MacBook will not start up? Apple logo, question mark or restarts

A MacBook that will not start up is stressful, especially when your work or photos are on it. What you see on the screen usually tells you where to look. A laptop that shows no sign of life at all is a different story: for that we have a guide for a MacBook that will not turn on. This guide is about a MacBook that does respond but never gets past a logo, a question mark or a restart.

Blue Apple repairs MacBooks at Rijnstraat 76-H in Amsterdam. Below are the things you can safely try yourself, in an order that puts your data at the least risk.

What you see, and what it usually means

• The Apple logo with a progress bar that stalls. Startup stops halfway. Usually a failed update, a damaged system or a disk with errors.
• A flashing folder with a question mark. The Mac cannot find a startup disk. You mostly see this on Intel models, and it points to a drive that no longer responds or a system that can no longer be found.
• A circle with a line through it. The system on the disk is not suitable or not complete, for example after an interrupted update.
• Restarting over and over. A message that the computer restarted because of a problem can be a software error, but also faulty memory, an overheated processor or a weak battery.
• A black screen, but you hear the fan or the keys light up. The Mac is probably running and the problem is the display or its backlight. Connect an external monitor to test that, and read our article on a black or flickering MacBook screen.

Step by step

1. Disconnect everything and charge. Remove USB sticks, hubs and monitors and plug the original charger into a different outlet. Let the MacBook charge for fifteen to thirty minutes before you judge it: a flat battery often looks like a broken Mac.
2. Restart. Hold the power button for about ten seconds until the screen is off, wait a moment and start it again.
3. Try safe mode. On a Mac with an Intel processor, hold Shift while it starts. On a Mac with an Apple chip, hold the power button until you see 'Loading startup options', choose your startup disk, hold Shift and choose 'Continue in Safe Mode'. If it starts in safe mode, the problem is in software or in something that loads at startup.
4. Check the disk. Start into recovery (Apple chip: hold the power button and choose 'Options'; Intel: hold Command + R while it starts), open Disk Utility and run First Aid on the startup disk. If the disk does not appear there at all, the cause is probably hardware.
5. Reinstall macOS without erasing. In recovery you can reinstall macOS. That normally leaves your files and settings in place. Never choose 'erase' or 'restore' while you have no backup of what you cannot afford to lose.

Intel models also have an NVRAM reset (hold Option + Command + P + R while it starts), which sometimes helps with a question mark or the wrong startup disk. A Mac with an Apple chip checks this itself and does not need that step.

When it is no longer software

If none of the above works, or the disk disappears from the list, the cause is in the hardware. The usual suspects:

• The storage. On most newer MacBooks the SSD is soldered to the logic board. If it fails, that is a logic board repair and not a part you simply swap.
• The logic board or power circuit. A short, a failed voltage regulator or a worn charging chip makes the Mac drop out halfway through startup.
• A swollen or worn battery. A battery that can no longer deliver the peak load at startup causes restarts. A swollen battery is also a safety risk; read when to replace a MacBook battery.
• Liquid damage. Corrosion can cause problems months after a spill. See what to do if you spilled liquid on your MacBook.

Saving your files

As long as the disk is still visible, there is often a way to rescue files before anything is erased or reinstalled. If something on it matters to you, do not start erasing or restoring yourself; have someone look at what is possible first. You can read more in our guide to data recovery from a dead iPhone or MacBook and on the MacBook data recovery page.

What we do at Blue Apple

We start by measuring instead of guessing: is power coming in, where does startup stop, is the disk recognised, and are there signs of liquid or corrosion. Then we explain what is wrong and what the options are, before anything is repaired. If you cannot come by, your MacBook can also be collected or sent by post: see pickup and delivery.

Frequently asked questions

Will I lose my files if I reinstall macOS?

Usually not: reinstalling without erasing first normally leaves your data in place. You can never be completely sure, and with a disk that shows errors a backup is the only real guarantee.

Can I fix a MacBook that will not start myself?

With software problems often yes, using the steps above. With a disk that is not recognised, a logic board or battery problem or liquid damage, it is not possible without opening the device.

My MacBook only starts with an external monitor. What does that mean?

Then the Mac itself works, and the problem is the screen, the cable to the screen or the backlight.

How do I know whether it is the charger?

Try another charger and cable of the same type and a different outlet. If nothing changes, the charger is probably not the cause. With a charging problem the charging port itself can also be at fault: see MacBook charging port repair.