12 Best Fixes For MacBook Pro Not Turning On Issue

Macs aren’t exempt from malfunctions. MacBook Pro not turning on properly if your Mac does not respond to the Power button at all. There are various reasons why your Mac or MacBook won’t switch on or startup, but you most likely just like to get it running again.

You’ll learn what to do if your “MacBook Pro not turning on” in this post. In rare circumstances, the Mac will turn on but not start. Even in this situation, the methods will help fix the problem.

What Symbols Means On When MacBook Pro Not Turning On?

When “MacBook Pro not turning on,” it will power on but not finish the starting process. On the start-up screen, some symbols are displayed that represent various issues. Symbols ranging from a question mark to a prohibitory symbol indicate that you must overcome some issues before completing the Mac setup.

Blank Empty Screen: A blank empty screen can have a black, blue, grey, or desktop picture as a background. If an image does not appear after a few seconds, check that the display is turned on and connected and that the brightness level is high.

Apple Logo or Spinning Globe: The Apple symbol indicates that the system has discovered a startup disk, but the spinning globe indicates it is looking for the disk online. The screen will flicker numerous times, seeing a waiting icon.

Lock Icon: When the Macbook pro not turning on, the lock icon will appear on the screen if your Mac has a firmware password. It occurs when the startup disk is replaced with a different disk or volume.

System Lock PIN Code: When the Mac is remotely locked utilizing the Lost Mode of the Find My Mac feature, this interface will appear on the screen. The four-digit or six-digit passcode must be entered.

Prohibitory symbol: A circle with a slanted line or a slash indicates that the selected disk for a startup has a Mac OS, but it is not available for usage.

Question Mark: A question mark in a folder icon indicates that the starting disk is either unavailable or does not include a Mac OS. Erasing the built-in startup disk and then reinstalling macOS will fix the problem.

Login Window: You’ll see a profile circle with your name underneath it in the login window, and the system will prompt you for a passcode. When the Filevault is turned on, you are brought to this interface.

Methods To Fix MacBook Pro Not Turning On Issue

1. Perform A Power Cycle
2. Boot Up Your Mac In Safe Boot
3. Check The Mac Hardware For Issues
4. Reset The SMC (System Management Controller)
5. Reset The PRAM / NVRAM
6. Revive A M1 Mac
7. Run Disk Utility In Recovery Mode
8. Start Mac Using Another Account
9. Use Target Disk Mode To Copy Files
10. Check The File System
11. Remove The Battery
12. Reinstall macOS

1. Perform A Power Cycle

It is instructed that you execute a power cycle on “MacBook Pro not turning on issue.” A power cycle is a technical method of resetting a gadget for those unfamiliar with the term. So, if someone tells you to power cycle a device, you must turn it off and then back on. There are no complications in this method, and it is successful.

• Press and hold the power button for at least 10 seconds. Press the button one more time and remain for a while. 

• If nothing happens, you’ll have to unplug all of your device’s accessories, including USB hubs, mobile phones, printers, drives, etc.
• If nothing appears on the screen, ensure the brightness isn’t set to the lowest setting. The built-in keyboard can be used to increase the screen’s brightness.
• Remove the battery from your laptop device and then reconnect it.
• Attempt to restart the system now. The power button acts as a reset button. It’s also effective at resolving common problems with various devices.
• When consumers use the wrong power cord or adapter for the MacBook, the problem of the Mac not starting arises.
• The battery is also affected by leaving the system plugged in for an extended period. Therefore, you’ll need to examine the power adapters.
• Now, check if the “MacBook Pro not turning on” issue is fixed or not.

2. Boot Up Your Mac In Safe Boot

When your “MacBook pro not turning on”, usually, it’s time to start it in Safe Mode. This procedure can be used to fix whatever you were doing that caused the problem. Booting in Safe Mode is better if your Mac shows signs of life but won’t get past the Apple logo.

• Restart Mac, and while it’s doing so, hold down the Shift key. Hold the key down until you see the Apple logo on the login screen.

• If the problem does not appear in Safe Mode, restart your Mac normally.
• When the problem disappears, it’s frequently a hint that the root reason was a cache or directory problem with the startup disk, which Safe Mode resolves.
• Safe Mode performs a series of tests before the boot process of a stripped-down version of macOS. 
• Because it just installs the essential functionality, you can delete any apps you believe interfere with the system. 
• You can disable startup items, pull hardware, and undo any recent system changes that may have caused this problem.
• Now, check if the “MacBook Pro not turning on” issue is fixed or not.

3. Check The Mac Hardware For Issues

If your MacBook Pro not turning on, try running the Apple Hardware Test on your Mac. This test aids users in determining which hardware component is the source of the problem.

To complete this test, disconnect all connected devices from the Mac except the mouse, keyboard, display, AC power, and an Ethernet connection.

• Ensure that your Mac is resting on a solid, ventilated, level surface. Now turn off your Mac and go to the procedures below:
• Turn on your Mac and press the D key on the keyboard right away. 

• Hold the key down until you see the Apple Hardware Test icon, which looks like a pixelated computer, appear on the screen.
• Choose the language and then press the right arrow. If you don’t have a mouse, you can select a language by pressing the up and down arrow keys. Press the Return key after that.
• To begin the testing procedure, press T or Return and click the Test button. You can choose to “Perform Extended Testing” before starting the test.
• The test will run automatically, and you can check the findings in the lower right corner of your Mac window when it’s finished.
• Restart or shut down the computer to leave the Apple Hardware Test interface.
• Now, check if the “MacBook Pro not turning on” issue is fixed or not.

4. Reset The SMC (System Management Controller)

On an Intel-based Mac, the system management controller function is in charge of various tasks. So, if your MacBook Pro is not turning on, one or more of its low-level operations may malfunction.

If any of the functions are not responding to commands, the SMC should be reset.

If your Mac’s battery isn’t detachable

• From the Apple menu, select the Shut Down option.
• After the Mac has shut down, simultaneously press the Shift + Control + Option keys and the Power button. For ten seconds, hold the keypad and the power button together.

• To turn your Mac back on, release all keys and press the power button.

If your Mac has a battery that can be removed,

• Remove the battery from the Mac and turn it off.

• Press and hold the power button for ten seconds.
• Replace the battery and restart Mac by pressing the power button once more.
• Now, check if the “MacBook Pro not turning on” issue is fixed or not.

Mac Desktop Computers:

• From the Apple menu, select the Shut Down option.
• Unplug the power cord after the Mac has shut down and wait 15 seconds.
• Replug the power cord and wait another 5 seconds. Now switch on Mac by pressing the power button.
• Now, check if the “MacBook Pro not turning on” issue is fixed or not.

On a Mac with Apple T2 Chip (Security Chip)

• Shut down Mac from the Apple menu, then hit the Power button to restart it.
• Hold the power button for about ten seconds before releasing it.
• Wait a few seconds more, and then restart your Mac by pressing the Power button.
• Now, check if the “MacBook Pro not turning on” issue is fixed or not.

5. Reset The PRAM / NVRAM

You can try to reset the PRAM and NVRAM on the Mac. It is the non-volatile Random Access Memory (NVRAM) that Mac uses to save some settings for quick access. Similar data is stored in the parameter RAM (PRAM).

• The steps for resetting PRAM and NVRAM are identical. Sound volume, display resolution, recent kernel panic data, and startup options are saved in NVRAM.
• Turn on your Mac after shutting it down. Hold down the Option, Command, P, and R keys together for around 20 seconds.

• Your Mac would appear to be restarting at this time. You can let off the keys when you hear the bell sound or see the Apple logo on the screen.
• When the Mac has finished booting, you may need to go into System Preferences and modify the settings reset due to the NVRAM/PRAM reset.
• Now, check if the “MacBook Pro not turning on” issue is fixed or not.

6. Revive A M1 Mac

If you’ve tried everything and still can’t get your MacBook Pro not turning on, try updating the firmware on a second Mac using Apple’s Configurator 2. A second Mac device, a USB to USB cable, a web connection, and Apple’s Configurator 2 software is required.

• A USB-C to USB-C else USB-C to USB-A connection connects the two Macs.
• On the functional Mac, launch the Configurator 2 app.
• Now, on the non-working Mac, press and hold the power button while also hitting the right shift, left option/alt, and left control key combinations.
• Let go of the keys after around 10 seconds, but maintain pressing the Power button.
• The M1 Mac should have appeared in the Configurator program on your second Mac by this time.
• Now, check if the “MacBook Pro not turning on” issue is fixed or not.

For the M1 Mac mini

• Unplug it and wait around 10 seconds before plugging it back in.
• Hold down the power button for a few seconds.
• Re-plug it in a while, holding down the power button.
• Press and hold the power button.
• Now, check if the “MacBook Pro not turning on” issue is fixed or not.

Start an M1 Mac with the Configurator program.

• The Configurator program on the other Mac should show the M1 Mac. Choose the M1 Mac that you want to resurrect.
• Select Actions > Advanced from the drop-down menu.
• Select the Revive Device option.
• This will bring the M1 Mac’s firmware back to life.
• Now, check if the “MacBook Pro not turning on” issue is fixed or not.

7. Run Disk Utility In Recovery Mode

Another helpful solution for a MacBook Air that won’t switch on using the standard technique is to reset the computer into Recovery Mode. The macOS recovery is a feature of Mac’s built-in recovery mechanism.

The Recovery Mode utilities allow you to recover your Mac from Time Machine backup, reinstall macOS, obtain online help, and use the Drive Utility capability to repair or delete your disk.

• During startup, hold down the Command + R keys on your Mac.
• Keep pressing the keys until the Apple logo or a spinning globe appears on display.
• The recovery mode startup is finished when you see macOS Utilities on the screen.

• Restore your Mac from a previous backup on the Time Machine backup drive.
• To resolve the problem, reinstall the Mac operating system from the disk or Apple server.
• Use the Safari browser to look for solutions to your Mac problems. The Apple Support website is also included in the Get Online Help section.
• Users can utilize the Disk Utility feature to wipe or repair the starting disk or other disk. It can also be used as a firmware password recovery tool, a startup security tool, a network utility, and a terminal.
• After you’ve fixed the problem, restart Mac normally, and you’ll be able to use it without any problems.
• Now, check if the “MacBook Pro not turning on” issue is fixed or not.

You’ve entered Recovery mode. Here’s what you should do:

• You’ll have access to Utilities once your Mac enters Recovery Mode. Select Disk Utility from the menu.
• Select your Mac’s drive, which is most likely Macintosh HD.
• Now, click First aid.

• If your disk has faults, Disk Utility should detect them and either repair them automatically or ask you if you need to repair them.

• Now, check if the “MacBook Pro not turning on” issue is fixed or not.

8. Start Mac Using Another Account

You may only encounter this problem after logging into a specific account. So, before proceeding to the macOS recovery, check to see if the problem is still present with additional Mac user accounts.

• If you already own another user account set up, you may simply log out of the current one from the Apple menu and log in with the new one.
• Select Users & Groups from the Apple menu’s System Preferences option.
• Enter the admin login and password by pressing the Lock symbol at the bottom of the window.

• To sign up for an account, click the Add button (+) and fill in the relevant fields. When you select the Create Account option, a new account will be added to the list.

• Select the Log out option from the Apple menu. On the screen, a login window will display.
• Enter your new account’s username and password to see whether the problem persists.

• If the problem does not occur when you create a new account, it is most likely due to some settings or files on your existing account.
• Now, check if the “MacBook Pro not turning on” issue is fixed or not.

9. Use Target Disk Mode To Copy The Files

This step must be met before reinstalling macOS, and it is dependent on your backup arrangement. You’ll need a second Mac to complete the task. If you don’t have one, request a friend. To use Target Disk Mode and fix MacBook Pro Not Turning On Issue, follow these steps:

• Use an Apple Thunderbolt cable to connect the two Macs. You can utilize FireWire cables to complete the process if you have an older Mac.
• While holding down the T key on the keyboard, turn on your Mac.

• As soon as you hear the starting chime, press and hold the T button until the Thunderbolt icon shows on your screen.
• Your Mac will now be in Target disk mode. Your Mac acts as an external drive in Target Disk mode.
• You should now be able to view the hard drive for your faulty Mac in the Finder on your second Mac.
• You should be able to extract the data you need from your non-responsive Mac or even clone the whole hard drive to an external drive.
• Now, check if the “MacBook Pro not turning on” issue is fixed or not.

10. Check The File System

This stage is important when the MacBook Pro not turning on. It’s entertaining because it’s so geeky. Before you get too excited, keep in mind that this isn’t a viable option.

• Shut down the Mac and restart it while holding down Cmd + S to enter Single User Mode. When the scary black screen with white writing appears, you can let go of the keys.
• When all text has scrolled past, wait for the command-line prompt to appear. Then press Return after typing fsck -fy. And then there’s waiting. It may last many minutes.
• You should eventually see one of two messages: “The volume [your Mac’s name] looks to be OK” or “FILE SYSTEM WAS MODIFIED” after five different checks that take variable amounts of time.
• If the first message appears, type reboot and click Return.
• If you get the later notice, you’ll need to rerun fsck -fy. You can either retype the command and press Return or press the Up arrow once and then Return.
• Now, check if the “MacBook Pro not turning on” issue is fixed or not.

11. Remove The Battery

If you have a more aged MacBook Pro, the battery may be removable. Check to check if the battery is removable from underneath. If the battery comes out, you should see a little locking clip next. To remove the battery, follow these steps:

• Remove the locking clip from the bottom of your MacBook Pro.
• To access the battery, lift the plastic flap.
• To remove the battery, pull the little tab to release it.
• To reinsert or replace the battery and clip, repeat the operation.
• If you own a newer MacBook Pro, you won’t be able to use this process because the battery isn’t detachable.
• Now, check if the “MacBook Pro not turning on” issue is fixed or not.

12. Reinstall macOS

The MacBook Pro not turning on may be resolved by reinstalling the operating system.

• Start the computer in recovery mode. 
• If you’re using an M1 Mac, hold down the Command and R keys while starting up, or press and hold the power button.
• When you’re in Recovery, choose to install the most recent OS and follow the onscreen instructions.
• Now, check if the “MacBook Pro not turning on” issue is fixed or not.

Conclusion

There are various reasons why your MacBook Pro not turning on or startup, but you most likely just want to get it running again. I’ve gone over the many checks and modifications you’ll need to make to get your Mac to boot up and allow you to use it again. You know exactly what to do if your MacBook Pro not turning on. Try each of the 12 options listed above to find which one best suits your needs.

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