Apple Silicon Mac: Apple Diagnostics for Repair
To help isolate the cause of an issue on a Mac you’re troubleshooting, you may be prompted to use Apple Diagnostics for Repair to run diagnostic test suites. A diagnostic suite consists of multiple diagnostic tests. Running these test suites can help isolate issues, investigate whether a part needs to be replaced, and verify that a repair has been successfully completed.
Running Apple Diagnostics for Repair directly on the Mac being tested is the easiest way to run diagnostic test suites, if the Mac meets the requirements to do so. The Mac display is used as a diagnostic console to select, run, and display test suites and results.
How to run Apple Diagnostics for Repair
Requirements
To use Apple Diagnostics for Repair to test a Mac, you’ll need:
A Mac to be tested
Note: This must be a Mac with Apple silicon that has power and can start up in macOS. Intel-based Mac computers aren’t supported in Apple Diagnostics for Repair.
Important: The Mac that you’re testing must have macOS Tahoe 26.0 or later to run Apple Diagnostics for Repair. Beta versions of macOS aren’t supported.
Note: You don’t need a secondary device to run Apple Diagnostics for Repair directly from the Mac being tested.
Refer to the following support articles for help identifying the Mac that you’re testing:
If the Mac that you’re testing doesn’t turn on or start up, refer to the relevant troubleshooting section for power and startup issues:
A Wi-Fi or wired internet connection on the Mac to be tested
Prepare the Mac you’re testing
If you’re able to install the latest macOS updates, do so before continuing.
Shut down the Mac to be tested.
Unplug all external devices except the keyboard, mouse, and display (if applicable).
Ensure that the Mac is on a hard, flat, stable surface with good ventilation.
For Mac desktops, connect the AC power cord to the computer. For Mac laptops, connect the computer’s power adapter and charging cable to the computer.
Enter diagnostics mode on the Mac you’re testing
If you’re using a wired Ethernet connection to connect the Mac you’re testing to the internet, connect the Ethernet cable to the Mac before turning on the computer. If you’re using Wi-Fi, you will connect later in step 5 after the computer starts into diagnostics mode.
Press and hold the power button on the Mac to be tested to turn on the computer. On laptop computers that have Touch ID, press and hold the Touch ID button.
As you continue to hold the power or Touch ID button, the Mac will turn on and load startup options. When you see “Loading startup options...,” release the power or Touch ID button.
When the startup options screen appears, press and hold Command (⌘)-D on the Mac’s keyboard to enter diagnostics mode.
When the message Diagnostics & Repair appears, the Mac is in diagnostics mode. Click Continue, select a Wi-Fi network, and agree to terms and conditions.
Select and run diagnostics
When a screen with the message Diagnose or Repair appears, select Run Diagnostics on this screen to see a menu listing available diagnostic suites, where you can select and run diagnostic test suites.
Important: You may see a Repair menu item on the Diagnose or Repair screen. This means that a repair has been performed on the Mac and steps need to be taken to complete configuration to finish that repair. If you see this menu item, select Repair to complete configuration using Repair Assistant.
Note: If you encounter any issues navigating these diagnostic screens, restart the Mac and try again.
Follow instructions on the Mac screen to select and run diagnostic test suites. Then examine the diagnostic test results.
Available diagnostic test suites
Diagnostic test suite | Laptop | Modular desktop | iMac |
|---|---|---|---|
Mac Resource Inspector (MRI) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Display Anomalies | Yes | No | Yes |
Keyboard | Yes | No | No |
Trackpad | Yes | No | No |
Touch ID | Yes | No | No |
Audio | Yes | Yes1 | Yes |
Battery Drain Tool | Yes2 | No | No |
Mac Resource Inspector (MRI)
This diagnostic test suite is a quick triage tool that checks for the presence of hardware components and performs a series of short tests to verify hardware functionality.
Display Anomalies
This interactive diagnostic test suite displays a series of colors and patterns that assist in identifying pixel anomalies and debris.
Keyboard
This interactive diagnostic test suite prompts the user to verify that each key on the keyboard responds correctly when pressed, that the keyboard backlight is visible, and that the Caps Lock key light is functional.
Trackpad
This interactive diagnostic test suite prompts the user to verify that all areas of the trackpad respond to touch.
Touch ID
This interactive diagnostic test suite runs a series of automated tests to verify the presence of Touch ID. It then instructs the user to place a finger on the Touch ID sensor to verify functionality.
Note: This suite is only available on MacBook Neo models with Touch ID.
Audio
For Mac laptops and iMac: This interactive diagnostic test suite plays a set of chordal tones through the internal speakers and listens for those same tones through the built-in microphones, to verify speaker and microphone functionality.
1For Mac modular desktops: This interactive diagnostic test suite plays a set of chordal tones through the internal speaker and prompts the user to verify the tones were audible and not distorted. This verifies speaker functionality.
Caution: The Audio diagnostic suite plays loud test tones through the speakers. Be aware of your surroundings before running this test suite. Run this test suite in a quiet environment for best results.
Note: The Audio diagnostic test suite requires headphones to check the headphone jack.
Battery Drain Tool
2Important: The Battery Drain Tool is intended for the following models:
MacBook Pro (14-inch, M5)
MacBook Pro (M5 Pro or M5 Max)
MacBook Air (M5)
This tool drains the battery to a specified level. Actual drain time will vary depending on the initial battery charge level.
Note: The computer will play a tone once the drain has completed.