How to reinstall macOS

You can use macOS Recovery to reinstall the Mac operating system (macOS) Reinstalling macOS doesn't remove your personal data.

Shut down your Mac

From the Apple menu  in the corner of your screen, choose Shut Down. If you can't shut down your Mac, press and hold its power button for up to 10 seconds, until it turns off. (Every Mac has a power button. On notebook computers that have Touch ID, press and hold Touch ID.)

 


Start up from macOS Recovery

Follow the appropriate steps, based on whether you're using a Mac with Apple silicon. If you're not sure, you can try both sets of steps to start up from macOS Recovery.

If you're using a Mac with Apple silicon

When using a Mac with Apple silicon, macOS Recovery installs the current version of the most recently installed macOS.

  1. Press and hold the power button on your Mac.
  2. As you continue to hold the power button, your Mac turns on and loads startup options. When you see Options, release the power button.
    Startup Options on Mac with Apple silicon
  3. Click Options, then click the Continue button that appears below it.
  4. If you're asked to select a user you know the password for, select the user. Then click Next and enter that user's administrator password, which is the password they use to log in to the Mac.

If you're using any other Mac

If you're not using a Mac with Apple silicon, you're using an Intel-based Mac. 

  1. Press and release the power button to turn on your Mac.
  2. Immediately after releasing the power button, press and hold one of these key combinations. If none of them work, review the guidelines for using startup-key combinations.
    • Command-R: When you press and hold these two keys at startup, macOS Recovery will offer the current version of the most recently installed macOS.
    • Option-Command-R: When you press and hold these three keys at startup, macOS Recovery might offer the latest macOS that is compatible with your Mac.
    • Shift-Option-Command-R: When you press and hold these four keys at startup, macOS Recovery might offer the macOS that came with your Mac, or the closest version still available. 
  3. Keep holding the keys until you see an Apple logo or spinning globe.
  4. You might be asked to select a Wi-Fi network or attach a network cable. To select a Wi-Fi network, use the Wi-Fi menu  in the upper-right corner of the screen.
  5. If you're asked to select a user you know the password for, select the user. Then click Next and enter that user's administrator password, which is the password they use to log in to the Mac.


Reinstall macOS from macOS Recovery

When you see a window with the option to reinstall macOS, your Mac has started up from Recovery.

  1. Select the option to reinstall macOS.*
    macOS Recovery window
  2. Click Continue, then follow the onscreen instructions.
    • If the installer asks to unlock your disk, enter the password that you use to log in to your Mac.
    • If the installer offers the choice between installing on Macintosh HD or Macintosh HD - Data, choose Macintosh HD.
    • If the installer doesn't see your disk, or it says that it can't install on your computer or volume, you might need to erase your disk first.
  3. Allow installation to complete without putting your Mac to sleep or closing its lid. Your Mac might restart and show a progress bar several times, and the screen might be empty for minutes at a time. 
  4. When installation is complete, your Mac might start up to a setup assistant. Follow the steps in the setup assistant.

If you're selling, trading in, or giving away your Mac, quit the setup assistant without completing setup, then click Shut Down. When the new owner starts up the Mac, they can use their own information to complete setup.


If you need help


* If you just erased your startup disk, macOS Recovery might offer an earlier compatible version of macOS, but you can upgrade macOS after installation is complete. If the Mac logic board was just replaced during service, macOS Recovery might offer the latest macOS that is compatible with your Mac.

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