into macOS and so you can at to the lowest degree check Terminal to run across if you have a recovery partition, here's how to do that:

  1. Open Terminal.
  2. Enter diskutil list.

You should see a list of all the volumes and partitions on your computer. The starting time bulldoze (/dev/disk0) should have a division (typically listed as "3" with Apple_Boot Recovery HD after it). Attempt using the Command-R procedure again.

You could also these tips to see if it makes your Recovery partitioning miraculously appear.

  • Reset your PRAM or NVRAM: If yous have an Intel Mac yous could shut downward your Mac and hold downwardly Command-Option-P-R during boot. Wait for the chimes and let become. (This isn't actually an option on M1 Macs though, NVRAM does exist in M1 Macs, but it's not the same - nosotros do discuss how to reset it here though if you lot want to attempt: How to reset NVRAM on an M1 or Intel Mac).

Okay, so either your Recovery Partitioning is missing, or doesn't work and you've tried everything. Then it'south fourth dimension to wait at reinstalling macOS without it. First, if it'due south an pick here, you should accept time to back upwards upwards your Mac using Time Machine. This will enable you to restore all your files, folders and apps once you've reinstalled macOS.

Create a macOS bootable installer on a flash drive

Terminal createinstallmedia

If y'all tin't access Internet Recovery, then you are left with the option to create a bootable installer from a flash drive (at least 12GB in size). Note that this completely erases the USB flash drive, and then be careful to remove whatever files from it commencement. Nosotros encompass how to create a bootable installer for macOS here, but we'll give an overview of the method below.

The simplest way to create a USB flash installer it to employ Last:

Open your Applications folder and wait to see if you take the Install files for the version of macOS or Mac OS Ten you require. In the case of Sierra or High Sierra y'all''ll see: something like this, for example.

Install files for macOS

If you don't have the files read most how to become older versions of macOS or Mac OS 10 hither.

When you have got hold of the installer for the version of macOS that you require, follow these steps:

  1. Attach your USB flash drive to your Mac.
  2. Open Disk Utility.
  3. Select the volume (under External) in the sidebar. The Volume is the top role, not the sectionalization (which is underneath).
  4. Click Erase.
  5. Make certain information technology says "Untitled" in the Name field. Don't change this. Click Erase.
  6. Open up Terminal.
  7. Cutting and paste the correct createinstallmedia text into Terminal (the code will depend on the version of macOS, so we suggest getting information technology from this article: createinstallmedia commands for versions of macOS. Information technology will await something similar the below image.)
  8. You'll then demand to enter your admin password. And and so enter "y" and press Return. It will first wipe your flash drive, then plough it into a bootable installer.

How to restore a Mac without a recovery partition: Create installer media

Await to wait a while for the process to cease.

Install macOS from the bootable installer

Now you tin follow these steps to use the bootable installer:

  1. Make certain the bootable installer (USB flash drive) is connected to your Mac.
  2. Shut down your Mac.
  3. Hold downwards Selection/Alt and press the Power button.
  4. The startup device list window should announced displaying a yellowish drive with Install (software proper name) below it.
  5. Select it and printing Return. Wait for the progress bar to fill.
  6. Select Disk Utility.
  7. Select the drive under Internal (your main hard drive).
  8. Click Erase.
  9. Give the drive a name; "Macintosh Hard disk drive" is traditional only you can choose. Ensure that the Format is Mac Bone Extended (Journaled) and the Scheme is GUID Partition Map.
  10. Click Erase.
  11. Click Washed.
  12. Choose Disk Utility > Quit Disk Utility.
  13. Select Install macOS and click Proceed.
  14. Follow the install macOS options.
  15. Select Macintosh Hard disk as the installation disk, when presented, and click Install.

MacOS will now be installed on your hard drive from the bootable installer. The whole process can take around half an hour. After this has finished you will have a new installation of macOS along with a Recovery partition.

You may get the message: "This copy of the Install [macOS name] application can't be verified. It may have been corrupted or tampered with during downloading." If so yous demand to adjust the date and time in macOS.

How to reinstall Mac OS X on an older Mac without Recovery manner

As nosotros mentioned higher up, if your Mac is running Snowfall Leopard or older, it won't have a Recovery sectionalization. And so if everything goes pear shaped and you need to reinstall your operating system what can you do.

If you take the original discs that shipped with the Mac, you should be able to use them.

If you don't have those discs, you may exist able to purchase them from Apple. Apple tree used to sell Snow Leopard until relatively recently for £19.99 but it is no longer available hither. Apple does however explicate how to get older Bone 10 versions here.

You tin yet buy a re-create of Lion from the Apple Store here, but what you will receive is a download code, rather than physical discs.

Once you take the Mac App Store on your Mac you lot will exist able to get a newer version of macOS.