Startup shortcuts
Use these key combinations to change how your computer starts up. Press and hold the key or combination of keys immediately after starting your Mac until the expected function occurs or appears. For example, press and hold the Option key during startup until the Startup Manager appears.
Key or key combination | What it does |
Option or Alt | Display all startup volumes (Startup Manager) |
Shift | Start up in Safe Mode |
C | Start from bootable media (DVD, CD, USB thumb drive) |
T | Start up in Target disk mode |
N | Start from a NetBoot server |
X | Force OS X startup (when non-OS X startup volumes are available) |
D | Use Apple Hardware Test |
Command-R | Use OS X Recovery (OS X Lion or later) |
Command-Option-R | Use Internet Recovery on supported computers |
Command-V | Start up in Verbose Mode |
Command-S | Start up in Single User Mode |
Command-Option-P-R | Reset NVRAM |
Hold down the Media Eject (?) key, F12 key, or mouse or trackpad button | Eject removable discs |
Sleep, shut down, and log out shortcuts
Use these key combinations after your Mac has started up to sleep, shut down, log out of, or restart your computer.
Key or key combination | What it does |
Power button | Tap to power on. Once powered on, tap the power button to wake or sleep your Mac. |
Hold down the power button for 1.5 seconds | Show the restart / sleep / shut down dialog |
Hold down the power button for 5 seconds | Force the Mac to power off |
Control-Power button | Show the restart / sleep / shut down dialog |
Command-Control-power button | Force the Mac to restart |
Command-Option-Power button | Put the computer to sleep |
Command-Control-Power button | Quit all apps (after giving you a chance to save changes to open documents), then restart the computer |
Command-Option-Control-Power button | Quit all apps (after giving you a chance to save changes to open documents), then shut down the computer |
Shift-Control-Power button | Put all displays to sleep |
Command-Shift-Q | Log Out |
Command-Shift-Option-Q | Log Out immediately |