Computer Steps

macOS

How to Restart a Mac

Also available for: Windows 11

What you need: A Mac.

Before you begin: Save your work and close your documents. Restart turns the Mac off and starts it again automatically.

  1. Click the Apple menu (the Apple logo) in the upper-left corner of the screen.
  2. Click Restart.
  3. In the confirmation window, click Restart.
  4. Wait while the Mac restarts. Keep a Mac laptop's lid open. The screen goes dark briefly before the Mac starts again.
  5. Wait for the sign-in screen or your desktop to appear.

Expected result: The Mac has restarted and shows the sign-in screen or your desktop.

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Practice these steps

Try this task on a pretend Mac screen in your browser. The steps guide you one at a time, and nothing changes on your own computer.

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