How to restart a Mac

Restarting your Mac computer is necessary for installing new updates, and can often fix many technical issues. This page contains multiple methods for restarting a Mac. To proceed, select the method you want to use from the list below or read through each section individually.

Restart using the menu bar

1. Click the Apple icon in the upper-left corner of the screen.
2. In the drop-down menu, click Restart.

3. You should see a screen with a white loading bar at the bottom.

Restart using a keyboard shortcut

1. Press and hold control, then press the Eject button.
2. Click the Restart button on the prompt.

3. You should see a screen with a white loading bar at the bottom.

Restart immediately

To force your Mac computer to restart immediately (skipping the prompt), press the Control+Command+Eject keys at the same time.