If your Mac won’t turn on or charge, work through power, charger, reset, and recovery steps to revive it or confirm repair.
Your Mac looks dead. No chime, no light, no charge. Skip the panic. This guide gives you a clean path from fast checks to deeper fixes. It fits both Apple silicon and Intel models. You will test power, rule out faulty gear, try resets, and reach macOS tools that can save a drive. If nothing brings it back, you will know what to tell a technician and how to book service the right way.
Mac Not Turning On Or Charging: Quick Triage
Start with the items that fail the most. Many no-power calls end up being a cable, an outlet, or a drained battery that paused charging by design. Run the list once without accessories. Then try a full start.
| Check | How | What The Result Means |
|---|---|---|
| Wall Outlet | Plug in a lamp or phone | No power here means the outlet or strip is bad |
| Charger Wattage | Use the right brick for your Mac | Low wattage can stall boot or charging |
| Cable And Port | Swap cable and try each USB-C side | A frayed cable or dirty port blocks power |
| MagSafe Light | Look for amber or green on MacBook | No light points to cable, brick, or port |
| Battery Icons | Tap power; watch for empty battery symbol | Battery is drained; let it charge for a bit |
| Peripherals | Unplug hubs, drives, adapters | A bad device can stop startup |
Now try a long press. Hold the power button for ten seconds, release, then press once to start. On a MacBook with Touch ID, Touch ID is the power button. This long press clears a hung state and is the first step Apple lists for a dead Mac. See Apple’s page on Macs that do not turn on for the exact wording and screens you may see; link below.
Why A Mac Stays Off Or Won’t Charge
Several patterns show up in repair logs. A battery can pause near full to extend life. A cable may be fine for a phone but too weak for a laptop. Dust in a USB-C port breaks contact. A crash can lock power rails until a long press or a reset. Less often, a logic board or storage fault blocks boot.
Charger, Cable, And Port Issues
Match the adapter to the model. A 13-inch Air needs less wattage than a 16-inch Pro, but every unit still expects a floor. If the brick cannot supply it, the Mac may sip power yet never wake. Try a known good adapter and cable. With USB-C, move the plug to each side. Ports route through separate paths; one path can fail while the other works.
Battery Behaviors That Look Scary But Are Normal
Your Mac may show “Not Charging” while plugged in. That line can mean charging is paused to protect the pack. Optimized Battery Charging learns your routine and holds near 80% until you need full. You can change this in Battery settings if you need a full charge for a trip. Apple’s battery help pages detail these states and when to turn the feature off.
Software Crash Or Login Item Conflicts
A bad login item or a kernel panic can block a clean boot. Safe mode loads only what is needed. If the Mac reaches the desktop in safe mode, you can trim login items, run updates, and try a normal restart.
Step-By-Step Fixes That Work
Move from quick to deep. After each step, try to start the Mac again.
1) Force A Full Power Cycle
Hold the power button for ten seconds. Wait five seconds. Press it once. This cuts power to stuck parts and often brings back the chime. If you see nothing, leave the Mac on the charger for five to ten minutes and repeat.
2) Strip The Setup
Unplug everything except power. That includes hubs, displays, SD cards, and drives. Try a start. A single bent pin on a hub can stall the boot path. If the Mac starts, reattach items one by one to find the offender.
3) Try A Second Charger And Cable
Borrow one that matches or exceeds the rated wattage for your model. Swap the wall outlet. Check for charge signs: a MagSafe light, a charge tone on some units, or a battery menu icon move. Give it time if the pack sat flat for days.
4) Boot To Startup Options Or Recovery
On Apple silicon, press and hold the power button until “Loading startup options” appears. Pick Options, then Continue. On Intel, start while holding Command-R. From Recovery you can run Disk Utility, reinstall macOS, or use Startup Security Utility if the disk is locked. If the Mac boots here but not to the desktop, you likely face a software or disk issue, not a dead board.
5) Safe Mode
Start in safe mode to test login items and kexts. On Apple silicon, shut down, then hold the power button to startup options, pick your drive, hold Shift, then Continue in safe mode. On Intel, start while holding Shift. If safe mode works, remove or update login items, run macOS updates, and restart.
6) NVRAM And Power Resets
On Intel models, reset NVRAM with Option-Command-P-R at boot. Many users also try an SMC reset on Intel portables to clear power states. Apple silicon does not offer SMC; a full shutdown clears those roles. If you have a desktop Mac, unplug power for a short stretch and reconnect.
7) Apple Diagnostics
Run hardware checks. Start while holding D, or Option-D for internet. Note any codes. A PPF code points to a fan. PPT to a power rail. PPM to a memory path. Codes give a tech a head start and can speed a shop visit.
8) Disk Utility First Aid
If the Mac reaches Recovery, open Disk Utility and run First Aid on the startup volume. File system errors can look like a dead Mac. A repair here can bring the login screen back on the next restart.
Mac Won’t Turn On Or Charge: When To Book Service
Some cases need parts or board work. Signs include no charge light with known good gear, repeat panics, fans that spin at max with no video, or codes from Apple Diagnostics. If you see these, set up service. Apple’s service finder lets you book a visit or mail-in repair. Bring the charger you used for testing and a short list of what you tried.
How To Prep Data Before Service
If the Mac turns on only in Recovery, back up what you can. Use Disk Utility to mount the volume. Copy files to an external drive. Sign out of iCloud and Find My if the Mac can reach the desktop. If not, bring proof of purchase and be ready to work with the tech on Activation Lock.
Charging States And What They Mean
Battery and charging menus use specific terms. This table maps the common ones to simple actions.
| Status Text | What It Means | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Not Charging | Charge is paused to reduce wear or wattage is low | Wait or use a higher-watt adapter |
| Battery Is Low | Pack is near empty | Leave on charger and try again later |
| Charging On Hold | Optimized Battery Charging is active | Turn off the setting if you need 100% today |
| No Light On MagSafe | No power path | Swap cable, brick, and outlet |
| Question Mark Folder | No startup disk found | Boot to Recovery and pick a startup disk |
| Blank Screen With Power | Backlight or GPU path issue | Shine a light at the screen; try external display; book service |
Model-Specific Notes
Apple Silicon Mac
The long press still matters. Hold the power button to reach startup options. From there you can open Recovery, run First Aid, or reinstall. Safe mode uses the Shift key after you pick the disk. No SMC reset exists on this line. Sleep, shutdown, and a fresh start replace that role.
Intel Mac
Intel units add two moves. Reset NVRAM with Option-Command-P-R. Reset SMC on portables using the right Shift, Control, and Option keys with the power button for a timed press. Steps vary by model year, so match the directions to your keyboard. A good reset can fix fans racing, dead ports, and no-charge reports.
Care Tips That Prevent No-Power Calls
Keep vents clear. Heat ages a pack and can trip a shutdown. Use the right wattage brick at home and travel. Do not run the battery flat for days. If you store the Mac, leave the pack near the middle and power it on once in a while. Clean USB-C and MagSafe ports with a soft brush. Big crumbs in a port act like tiny insulators.
What To Say To A Technician
Clear notes reduce back-and-forth. Bring the exact model name, macOS version if known, and serial number. List the steps you tried and the codes from Diagnostics. Say what charger and cable you used and the outlet type. Add any spills, drops, or third-party repairs. The tech can pick the right test path from the start.
Helpful Apple Guides
You want trusted steps for power and charging. Start with Apple’s page on Macs that don’t turn on. For battery states and pauses, see the Mac Help page on when a Mac won’t charge. Both pages line up with the steps in this guide.