Apple hold down option key

Mac startup key combinations

Learn about the Mac features and tools that you can access by holding down one or more keys during startup.

On a Mac with Apple silicon

Turn on your Mac with Apple silicon and continue to press and hold the power button until you see the startup options window. From there you can start up from a different disk, start up in safe mode, use macOS Recovery, and more. Learn more about these options, including macOS Recovery.

On an Intel-based Mac

To use any of these key combinations, press and hold the keys immediately after pressing the power button to turn on your Mac, or after your Mac begins to restart. Keep holding until the described behavior occurs.

• Command (⌘)-R: Start up from the built-in macOS Recovery system. Or use Option-Command-R or Shift-Option-Command-R to start up from macOS Recovery over the internet. macOS Recovery installs different versions of macOS, depending on the key combination you use. If your Mac is using a firmware password, you’re prompted to enter the password.
• Option (⌥) or Alt: Start up to Startup Manager, which allows you to choose other available startup disks or volumes. If your Mac is using a firmware password, you’re prompted to enter the password.
• Option-Command-P-R:Reset NVRAM or PRAM. If your Mac is using a firmware password, it ignores this key combination or starts up from macOS Recovery.
• Shift (⇧): Start up in safe mode. Disabled when using a firmware password.
• D: Start up to the Apple Diagnostics utility. Or use Option-D to start up to this utility over the internet. Disabled when using a firmware password.
• N: Start up from a NetBoot server, if your Mac supports network startup volumes. To use the default boot image on the server, press and hold Option-N instead. Disabled when using a firmware password.
• Command-S: Start up in single-user mode. Disabled in macOS Mojave or later, or when using a firmware password.
• T: Start up in target disk mode. Disabled when using a firmware password.
• Command-V: Start up in verbose mode. Disabled when using a firmware password.
• Eject (⏏) or F12 or mouse button or trackpad button: Eject removable media, such as an optical disc. Disabled when using a firmware password.

If a key combination doesn’t work at startup, one of these solutions might help:

• Press and hold all keys in the combination together, not one at a time.
• Shut down your Mac. Then press the power button to turn on your Mac. Then press and hold the keys as your Mac starts up. You might need to wait a few seconds before pressing the keys, to give your Mac more time to recognize the keyboard as it starts up. Some keyboards have a light that flashes briefly at startup, indicating that the keyboard is recognized and ready for use.
• If you’re using a wireless keyboard, plug it into your Mac, if possible. Or use your built-in keyboard or a wired keyboard. If you’re using a keyboard made for a PC, such as a keyboard with a Windows logo, try a keyboard made for Mac.
• If you’re using Boot Camp to start up from Microsoft Windows, set Startup Disk preferences to start up from macOS instead. Then shut down or restart and try again.

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Question: Q: Mac won’t boot *unless* I hold down option key.

My Mac Pro (early 2008) has a strange issue. It won’t get past the grey screen (before the Apple + spinner) unless I hold the Option key, and choose the Boot disk manually.

* it only happens after a shutdown
* restart it starts fine
* nothing in console suggests weirdness (although of course it doesn’t get this far anyway at boot)

I’ve tried the usual: zap PRAM, permissions etc.

I do have Apple care for another few months but cannot afford the time without my computer at this point.

Mac Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.4), Early 2008

Posted on Oct 11, 2010 12:39 AM

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Follow the instructions here to check the startup disk for errors that may need repairing.

Hopefully you removed or updated the third party enhancement software you had installed here?

Also, check login items. Open System Preferences/Accounts then select the Login Items tab. Delete any files or apps you have listed there. And go to /Library/Startup Items. Move any files in the Startup Items folder to the Trash.

Oct 11, 2010 1:30 AM

I’m pretty sure it’s not an issue with the OS.

* A clone of the OS on another disk boots fine — this would not boot if the issue was a system one.
* A vanilla Snow Leopard install on the same (not working disk, but 2nd partition) won’t boot either. If the issue was with the system this one would boot.
* Erasing this second partition didn’t help.

(I’ve already done all the above suggestions using Single user mode etc.)

Now a similar issue reported here:
http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=501768
suggests using fdisk to make the boot disk ‘active’.

+A common mantra provided here to newbies for setting up for installation is:+
+Make the partition Primary+
+Make the partition (signifies an HFS partition)+
+Make the partition Active+
+There is a built-in Unix utility in MacOSX that can be used to set your partition «Active». It is called Fdisk+

However, when I use Fdisk my disk reports a negative size:

fdisk: 1> p
Disk: /dev/rdisk3 geometry: -5415437/4/63 [-1364690128 sectors]

However, it also does this with another 1.5TB disk I have suggesting that the size of the disk is a problem. Is there another way to make the disk ‘active’ as this seems to be where the problem lies.

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Question: Q: i hold down the options key but startup manager doesn’t appear

Folder with question mark appears on power up.

When I power off, power back on and hold down the options key, the Start up manager never appears.

The mouse cursor shows up but nothing else happens.

iMac, Mac OS X (10.1.x)

Posted on Feb 17, 2015 10:56 AM

Helpful answers

Either the hard drive has failed or you have a major hardware failure such as defective memory or a motherboard failure. In any case take it in for service.

Feb 19, 2015 9:10 AM

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Reboot into Recovery (hold command-option-R) choose disk utility from the menu and check the disk.

Feb 17, 2015 11:00 AM

Question (?) Mark, Blinking Folder, or Gray Screen at Startup

These are related but not identical issues. Their causes are outlined in Intel-based Mac- Startup sequence and error codes, symbols . Solutions may be found in:

In most cases the problems may be caused by one or more of these:

a. Problem with the computer’s PRAM — See Resetting your Mac’s PRAM and NVRAM .

b. Boot drive’s directory has been corrupted — Repair with Disk Utility.

c. Critical system files are damaged or deleted — Reinstall OS X.

d. The disk drive is physically non-functional — Replace the hard drive.

Note that the information I have provided is what Apple recommends, If other users suggest different solutions than found here, then be sure what they recommend does not impact on your warranty, if any, or ability to get continuing Apple service.

Please don’t start removing drives or changing cables unless you know what you are doing and have exhausted other non-invasive alternatives outlined here. If you perform any work yourself that is unapproved by Apple, then you will void any warranty you may have and lose all further Apple Support.

Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions

Boot from your Snow Leopard Installer disc. After the installer loads select your language and click on the Continue button. When the menu bar appears select Disk Utility from the Utilities menu. After DU loads select your hard drive entry (mfgr.’s ID and drive size) from the the left side list. In the DU status area you will see an entry for the S.M.A.R.T. status of the hard drive. If it does not say «Verified» then the hard drive is failing or failed. (SMART status is not reported on external Firewire or USB drives.) If the drive is «Verified» then select your OS X volume from the list on the left (sub-entry below the drive entry,) click on the First Aid tab, then click on the Repair Disk button. If DU reports any errors that have been fixed, then re-run Repair Disk until no errors are reported. If no errors are reported click on the Repair Permissions button. Wait until the operation completes, then quit DU and return to the installer.

If DU reports errors it cannot fix, then you will need Disk Warrior and/or Tech Tool Pro to repair the drive. If you don’t have either of them or if neither of them can fix the drive, then you will need to reformat the drive and reinstall OS X.

The main difference if you are using Lion or Mountain Lion is that you must first boot from the Recovery HD. Simply boot from the Recovery HD to perform the above.

Reinstall Snow Leopard Without Erasing The drive

1. Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions

Boot from your Snow Leopard Installer disc. After the installer loads select your language and click on the Continue button. When the menu bar appears select Disk Utility from the Utilities menu. After DU loads select your hard drive entry (mfgr.’s ID and drive size) from the the left side list. In the DU status area you will see an entry for the S.M.A.R.T. status of the hard drive. If it does not say «Verified» then the hard drive is failing or failed. (SMART status is not reported on external Firewire or USB drives.) If the drive is «Verified» then select your OS X volume from the list on the left (sub-entry below the drive entry,) click on the First Aid tab, then click on the Repair Disk button. If DU reports any errors that have been fixed, then re-run Repair Disk until no errors are reported. If no errors are reported click on the Repair Permissions button. Wait until the operation completes, then quit DU and return to the installer.

If DU reports errors it cannot fix, then you will need Disk Warrior and/or Tech Tool Pro to repair the drive. If you don’t have either of them or if neither of them can fix the drive, then you will need to reformat the drive and reinstall OS X.

2. Reinstall Snow Leopard

If the drive is OK then quit DU and return to the installer. Proceed with reinstalling OS X. Note that the Snow Leopard installer will not erase your drive or disturb your files. After installing a fresh copy of OS X the installer will move your Home folder, third-party applications, support items, and network preferences into the newly installed system.

Reinstalling Lion/Mountain Lion Without Erasing The Drive

Boot to the Recovery HD: Restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the COMMAND and R keys until the menu screen appears. Alternatively, restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the OPTION key until the boot manager screen appears. Select the Recovery HD and click on the downward pointing arrow button.

Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions: Upon startup select Disk Utility from the main menu. Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions as follows.

When the recovery menu appears select Disk Utility. After DU loads select your hard drive entry (mfgr.’s ID and drive size) from the the left side list. In the DU status area you will see an entry for the S.M.A.R.T. status of the hard drive. If it does not say «Verified» then the hard drive is failing or failed. (SMART status is not reported on external Firewire or USB drives.) If the drive is «Verified» then select your OS X volume from the list on the left (sub-entry below the drive entry,) click on the First Aid tab, then click on the Repair Disk button. If DU reports any errors that have been fixed, then re-run Repair Disk until no errors are reported. If no errors are reported click on the Repair Permissions button. Wait until the operation completes, then quit DU and return to the main menu.

Reinstall Lion/Mountain Lion: Select Reinstall Lion/Mountain Lion and click on the Continue button.

Note: You will need an active Internet connection. I suggest using Ethernet if possible because it is three times faster than wireless.

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Question: Q: Option key on startup quit working with wireless keyboard

2011 Mini, 10.7.1, wireless keyboard and trackpad.

The option key used to work fine for giving me the boot manager (choose OS X, recovery, Windows). This week it quit working. But if I plug in the usb keyboard it still works. So it is a keyboard recognition thing? But once OS X starts, it recognizes all the keys fine.

Even more odd . . . the option key on the wireless keyboard does give me the boot manager if I restart from Windows, but not from OS X.

Posted on Sep 7, 2011 8:56 AM

Helpful answers

You may want to try zapping the PRAM using the wired

keyboard and also try doing an SMC reset. Both devices

contain various start up data and from time to time get

corrupted. Might be your issue.

Sep 8, 2011 3:59 AM

On my mac mini, lion 10.7.2 and the bluetooth wireless keyboard, I found the problem to be timing related. I must press and hold the option key immediately before or just after the chimes sound f(and the display is black). If I do this, the boot option mode is entered and the boot devices are shown. If I press and hold the option key too early, I will not enter the boot option mode.

If my mac is already started and I want to enter the boot option mode, I have two choices: (1) restart or (2) shutdown followed by manually turning on my mac.

For «restart», if I press and hold the option key too early in the restart sequence (i.e., much before the chime), the boot option mode may not be entered. I must wait until the chime sounds before pressing and holding the option key.

On the other hand if I «shut down» my mac, I then have to manually press the power power button for my mini to start. After pressing the start button, I then press and hold down the option key which happens just about the time the chime sounds (or a little +/-). My mac then enters the boot option mode.

Nov 28, 2011 6:14 PM

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You don’t mention whether this is an Apple wireless keyboard, but I’m assuming that’s the case. I wonder whether your Mac has misidentified your keyboard’s layout.

Make sure your keyboard has fresh batteries.

You might try re-pairing your keyboard to force it to detect the key layout.

1. Hook up your USB keyboard

2. Turn off your wireless keyboard

3. Delete the wireless keyboard in Bluetooth Preferences

4. Power up your wireless keyboard

5. Go to System Preferences->Keyboard and click the Set Up Bluetooth Keyboard button in the corner

6. On the Keyboard Preferences pane, make sure Modifier Keys settings are all defaults (not that this should affect boot behavior)

After you pair your keyboard, reboot and see if Option works.

Best of luck to you.

Sep 7, 2011 11:41 AM

Yes, it is an Apple keyboard. And the key mapping is good. The option key works as it should once you boot.

Very odd. It all worked fine, until it didn’t.

Sep 7, 2011 2:55 PM

You may want to try zapping the PRAM using the wired

keyboard and also try doing an SMC reset. Both devices

contain various start up data and from time to time get

corrupted. Might be your issue.

Sep 8, 2011 3:59 AM

Good ideas, but no joy. I may call Apple support since the mini is new.

Sep 8, 2011 8:46 PM

I noticed the same thing too. New i5 Mini running OSX10.7.1 with an Apple wireless keyboard w/ Lion configured function keys. Unlike you, I was never able to get to boot management. Good to hear that the wired keyboard works. How do we notify Apple about this?

Sep 9, 2011 1:14 AM

Just talked with AppleCare. No answer, other than stuff happens with wireless devices. We tried all the normal stuff to fix it. He suggested I submit this to apple.com/feedback, so I will.

Meanwhile, if you want the recovery disk you probably should be on a wired keyboard anyway. And you can tell the Mac to boot into OS X or Windows. So if there is a bug you have to put up with, maybe this is not such a bad one.

BTW, the option with the wireless keyboard also works on my MacBook with Snow Leopard. Definately a Lion driver problem.

Sep 9, 2011 9:58 AM

This worked for me! Thanks!

Nov 3, 2011 10:48 PM

I have a new mac mini (lion 10.7.2) with a Mac wireless keyboard and magic mouse. I’ve also noticed that the option key is not recognized when rebooting so I currently do not have an option to boot from a recovery disk (if there’s is one there) or from another bootable device (e.g., a usb drive). After booting, the kb and mouse work fine. I wonder if the wireless devices are not enabled until after boot (e.g., maybe the driver just isn’t being loaded) . which would mean that a wired keyboard would be required if you need to go into a boot option.

Is this a bug or a feature? imho, it’s a bug.

Nov 26, 2011 10:41 PM

On my mac mini, lion 10.7.2 and the bluetooth wireless keyboard, I found the problem to be timing related. I must press and hold the option key immediately before or just after the chimes sound f(and the display is black). If I do this, the boot option mode is entered and the boot devices are shown. If I press and hold the option key too early, I will not enter the boot option mode.

If my mac is already started and I want to enter the boot option mode, I have two choices: (1) restart or (2) shutdown followed by manually turning on my mac.

For «restart», if I press and hold the option key too early in the restart sequence (i.e., much before the chime), the boot option mode may not be entered. I must wait until the chime sounds before pressing and holding the option key.

On the other hand if I «shut down» my mac, I then have to manually press the power power button for my mini to start. After pressing the start button, I then press and hold down the option key which happens just about the time the chime sounds (or a little +/-). My mac then enters the boot option mode.

Nov 28, 2011 6:14 PM

I fought for it for long time. I used command-r, option key, command-option-r, option-r, everything you can imagine but it did not work. I even shut down the imac and then tried all these combinations but it still did not work. I EVEN TRIED APPLE’s OFFICIAL ANSWER TO THIS ISSUE BUT BELIEVE ME IT DID NOT WORK AS WELL. Then I deeply thought for a while and shutdown the iMac. Then I took off the batteries from the wireless keyboard. Then Waited for 5 seconds or so. Then I just started the wireless keyboard with the button on the side. It started blinking. I immediately understood that my trick is going to work. I understood the problem. While the keyboard was blinking I started the imac. Now after startup chime from apple i just pressed the option key. And guess what- THE RECOVERY OPTION POPPED UP! See, the point is after you restart or shutdown the keyboard is still kind of paired with the imac so when you start it those keys are kind of overlooked. When you reaaly take out the batteries from the keyboard the pairing is lost. When you restart the imac the pairing is established during the startup chime tone. This is precisely the moment to press those keys like option or command-r. The command-r key works only if you have imac that was preinstalled with 10.8

I hope this saves your hours of work! I really wished that APPLE knew it. I have so much believed in this company so far.

Jan 23, 2013 2:28 PM

Just for your information, apple’s offiial answer to this issue

Jan 23, 2013 2:54 PM

You cracked the code, ymharshe! This works perfectly all the time with my 2011 Mini.

Quick shortcut: You can also disconnect the keyboard on the bluetooth toolbar menu when running OSX. (I’m running 10.8.2). Do not use the on/off button on the side of the keyboard.Then hit restart. Hit the Option key when the chime sounds & the boot option menu comes up. That will save you from having to physically turn the keyboard off or removing the batteries. Seems OSX reconnects the bluetooth link if the keyboard is disconnected but left on during a restart & recognizes the option keys during that process.

Jan 23, 2013 3:11 PM

This worked for me, thanks.

Sep 25, 2014 4:31 AM

This worked wonders! Thanks

Dec 15, 2014 11:11 AM

Question: Q: Option key on startup quit working with wireless keyboard More Less

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