MacBook Pro (14-inch, M6) Troubleshooting Startup Issues

• If your Mac doesn’t start up all the way

• Start up your Mac in safe mode

• Use macOS Recovery on a Mac with Apple silicon

• If your Mac starts up to an exclamation point in a circle

• If your Mac starts up to Options with a gear icon

• How to start up from macOS Recovery

• How to identify the DFU port on Mac

1. Inspect the computer for liquid damage. Contact with liquid can short internal circuits and cause the computer to malfunction.

2. If the battery is drained on the computer, connect the computer to a compatible Apple USB-C power adapter and charge cable. Charge the computer for at least 10 minutes to verify that the computer’s battery can charge. If the computer doesn’t turn on with a power adapter after charging, refer to Troubleshooting No Power.

3. Attempt to start up in safe mode to verify that the computer can start up completely without any issues.

If the issue wasn’t resolved by following a support article or trying the quick troubleshooting steps, run these manual and diagnostic tests to help isolate the cause of the issue:

1. Determine if the computer has power by confirming any of the following:

   • The fan spins

   • The trackpad clicks when pressed

   • The computer indicates when a charge cable is connected (for example, with a sound)

   • The built-in display functions

   • A connected external display functions

2. If the computer shows no indications of power, refer to Troubleshooting No Power.

3. Attempt to start up the computer in diagnostics mode, if possible.

4. Run the Mac Resource Inspector (MRI) diagnostic suite while connected to a compatible Apple USB-C power adapter and charge cable, if possible.

   • Note: This test will gather diagnostic information about the battery and verify that thermal sensor readings are within limits. Check diagnostic test results for any battery, power, or thermal warnings or failures.

5. Connect a compatible external display to the computer. Connect the computer to a compatible Apple USB-C power adapter and charge cable. The computer should turn on automatically if it’s off when the power adapter is connected. Check for an image on the built-in display. Then check for an image on the connected external display. If an image isn't clearly visible on the built-in display while an image is clearly visible on the connected external display, there may be an issue with the built-in display. Refer to Troubleshooting Display Issues.

6. While started up in diagnostics mode, use Disk Utility to verify the computer’s internal startup volume. If you notice errors, use Disk Utility to repair the computer’s internal startup volume.

7. Restart the computer and verify that it completes the startup process. If the computer still doesn’t start up completely, select the Install macOS option in macOS Recovery to update or reinstall macOS.

8. If the computer can’t start up to macOS and can’t start up in diagnostics mode, an icon with an exclamation point inside a circle appears. If you see this icon when attempting to start up the computer, follow the recommended steps in If your Mac starts up to an exclamation point in a circle.

9. Important: Always attempt to revive or restore the computer by following steps in How to revive or restore Mac firmware before attempting any hardware service.

If the issue wasn’t resolved or isolated by following support articles or running diagnostic tests, refer to the computer’s repair manual to open and inspect the computer. A damaged or out-of-place part may be causing one of the issues.

1. Follow repair manual procedures to remove the bottom case and disconnect the battery from the logic board.

2. Inspect internal parts and the enclosure for indications of physical or liquid damage, contamination, and burned or darkened areas. Inspect all relevant internal flex cables and connectors for damage or tampering, such as a film or foreign material blocking a connector.

3. Locate the MagSafe 3 board flex cable connector and USB-C board flex cable connectors. Verify that all flex cables are present and connected. If a flex cable is missing, it may be under the logic board. Remove the logic board to locate the flex cable. Disconnect and reseat each flex cable to the logic board to verify its connection.

   • Note: Always disconnect the battery flex cable first and wait for 1 minute before touching the other flex cables. This is to prevent electrical shorts on the logic board.

4. Inspect the area around the heat sink and the fan for dust or debris. Use an ESD-safe vacuum to carefully remove dust and debris from the heat sink and fans. Ensure that each fan spins freely and isn't obstructed.

5. Disconnect the audio board and attempt to turn on the computer. If the computer turns on and starts up with the audio board disconnected, audio board replacement is recommended.

6. Visually inspect the lid angle sensor, including its flex cable and connectors. Closely inspect the parts in this area for evidence of physical damage or corrosion. Disconnect the lid angle sensor flex cable and retest for the startup issue. If the issue is resolved when the lid angle sensor is disconnected, lid angle sensor replacement is recommended.

7. Disconnect the battery and attempt to turn on the computer with the charge cable connected. If the computer turns on and starts up with the battery disconnected, battery replacement is recommended.

8. If the issue is resolved or inspection reveals no issues, complete the reassembly. If diagnostic results or inspection identified a faulty part, continue to the next section. If the issue persists without identifying a specific part, continue to the next section for logic board replacement.

Note: This section requires ordering parts and tools. Replacing a part may not resolve the device’s issue. You can find other service options at support.apple.com/repair.

If the issue wasn’t resolved or isolated by following the previous steps, replace the following parts for each relevant issue:

Important: Always attempt to revive or restore the computer by following steps in How to revive or restore Mac firmware before attempting any hardware service.

• If the computer turns on with the audio board disconnected, replace the audio board.

• If you find damage or corrosion on the lid angle sensor flex cable or its connectors, replace the lid angle sensor.

• If diagnostic results report any battery errors or failures, replace the battery.

• If no specific faulty part was identified above, replace the logic board.

Repair completion

Depending on the part replaced, Repair Assistant may be available on the device to finish the repair. Learn how to initiate Repair Assistant.

Post-repair verification

Run the following diagnostic suite after the repair:

• Mac Resource Inspector (MRI) (to test overall functionality)

After the repair is completed, turn on the computer and verify that the computer can now complete the startup process over multiple trials.

Note: This section requires ordering parts and tools. Replacing a part may not resolve the device’s issue. You can find other service options at support.apple.com/repair.

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