How to reset SMC and NVRAM on Mac

Which Mac do you have?

1. Choose Apple menu › About This Mac. Chip followed by a chip name means Apple silicon. Processor followed by an Intel processor name means an Intel Mac.

2. On an Intel Mac, hold Option and choose Apple menu › System Information. Click Controller (or iBridge) in the sidebar. If it shows Apple T2 chip, your Mac has the T2 chip.

Apple says resetting the SMC may help when the battery doesn’t charge, the Mac doesn’t turn on, the fans run fast, a laptop gets too warm or the built-in camera doesn’t work.

Mac with Apple silicon

1. Connect the Mac to power.
2. Choose Apple menu › Restart. Or choose Shut Down, wait a few seconds and press the power button.

That’s all: the SMC resets on its own on a Mac with Apple silicon. Apple’s NVRAM reset steps don’t apply to these Macs either, and they don’t need them.

Intel Mac with the T2 chip

First restart: shut down, press and hold the power button (or Touch ID) for 10 seconds, release it, wait a few seconds and turn the Mac on. If the problem stays, reset the SMC. On a laptop:

1. Shut down the Mac.
2. On the built-in keyboard, press and hold left Control, left Option and right Shift for 7 seconds.
3. Keep holding them and also press and hold the power button. A Mac that is on turns off.
4. Hold all four keys for another 7 seconds, then release them.
5. Wait a few seconds and press the power button to turn the Mac on.

On a desktop (iMac, Mac mini, Mac Pro): shut down and unplug the power cord. Wait 15 seconds, plug it back in, wait 5 seconds and press the power button.

Intel Mac without the T2 chip

On a laptop:

1. Shut down the Mac.
2. On the built-in keyboard, press and hold left Shift, left Control and left Option.
3. Keep holding them and also press and hold the power button.
4. Hold all four keys for 10 seconds, then release them.
5. Press the power button to turn the Mac on.

On a desktop, do the same as with the T2 chip: shut down, unplug the power cord for 15 seconds, plug it back in, wait 5 seconds and turn the Mac on.

How to reset NVRAM (PRAM) on an Intel Mac

1. Shut down the Mac.
2. Turn it on and immediately press and hold Option, Command, P and R together.
3. Release the keys after about 20 seconds. The Mac may seem to restart during that time.
4. After it starts, check the settings NVRAM keeps: sound volume, display resolution, startup disk and time zone.

Some startup key combinations don’t work while a firmware password is on. Use the built-in keyboard or a wired keyboard made for Mac.