Mac OS X Recovery Startup keys

About OS X Recovery

OS X Recovery includes a built in set of utilities as part of the Recovery System. You can use OS X Recovery to do the following:

• Restore your Mac from a Time Machine backup.
• Verify and repair connected drives using Disk Utility.
• Check your Internet connection or get help online using Safari.
• Install or reinstall OS X.

To start your computer from Recovery, restart your Mac and hold down the Command and R (⌘+R) keys at startup.

Hold these keys until the Apple logo appears. After your computer finishes starting up, you should see a desktop with an OS X menu bar and an OS X Utilities window with the options listed above. If you see a login window or your own desktop instead of the Utilities window, it's possible that you didn't press Command-R early enough. Restart your computer and try again.

In order to reinstall OS X, you need to be connected to the Internet using Ethernet or Wi-Fi. If you're using a wireless Internet connection, click the Wi-Fi menu in the upper-right corner of the screen to select a nearby Wi-Fi network. Choose your preferred network name and enter a username and password to join the network if needed.

OS X Internet Recovery

Newer Macs include the ability to start up directly from an Internet-based version OS X Recovery. Your Mac automatically uses this feature when the Recovery System on the startup drive isn't available. For example, if your startup drive encounters an issue, or if your startup drive has been replaced or erased. Internet Recovery lets you start your Mac directly from Apple's servers. Starting up from this system performs a quick test of your memory and hard drive to check for hardware issues.

Internet Recovery initially asks you to select a Wi-Fi network and enter a network password when needed. Next, Internet Recovery downloads and starts from a Recovery System image. From there, you are offered the same utilities and options as the Recovery System on a startup drive.

Startup key combinations for Mac

Some Mac features are available by holding down certain keys during startup.

Press and hold the keys immediately after you turn on your Mac and hear the startup sound. Keep holding until the described behavior occurs. These combinations work with Intel-based Mac computers.

Hold during startup	Description
Shift ⇧	Start up in Safe Mode
Option ⌥	Start up to Startup Manager
C	Start up from a bootable CD, DVD, or USB thumb drive (such as OS X install media)
D	Start up to either Apple Hardware Test or Apple Diagnostics, depending on which Mac you're using.
Option-D	Start up to either Apple Hardware Test or Apple Diagnostics over the Internet.
N	Start up from a compatible NetBoot server.
Option-N	Start up from a NetBoot server using the default boot image.
Command (⌘)-R	Start up from OS X Recovery
Command-Option-R	Start up from OS X Recovery over the Internet.
Command-Option-P-R	Reset NVRAM. Release the keys after you hear the startup sound again.
Command-S	Start up in single-user mode.
T	Start up in target disk mode.
X	Start up from an OS X startup volume when the Mac would otherwise start up from a non-OS X startup volume.
Command-V	Start up in verbose mode.
Eject (⏏), F12, mouse button or trackpad button	Eject removable media, such as an optical disc.