Apple has a reputation for making products that “just work,” but many Mac users may still need to occasionally troubleshoot their desktop or laptop. Thankfully, there are a number startup options that are available on recent Macs to aid in both troubleshooting and system management. Here’s a look at seven essential Mac startup options that every OS X user should know.
Just use the table below as a handy guide in case you forget the specific keys necessary for each option.
| STARTUP KEYS | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|
| Command-R | Boot to OS X Recovery Mode |
| Alt/Option | Access Mac Startup Manager |
| C | Boot to CD, DVD, or USB |
| N | NetBoot |
| Shift | Safe Boot |
| Command-V | Verbose Mode |
| Command-S | Single User Mode |
| Command-Option-P-R | Reset PRAM |
| T | Enable Target Disk Mode |