How to reset SMC Mac?

By Justin Jones Last updated Nov 11, 2022

How to reset SMC Mac? Even if you restart your Mac or clear out some space on its hard drive, it may still behave erratically at times. If everything else fails, resetting your Mac’s system management controller (SMC) technology may help.

If you ever need to restart your Mac, it’s probably because the SMC has been corrupted. By resetting the system management controller, users who are familiar with the process may be able to fix problems that have been slowing down their computers.

Table of Contents

What Is An SMC Reset?

Your Mac includes a circuit known as the SMC (System Management Controller). It saves important configurations for the many components of your computer. When the system management controller (SMC) of your computer fails to function properly, you may experience issues with the power management of your machine, the fan, the status lights, and other device components.

Your computer may run more slowly as a result of any one of these problems. They could potentially cause the computer system to crash.

An SMC reset does not take very long to complete, but you should not do it until after you have troubleshot the faulty component of your machine. Those who discover, for example, that an application does not launch as usual should force-quit the application and then restart their device. In the event that the app continues to exhibit problematic behavior, the user may choose to reset the device.

An SMC reset is one of the various techniques that can assist you in addressing issues that are occurring on your computer. Even though the reset is a useful tool to have in your arsenal, it won’t definitely fix the problem that you’re having at the moment.

If the issues with your computer continue after you have performed a reset, it is possible that extra troubleshooting and solutions will be required.

Why And When You Need To Do An SMC Reset

Resetting the SMC is not part of what is considered to be standard maintenance for a Mac. Only in the event that you observe problems with any of the following computer components should you proceed with its execution:

1. Fans

It’s possible that the fans in your computer will speed up, causing it to generate a lot of noise. This may take place on a consistent basis even if your gadget has adequate ventilation and is not undergoing significant use at the moment.

2. Lights

There’s always a chance that the backlight on your keyboard won’t behave as expected in certain situations. This problem can occur on its own or in conjunction with other issues that affect the status indication or battery indicator lights on your device. Either way, it can be quite frustrating.

3. Power

If a person presses down on the power button of their computer and finds that nothing happens, they may need to do an SMC reset. It’s possible that you’ll need to do this as well if your gadget goes to sleep or shuts down at inopportune moments.

4. System Performance

Problems with the system’s performance are one of the most important warning indicators about your SMC. If your computer is sluggish and does not regularly function at optimal levels, you may need to reset it in order to fix the issue.

These problems could appear at any point in time, and if you believe that you have exhausted all possible means of resolving them, it is possible that you are ready to perform an SMC reset.

Steps To Complete An SMC Reset

Before zeroing in on your SMC, Apple suggests resetting your computer’s parameter random access memory. As soon as you switch on your device, hit the Command, Option, P, and R keys to do a PRAM reset.

SMC resets are for those who have tried the PRAM reset and are still having issues with their Mac. The specific steps for accomplishing this are machine-specific. See below for a rundown on how to force restart one of three distinct Mac models:

1. Mac Laptop That Does Not Have A Removable Battery

In order to carry out an SMC reset on a Macbook, you will first need to disconnect the power cable from your laptop and then power it off. Then you need to keep the Shift, Control, Option, and power keys pressed down for a minimum of ten seconds. Put your hands off the keys, reconnect the power cable to your computer, and then restart your device as you normally would.

2. Mac Laptop That Has A Removable Battery

Because these older MacBooks do not have a battery that can be removed, you are unable to use the keyboard shortcut that was discussed earlier to reset the SMC on these computers. Instead, you will need to power down your computer and take out the battery. The next step is to switch on your device by pressing and holding down the power button for a period of five seconds, after which you will reconnect the battery.

3. Mac Desktop

The SMC may be easily reset on an iMac, Mac Mini, or Mac Pro by a straightforward process. Make sure your device is turned off and then unhook the power line. After waiting for fifteen seconds, reconnect the power cord to the computer and start it up.

If you’re having issues with your computer, you could try performing a reset to see if that fixes the problem. If the issue still exists after you have performed the reset, it may be necessary to seek additional assistance.

What To Watch For When You Complete An SMC Reset

On a Mac, resetting the SMC typically has an instant effect on the computer’s state. Those who continue to have the same issues or have new ones appear after performing the reset will need to investigate the matter further in order to resolve any computer-related concerns. After you have finished resetting your computer, you may find that it still has issues, including the following:

There is an issue with the battery being charged correctly Fans operate at a high speed whenever the gadget is being used
It is not always the case that the backlight, status indicator light, or any of the other lights on the device turn on.
There is no reaction when you click the power button on your computer.

In the event that resetting your Mac does not provide the outcomes you anticipate, you might feel compelled to take it to a technician that specializes in computer repair. You could start by thinking about getting an application that gives you the ability to delete unnecessary files from your computer. This allows you to quickly clear out unwanted files from your Mac’s hard drive. It was developed to work with all varieties of Mac computers and is capable of assisting you in enhancing the efficiency of your device.

In addition to the other methods described above, you can eliminate unnecessary files from your Mac by using a digital file shredder. You are able to delete files from your computer using the shredder, and there is no possibility that those files will be able to be restored at any point in the future.

FAQs

Where do I find the instructions for resetting SMC?

Use the laptop’s built-in Apple menu to power down (Apple logo -> Shut Down). Holding down the Shift, Control, and Option keys on the left side of the laptop’s built-in keyboard, and then pressing the power button at the same time, will restart your laptop after it has completely shut down. Keep pressing the ESC, and keys for 10 seconds.

Mac, is it safe to reset SMC?

A tiny possibility exists. If the computer is in excellent working order and there are no hardware problems, then resetting the SMC will almost always result in the computer functioning normally. However, there have been instances where an SMC reset has fried the logic board, albeit in conjunction with other hardware issues.

Can you tell if the SMC has been reset by checking it?

Use the “Apple” file menu on your Mac’s desktop to pick “Sleep.” To turn on your MacBook Pro, click the “Power” button. If the “Power” button is unresponsive, the system shuts down unexpectedly, the MacBook Pro will not enter sleep mode, or it will not wake up from sleep mode, or if the SMC reset failed, try another method.