How to reset the NVRAM, PRAM, and SMC on any Mac
Macworld When your Mac starts acting up, you’ll probably run through some common troubleshooting procedures, such as restarting it, running Disk Utility, and perhaps performing a Safe Boot. Your repair repertoire should also include a couple of additional procedures that can occasionally eliminate otherwise inscrutable problems—zapping the NVRAM and resetting the SMC. The procedures here apply to Intel-based Macs. M-Series Macs don’t have a procedure for zapping the NVRAM, and they don’t have an SMC. For M-series Macs, try shutting down the computer, waiting for several seconds, and then booting it. What is PRAM? Back in the day, the standard list of quick fixes for random Mac ailments always included clearing the PRAM. The P in PRAM stood for “parameter” (the RAM was just RAM—random access memory), and it referred to a small amount of special, battery-backed memory in every Mac that stored information the computer needed before it loaded the operating system. If the values in this memory got out of whack for one reason or another, your Mac might not start up correctly or might exhibit any of numerous odd behaviors afterward. So you could press a key sequence at startup to reset (or “zap”) the PRAM, returning it to default, factory values. What is NVRAM? Modern Macs no longer use PRAM; they instead use something called NVRAM (NV for non-volatile). NVRAM serves approximately the same purpose as PRAM, but instead of storing a dozen or more pieces of information, it now contains just a few: your selected startup disk, speaker volume, screen resolution, time zone, and—if your Mac has crashed recently—details of the last kernel panic. NVRAM corruption is fairly uncommon, but if your Mac seems to take forever to figure out the correct boot disc, starts up with the wrong screen resolution, or suffers from weird audio problems (like there’s no sound whatsoever or the menu bar’s volume control is grayed out), a reset of the NVRAM might help—and it’s quick and harmless. When should you reset NVRAM? If you notice that your Mac settings continuously get thrown out of whack, it might be time to reset the NVRAM. For example, if you notice that your screen resolution or sound volume never stays at the setting you want, or the date and time are always wrong. If you notice annoying problems that don’t get fixed by adjusting your settings, or your settings never seem to take, try resetting the NVRAM. Is it safe to reset the NVRAM? When you rest the NVRAM, your Mac will revert to factory default settings. So it’s safe in the sense it that it does not harm the Mac, but you might think of it as “unsafe” in that any customization you’ve done to the system settings may be lost. You may have to go back and reinstate some of those settings. How reset NRAM M-series Macs On M-series Macs, the NVRAM is tested during the startup process, and if the system detects a need to reset, it will. There isn’t a key combination that you hold down while starting up the Mac. If you would like the system to inspect the NVRAM on an M-series Mac, shut it down completely, wait a few seconds, and then power up the Mac. Intel Macs To reset your NVRAM, you use exactly the same procedure you once used to reset PRAM. Shut down your Mac. Press the power button, and as soon as you power up the laptop, hold down Command-Option-P-R. Keep holding down those keys for about 20 seconds. Then let go and allow your Mac to continue starting normally. If you have an older Mac that chimes at boot, hold down the keys until you hear a second startup chime.  Then check the Startup Disk, Display, and Date & Time panes of System Preferences to make sure they’re set the way you want them. If you hold down Command-Option-P-R at startup and you see nothing but a gray screen that doesn’t change for several minutes—no Apple logo, no progress bar, no second startup chime—don’t panic. The most likely cause is that your Mac isn’t registering the key presses due to wonkiness with a USB device. Disconnect all USB devices (except your keyboard, if it’s a wired keyboard), hold the power button down until the Mac shuts off completely, and then press it again and immediately hold down Command-Option-P-R. If that doesn’t work and you’re using an external Bluetooth keyboard, try plugging in a USB keyboard instead. If you’re able to reset the NVRAM successfully with the wired keyboard, you can disconnect it and go back to your normal Bluetooth keyboard. Terminal More advanced users can try using the Terminal to reset to NVRAM, though if you’ve reached this option the problem is likely bigger than resetting NVRAM. And as with all Terminal commands, the usual caveats apply: You’re messing with macOS’s bash shell and could do irrevocable damage with the wrong keystroke. But if you’d like to try, you can type the following command into a new Terminal window: nvram ​-c After running the command, restart your Mac so the changes can take effect. What is SMC? Yet another component of an Intel Mac’s hardware that stores crucial settings is the System Management Controller (SMC). This circuit deals with power management, temperature monitoring and fan control, status lights, keyboard backlights, and a few other components. What should you rest the SMC? If your SMC becomes confused, you could experience problems like excessive fan noise, slow performance even though Activity Monitor doesn’t show the CPU being overtaxed, apps that take forever to launch, batteries that don’t charge correctly, problems with sleep or wake, and so on. (You can see a longer list on this Apple support page.) As with zapping the NVRAM, resetting the SMC to factory defaults may resolve these problems. Is it safe to reset the SMC? It is safe to reset the SMC. You should check your Battery system preferences afterward to see if your customizations have been maintained. How to reset the SMC M-series Macs M-series Macs don’t have a System Management Controller (SMC). The functions the SMC handled are now handled by the M chip itself. Postings on Apple’s forums suggest shutting down an M-series Mac completely and leaving it off for 30 seconds to perform something like an SMC reset. After 30 seconds, power on the Mac. If your problems persist, you can try reinstalling the M-series Mac’s firmware. It’s a procedure that’s a little more complicated than what you might be used to. You need another Mac with the Apple Configurator 2 app installed, a USB-C cable that supports both power and data (used to connect the two Macs), and an internet connection. Apple has the full details on how to revive or restore a Mac with Apple silicon with Apple Configurator 2. Intel Macs Apple says you shouldn’t reset the SMC without first trying other troubleshooting tasks, such as force-quitting problematic apps and restarting your Mac. However, Apple doesn’t mention any negative consequences of resetting the SMC, nor any way to determine for sure if the SMC is glitchy without resetting it and noticing that the problem went away. We’ve reset my Macs’ SMCs many times with no apparent ill effects, and on one occasion that did turn out to be the solution to a problem. Before you can reset your SMC, you must shut down your Mac. After that, the procedure varies depending on the type of Mac you have. Desktop Macs: Disconnect the power cord (either from the Mac or from the AC outlet). Wait 15 seconds and plug it back in. Then wait another 5 seconds and turn the Mac back on. Laptops with the T2 chip: Shut down. Press and hold the power button for 10 seconds, then release it. After a few seconds, press the power button to turn on your Mac. If this doesn’t reset the SMC, shut down. On the laptop keyboard, press and hold Control-Option-Shift (your Mac might turn on). Hold these keys for 7 seconds, then press and hold the power button. If your Mac is on, it will turn off while you hold down the keys for another 7 seconds. Then release the keys, wait a few seconds and turn on the laptop. Laptops (no T2 chip) with non-removable batteries: Shut down and unplug your Mac. On the built-in keyboard, press and hold the Shift, Option, and Control keys on the left side and press the power button and hold all of these down for 10 seconds, then release the keys. Connect the power adapter and then turn the Mac on normally. Laptops (no T2 chip) with removable batteries: Shut down your Mac. Disconnect the power cord and remove the battery. Press the power button, hold it for 5 seconds, and then let go. Put the battery back in, reconnect the power cord, and turn the Mac on normally. Although neither of these procedures is a guaranteed cure, both of them can solve a number of odd problems, and are worth a few minutes of your time before hauling your Mac in to see the local Apple Genius. Terminal There is no Terminal command for resetting the SMC.

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Leaked Apple Meeting Shows How Dire the Siri Situation Really Is
A leaked Apple meeting reveals significant internal struggles with Siri's development, as AI-powered features announced last June have been delayed and may not make it into iOS 19. The Verge reports: Bloomberg (paywalled) has the full scoop on what happened at a Siri team meeting led by senior director Robby Walker, who oversees the division. He called the delay an "ugly" situation and sympathized with employees who might be feeling burned out or frustrated by Apple's decisions and Siri's still-lackluster reputation. He also said it's not a given that the missing Siri features will make it into iOS 19 this year; that's the company's current target, but "doesn't mean that we're shipping then," he told employees. "We have other commitments across Apple to other projects," Walker said, according to Bloomberg's report. "We want to keep our commitments to those, and we understand those are now potentially more timeline-urgent than the features that have been deferred." The meeting also hinted at tension between Apple's Siri unit and the marketing division. Walker said the communications team wanted to highlight features like Siri understanding personal context and being able to take action based on what's currently on a user's screen -- even though they were nowhere near ready. Those WWDC teases and the resulting customer expectations only made matters worse, Walker acknowledged. Apple has since pulled an iPhone 16 ad that showcased the features and has added disclaimers to several areas of its website noting they've all been punted to a TBD date. They were held back in part due to quality issues "that resulted in them not working properly up to a third of the time," according to Mark Gurman. [...] Walker told his staff that senior executives like software chief Craig Federighi and AI boss John Giannandrea are taking "intense personal accountability" for a predicament that's drawing fierce criticism as the months pass by with little to show for it beyond a prettier Siri animation. "Customers are not expecting only these new features but they also want a more fully rounded-out Siri," Walker said. "We're going to ship these features and more as soon as they are ready." He praised the team for its "incredibly impressive" work so far. "These are not quite ready to go to the general public, even though our competitors might have launched them in this state or worse," he said of the delayed features. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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9to5Rewards: Last chance to win a MacBook Pro from Chargeasap [Giveaway]
There’s still one week left to enter our giveaway to win Apple’s latest MacBook Pro courtesy of Chargeasapto help celebrate the launch of the company’s new Flash Pro Ultra, the world’s first dual OLED 275W powerbank. Head below to learn more about the new Flash Pro Ultra by Chargeasap and enter the giveaway. more…

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Here are some of the best protective cases and lanyards for the new AirPods 4
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Apple quietly launches new app for users who want to help improve Apple Maps
Apple quietly launched a new app on Friday called “Maps Surveyor,” which lets users contribute to Apple Maps by collecting data about their surroundings and sending it to the company. However, not everyone can use the new app. more…

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Apple needs another Snow Leopard to fix its software
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2025 iPad Air hands-on: Why mess with a good thing?
Apple’s annual refresh is a minor one, but not much needed to change anyway.

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M4 MacBook Air teardown reveals it's just as easy to repair as its predecessor
Apple's latest M4 MacBook Air is just as repairable as the previous two iterations, as a teardown of the device shows no major changes from the M2 model.Apple's M4 MacBook Air uses the same chassis as the previous two generations. Image Credit — iFixitThe new MacBook Air, with an M4 system-on-chip, was announced on March 5, 2025. Though the laptop features an upgraded 12MP front camera with center stage support and is available in a new Sky Blue color option, it's practically identical to the M3 MacBook Air. The new-and-improved MacBook Air is even available in the same 13-inch and 15-inch sizes as its predecessor.As was noted by iFixit in a teardown of the M4 MacBook Air, the device uses the same chassis as the M2 MacBook Air, which was introduced in 2022. This means that the entire disassembly process remains unchanged, with the laptop's USB-C ports being just as easily replaceable as they were before. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Price drop: Get a barely used 2017 MacBook Air for less than $230
Need a laptop for less? This deal on a refurbished MacBook Air gets you or a family member into the Apple ecosystem for just $229.97. (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)

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Apple’s Siri chief calls Apple Intelligence delays ‘ugly’ and ’embarrassing,’ promises fixes someday
Apple’s top executive overseeing its Siri virtual assistant told staff that delays to key features have been ugly and embarrassing, and a… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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Nobody’s getting fired over Apple’s Siri debacle … yet
The delay of AI-enhanced Siri is impacting Apple’s reputation. We have an update on development of this critical project. (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)

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Siri delays hurt, but half-baked features could have been a real Apple crisis
Apple’s recent Siri delays have stirred up a mess of bad press, and reportedly led to an all-hands meeting where an exec called the affair “ugly and embarrassing.” But per another key quote from that meeting, there’s no doubt Apple saved itself a world of trouble with the move. more…

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This is how you can update your AirPods to new firmware
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Next week’s Severance finale will be the show’s longest episode ever
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Report: Apple internally acknowledges ‘ugly and embarrassing’ Siri delays
Macworld According to a report from Bloomberg, Senior Director of Siri and Information Intelligence Robby Walker held an all-hands meeting to discuss the recent delay of new Siri features. He called the delay of these key features “ugly and embarrassing,” according to the report, and said the team was facing a “bad period.” The features in question—on-screen awareness, personal context, and in-app actions, have reportedly been delayed until at least 2026, but Walker did not state in the meeting when the features would actually be delivered. Apple has only said publically that the new Siri features would arrive “in the coming year.” The features were promoted before they were ready, he acknowledged and lamented that his team is probably feeling pretty bad right about now. According to Bloomberg’s account, Walker vowed to deliver “an industry-leading virtual assistant.” It’s unclear if Apple has the right organization or vision to achieve that. As we wrote recently, Siri didn’t just miss a deadline for new advanced AI features, it’s actually embarrassingly bad at all the things it’s already supposed to do well. Walker said that, while the company is aiming to release the delayed Siri features in the iOS 19 timeframe, it may not even make that release target. “We have other commitments across Apple to other projects,” he said, adding “We want to keep our commitments to those, and we understand those are now potentially more timeline-urgent than the features that have been deferred.” It is becoming increasingly obvious that Siri is in bad shape and hope is not on the horizon. Dramatic improvements are needed not just to “catch up” to rivals, but to deliver existing Siri features at a quality level Apple can be proud of. It may be that Siri needs to be entirely re-engineered from the ground up, and that sort of thing can take years, even if it’s already underway. Meanwhile, Apple rivals in the AI space are racing ahead—by the time Apple delivers a “new and improved” Siri, how advanced will the competition be? The Bloomberg report states that Apple doesn’t plan to fire any executives over Apple’s increasing AI troubles, but that the situation can change at any time.

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The Apple AirTag (4-Pack) is $30 Off
The Apple AirTag is an excellent device tracker that works beautifully with your other Apple products. Today, the 4-Pack version is down to just $69.99 from its original price of $99 on Amazon. You can use the AirTag to find and keep track of any valuable item using the Find My app. When paired with […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

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Apple might start HomePod mass production in Q3
Apple is expected to begin mass-producing the next HomePod in the third quarter of this year, according to Ming-Chi Kuo. The new HomePod will have a display and smart capabilities. Rumors claim that the screen will be either 7 or 6 inches, and the unit itself will have the A18 chip. As for functionality, the […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

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High-End Mac Studio product hit with delivery delays
Apple’s maxed-out Mac Studio with the M3 Ultra, 512GB RAM, and 16TB storage comes with delayed shipping. Customers can order the newest Mac Studio with the M3 Ultra and M4 Max chip and have it delivered, but the problem seems to be with the $14,099 configuration. While the device won’t arrive until the end of […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

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In-Store pickup option now available for new iPad, Mac Studio, and MacBook Air
The newest MacBook Air, iPad, and Mac Studio devices can be picked up at the nearest Apple Store locations. The M4-powered MacBook Air began shipping to those who preordered, and those who didn’t can now get the same product at an Apple Store. Globally, Apple is offering next-day and same-day pickup options for those who […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

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Behind closed doors, Apple is embarrassed by its slow Siri rollout, too
One of Apple's top executives has called the delay of the new, more personalized Siri "ugly and embarrassing" and vows to "ship the world's greatest virtual assistant" at some point.Apple's embarrassed by its slow Siri rollout, tooApple has been facing significant challenges in deploying one of its most highly advertised Apple Intelligence features: an enhanced, personalized Siri.The company had heavily promoted it at both WWDC and the September iPhone event. And it still airs most of the commercials that reference it. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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