When your Mac feels slow or apps stop responding, a restart refreshes memory, clears temporary files, and restores stable performance. Follow these steps to restart your Mac safely whether you are using an Intel processor or Apple silicon.
This guide walks you through standard menu options, keyboard shortcuts, and command line methods so you can choose the approach that fits your workflow.
| Restart Method | Works On | When to Use | What It Does |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple menu > Restart | All Macs | Normal daily use | Closes apps cleanly and reboots the system |
| Control–Eject or Power button | Most Macs with physical buttons | When the interface is unresponsive | Opens the restart dialog if apps allow, otherwise forces restart |
| Option–Command–Power | Most Intel Macs | Quick restart from the login screen | Triggers a standard restart sequence |
| Apple silicon: Hold power button until Slide to Power Off appears | M1, M2, M3 and later | Responsive or frozen states | Forces full shutdown or restart after sliding |
Restart from the Apple Menu
Using the Apple menu is the safest and most straightforward way to restart your Mac on a daily basis.
Step-by-step menu restart
Click the Apple logo in the top-left corner, choose Restart, confirm if needed, and let your Mac close and reopen your apps where possible.
Keyboard Shortcuts for Quick Restart
Keyboard shortcuts are ideal when you cannot use the mouse or need to restart faster.
Intel Mac shortcut
Press Option–Command–Power button to open the restart dialog directly from the login screen or desktop.
Mac with Touch ID power button
Press and hold the power button on the right side of the Touch ID sensor until the restart option appears, then select Restart.
Force Restart When Unresponsive
If your Mac is frozen and not responding to menus, a forced restart safely reloads the operating system.
Mac with Apple silicon
Press and hold the power button until the Slide to Power Off slider appears, then turn the device off and press and hold the power button again to turn it back on.
Mac with T2 security chip or standard power button
Press Control–Eject or, on laptops without an eject key, Shift–Control–Option on the left side of the keyboard and press the power button simultaneously, then choose Restart.
Restart via Recovery or Terminal
Advanced users may want to restart from Recovery or use a Terminal command for scripting and remote management.
macOS Recovery restart
Shut down your Mac, then turn it on and immediately press and hold Command–R until you see the Apple logo to boot into Recovery, where you can select Restart from the Utilities menu.
Terminal restart command
Open Terminal and type sudo shutdown restart now, then enter your administrator password to schedule an immediate restart from the command line.
Maintenance Best Practices
Integrating regular restarts and related checks into your routine helps keep your Mac fast and reliable.
- Restart your Mac at least once a week to clear memory and background processes
- Save all work and close nonessential apps before restarting to reduce data loss risk
- Update macOS regularly so restarts apply the latest security and performance improvements
- Use the Apple menu for normal restarts and keyboard shortcuts when you need speed
- Try Recovery mode or Safe Boot if repeated restarts do not resolve unusual behavior
FAQ
Reader questions
My apps lose unsaved work after a restart, how can I avoid this?
Enable the Reopen windows when logging back in option in System Settings > General or quit or save apps before restarting to protect your work.
Will restarting fix Wi-Fi or Bluetooth issues on my Mac?
Yes, a restart often refreshes network drivers and resolves temporary connectivity glitches with Wi-Fi or Bluetooth devices.
Should I restart my Mac daily or only when it is slow?
Restarting once a week or when you notice slowdowns clears cached memory and can prevent performance issues from accumulating over time.
Can I restart my Mac remotely using another device?
Use Remote Management in System Settings or Screen Sharing to connect and then choose the restart command from the Apple menu on the remote Mac.