How to boot and start Mac in safe mode? step by step guide

Tired of having problems with your Mac? Problems that can be solved just by simply starting it in safe mode. In this article, we will not only explain how to boot and start Mac in safe mode step by step.

You will also learn what it is, what it is for and what functions are not available when we do a safe boot. The truth, is that using this tool helps you analyze the problems that the Mac presents in the foreground.

It’s a pleasure, because opens a panorama for the solution of setbacksIn addition, it does not allow the overheating of the Software, so it is a preventive measure.

What is safe mode in MacOS and what is it for?

Safe mode is a way to start the macOS, to prevent the Mac from overheating or the software components from burning out on their own. The intent is to protect and diagnose equipment.

This tool is also called “secure boot” and when we access its use several things happen:

• Among the many functions it performs, establishes the truth of the boot disk by attempting to repair directory issues if requiredit may load some requested kernel branches.
• Overrides the naturalness of elements that make up the boot login so that it does not open automatically, lightening the software, allowing a revision of the fonts that you have installed a point before the machine presented problems.
• Finally discard cache files, kernel and other logs saved on the Mac. All this allows you to identify in safe mode if the problem can be fixed from there, the diagnosis will help you to know more about your problem, to be able to identify the cause and thus solve it.

Steps to Boot into Safe Mode in Apple’s MacOS Operating System

The steps are easy to followyou just have to be a little rigorous to do the procedure well, remember that safe mode is a scanning tool to identify certain problems on the Mac so it will also isolate important functions.

Many of these problems come from active unwanted files or programs.the Mac being in safe mode does not suspend the files or programs so it does not let them work and thus you will have total control.

• Take into account that if the Mac is turned on you will have to restart it, to do this go to the Apple menu and click on “Restart”. You will not have enough restarting it only once, the correct procedure is restarting it 2 times to ensure and confirm the procedure. If your Mac is off instead, turn it on and let it start up.

• Locate yourself on the keyboard and visualize the key “Shift”, wait until the machine starts to boot and press the shift key without releasing it (it is very important that you do not release it). The other possibility is to use an adjacent keyboard via Bluetooth, the pressure should be just after hearing the boot sound or wait for Apple logo appears. It is important that you wait with the button “Shift” held down about two minutes it takes for the computer to respondwhen the login screen appears you will continue to the next step.

• At this point you have hold the shift key without releasing it for two minutes or less, your machine is already in safe mode so you can release the key. As the user is blocked you only have to sign in to your apple account, here the procedure is as you normally do, select your account and enter the password to enter. Please note that if you have the “FileVault”, before anything you must log in to unlock the startup disk because this will not allow the proper functioning of your Mac.
• When you’re ready, it’s time for diagnosis. Evaluate if you had problems with the start-up or with some general functions when logging inOtherwise, it is most likely that some of the files or programs that you have on your MacOs are damaged to the point of causing a serious problem. The moment of truth is, if the problem gets to the point of bypassing safe mode, then you have a software or hardware problem.

• Take the opportunity and disable all startup programs and files you can, the ones you think are causing problems or the ones that take the longest to respond. This way when you turn on your Mac in natural mode it will boot much faster. Being in this mode you have the control to remove applications such as antivirus packages or difficult to run programs will not be a problem. All you need is to gather courage and delete what no longer serves you or never served you.
• Finally exit safe mode by restarting your Macgo to the Apple menu and click “Restart”, follow the steps that the machine will tell you and in two by three you will have your MacOs in normal mode again.

What features are not available in Mac safe mode?

This mode works by restricting some functions that cause problems for the machine when logging in. Many of these are natural features of a Mac that you would think shouldn’t cause any problems.

• While in this mode the use of the video viewer is not available and neither is the DVD player to watch movies.
• All video apps are closedincluding a very popular one like iMoviethe captured video.
• It intervenes with things that one downloads from the web, including music and files that include some type of audio, so the safe mode does not allow playback of audio input or output devices.
• Likewise limits the use of connectors to other devices such as USB, Fireware and Thunderboltthe intention is to prevent hyper-heating and the Mac from having to charge new devices.
• Don’t wait for a Wifi connection while in a safe mode, it is very unlikely that this will be available. However, there are MacOs that do have connection possibilities, but this depends on the one you have.
• Accessibility as a feature of a Mac will be affected by safe mode so most likely you can’t use some of them like for example “VoiceOver”.
• One of the most frequent to use as sharing files or programs is completely disabled.
• There are tools that go further, the next level is a post safe mode also known as “OS X Leopard” who completely disables the graphical abilities that a Mac possesses. So a menu bar is in a solid color even though we have set it to a translucent capabilityin a custom way.
• And finally, in this particular tool, we find that the screen will flicker and look distorted while logging in so don’t be afraid. Remember that the latter only happens in a safe mode; in normal mode it is a system problem.

My mac won’t boot in safe mode how fix it?

There are options that can take you to a safe mode, these are alternatives, it is preferable to use the traditional way if it does not work for you, you can access it by connecting to a computer and sending terminal commands (codes) that allow this use.

• To access you need enter the command line sent through codes, to do this open the terminal remotely or simply log in to the computer with the SSH tool.
• Terminal commands are encrypted, you can use several of them to access, one is the “sudo nvram boot-args= “-x” On the other hand, if you also want to have access in a more detailed way, you can do it using the command “sudo nvram boot-args= “-x -v”.
• Once you have finished your use of safe mode you can return to normal use by issuing the command “sudo nvram boot-args=”.

It is recommended that if you do not feel qualified to access this type of commands, you should go to a specialized technician, it is always better to trust a professional with our devices, Also note that these commands are only for Macs that for some reason cannot access traditional safe modeif you can access naturally do it.

Solve login problems with safe mode, wait no more and prevent overheating in your software. Recognize your team’s problems and eliminate them, and leave your MacOs in top working order after wiping it with safe mode.