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Mac Won't Turn On: What to Do

Short answer: If your Mac doesn't respond to the power button, check power and try a long press.

TL;DR: quick fix

Check the power cable and outlet; try another compatible adapter.
Press and hold the power button (or Touch ID) for about 10 seconds, then press it normally.
Unplug all accessories and try again.

Is Mac down?

Before you change settings, check Apple System Status. If there's an outage, wait it out.

How to fix it: step by step

Check the power cable and outlet; try another compatible adapter.
Press and hold the power button (or Touch ID) for about 10 seconds, then press it normally.
Unplug all accessories and try again.
If you see something on screen, follow Apple's "turns on but doesn't start up" steps.
On Intel Macs, reset the SMC.

FAQ

What if the screen stays black?

It may be a software startup issue; see Apple's guide for a blank screen.

More Mac fixes

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Last checked Oct 2026 against the official help page: Apple Support. Menus can differ by app version; follow the official page if a step doesn't match.