My Mac wouldn’t start like it normally does. The screen just stayed black, and I began to worry. I use my MacBook Air every day—for work, emails, and everything else. I didn’t want to lose my files or settings. I remembered someone once told me about Recovery Mode, but I had never used it before.
So, I grabbed my phone, searched a bit, and followed the steps. It actually worked, and I fixed the issue without help. If your Mac is stuck or acting weird, Recovery Mode might help you too. Let me show you exactly what I did.
Table of Contents
Here’s How I Started My Mac in Recovery Mode
My Mac wasn’t starting right, and I knew I had to act fast.
I learned there are two ways, depending on the type of Mac.
For Intel-based Macs:
- I shut down my Mac completely
- Then, I pressed and held Command (⌘) + R
- I kept holding until the Apple logo showed up
- Sometimes, I saw a spinning globe instead—both worked
For M1 or M2 Macs (recovery mode mac m1):
- I turned off my Mac first
- Then, I held the Power button until “Loading startup options” appeared
- Once that screen showed up, I clicked Options
- Then I hit Continue to go into Recovery Mode
This process was easy once I knew which chip my Mac had.
I didn’t need to touch the mac option key for this—just followed the steps.
Using a Windows Keyboard? Here’s What Worked for Me
My Mac keyboard wasn’t working, so I used a Windows one instead.
It actually worked better than I expected with just a few changes.
- I plugged in the keyboard using a USB connection
- The Windows key worked like the Command key
- I pressed Alt + R instead of Command + R
- I checked my monitor for the Apple logo or startup screen
If you’re wondering how to start Mac in recovery mode with Windows keyboard,
this method saved me when I had no other option.
What I Did Inside Recovery Mode
Getting into Recovery Mode was just the start—I had to fix the issue.
Here’s how I did a fresh install and cleaned up my Mac.
Reinstalling macOS
- I clicked “Reinstall macOS” on the menu
- I followed each step on the screen
- I made sure my Mac was connected to Wi-Fi
- It downloaded the correct macOS version for my device
Using this helped me bring back my system without losing too much time.
If you ever need to reinstall macos, this is the way.
Erasing My Mac Before Fresh Install
- I opened Disk Utility from the recovery menu
- I clicked on the main internal drive (usually “Macintosh HD”)
- I selected Erase from the top
- I chose APFS format (or Mac OS Extended (Journaled) for older Macs)
- Then I confirmed and erased everything
I wanted a clean start, so this step was important for me.
If you ever need to erase mac, just be careful—this deletes all data.
When Recovery Mode Didn’t Work — Here’s What I Tried Instead
One time, Recovery Mode didn’t load at all on my screen.
It was frustrating, but I didn’t give up and tried a few fixes.
- I restarted in Safe Mode by holding the Shift key
- Then I reset NVRAM/PRAM using Option + Command + P + R
- I checked for loose cables or hardware issues
- I used Internet Recovery by pressing Option + Command + R at startup
If your mac recovery mode not working, try these steps.
Using mac safe mode helped me figure out what was wrong quickly.
Picking the Right macOS Version Was Easier Than I Expected
I wanted to know what version of macOS I was reinstalling.
It turns out, the system usually picks the one that fits best.
- Recovery Mode installed the latest macOS my Mac could run
- I opened Terminal in Recovery to check the version beforehand
- For older Macs, I used a bootable USB with a previous installer
Knowing your macos versions can help you avoid install errors.
How Recovery Mode Saved My Mac
This whole process taught me to stay calm and think step by step.
My MacBook Air is back to normal, and I didn’t lose anything.
- Recovery Mode let me fix things without going to a shop
- I now keep regular backups just in case something breaks again
- I also clean up apps and update my system more often
Using recovery mode mac m1 worked when nothing else did.
If your mac recovery mode ever acts up, it’s worth trying again.