How to Force Restart a MacBook Air and MacBook Pro
However, if the worst occurs and your computer locks up, forcing a restart of a MacBook, MacBook Air, or MacBook Pro is the fastest option to get everything back up and running.
However, it would be wise to make sure that you have explored every available software alternative before choosing this drastic course of action.
- Hold down the Option () key, then right-click the troublesome app’s icon in the Dock and choose Force Quit if just the programme is frozen and not the whole operating system.
- Click the Apple () icon in the top left corner of the screen and choose Restart if the OS is stuck but the mouse pointer is still responsive. If not, try pushing the power button while pressing and holding down the Control (Ctrl) key. Choose Restart from the list of choices if the system shutdown dialogue box opens.
The power button is the key in the top right corner of the keyboard on MacBooks with physical function (F1-F12) keys. If you have an older Mac with an optical drive, this key also serves as the eject button.
The power button is the Touch ID button in the top-right corner of the keyboard on a 2018 MacBook Air, a 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro, and on a MacBook Pro with a Touch Bar, it is the Touch ID surface on the rightmost side of the Touch Bar.
How to Force Your Mac to Restart
- Until the screen turns black and the computer restarts, press and hold down the Command () and Control (Ctrl) keys as well as the power button (or the Touch ID / Eject button, depending on the Mac model).
Whether your MacBook keeps freezing and you’re not sure what’s wrong, you could think about restarting your computer in Apple Diagnostics mode to see if there’s a hardware problem.
