MacBook Pro Won't Turn On? SMC Resets, Diagnostics and Your Data

When a MacBook Pro won’t turn on, the right fix depends on which MacBook Pro you have. An Apple silicon model (M1 and later, 2020 onward), a T2-equipped Intel model (2018 to 2020), and an older Intel model each reset their power systems differently, and they store your data differently too. This guide covers the MacBook Pro-specific steps. For the general picture across every MacBook, see MacBook won’t turn on: how to recover your files.

To check which one you have, look at the model on the bottom case or your Apple receipt, or search the serial number on Apple’s coverage page.

Is it off, or just a black screen?

A MacBook Pro that’s running with a dark display looks dead. Check these first:

• Press Caps Lock. If its light turns on, the Mac has power and is running.
• Look for the keyboard backlight in a dark room, and listen for a fan or a startup sound. Many Apple silicon models run silently, so no fan noise doesn’t prove anything.
• Press the brightness up key a few times. The display may simply be at zero.
• Connect an external display. If a picture appears, the Mac works and the internal screen or its cable has failed. 2016 and 2017 MacBook Pros are known for a display cable problem that darkens the screen.

If the Mac is running but the screen is dead, your files are almost certainly fine. Back them up through the external display.

MacBook Pro won’t turn on: check the charger

1. Use a known-good Apple charger and cable in a wall outlet.
2. On 14-inch and 16-inch models with MagSafe 3, the light on the connector should turn amber while charging and green when full. No light suggests the charger, cable, or port.
3. On USB-C models, try a different cable and every USB-C port. A damaged USB-C cable is a common culprit.
4. Charge for at least 30 minutes. A completely drained battery can delay any response.

Apple silicon: hold the power button

Apple silicon MacBook Pros have no SMC to reset. Apple’s guidance is to:

1. Press and hold the power button (Touch ID) for about 10 seconds, then release.
2. Wait a few seconds, then press it again normally.

If you see “Loading startup options” when holding the button, the Mac is working, and you can choose Options to reach macOS Recovery.

Intel MacBook Pro: reset the SMC

The System Management Controller handles power, charging, and the battery on Intel Macs. Apple’s procedure depends on the model.

T2 models (2018 to 2020)

1. Shut down, then press and hold the power button for 10 seconds and release. Wait a few seconds, then turn the Mac on.
2. If that doesn’t work, shut down and press and hold left Control + left Option + right Shift for 7 seconds. Keep holding them and also press and hold the power button for another 7 seconds. Release everything, wait a few seconds, then turn the Mac on.

Models without T2 and with a built-in battery (about 2009 to 2017)

1. Shut down and connect the charger.
2. Press and hold Shift + Control + Option on the left side of the keyboard and the power button, all together, for 10 seconds.
3. Release all keys, then press power normally.

Older models with a removable battery

Remove the battery, hold the power button for 5 seconds, put the battery back, and power on.

Apple’s support article on resetting the SMC lists exactly which steps apply to your model; check it if you’re not sure which group yours belongs to.

Run Apple Diagnostics

If the Mac starts at all, Apple Diagnostics can check the hardware:

• Apple silicon: press and hold the power button until “Loading startup options” appears, then press Command + D.
• Intel: turn on the Mac and immediately press and hold D until diagnostics start.

Note any reference codes and look them up on Apple’s support site. If the Mac starts but stalls on a gray screen, see Mac folder with a question mark or Mac stuck on the Apple logo.

Liquid on the keyboard

If anything was spilled on the keyboard, stop. Don’t charge it or press the power button again. Unplug it, power it off if it’s on, and see water-damaged device recovery. Corrosion spreads with power applied.

What happens to your data depends on the year

• Apple silicon (2020 and later) and T2 models (2018 to 2020): the SSD is soldered to the logic board and encrypted by the Apple chip. Even a perfectly healthy SSD can’t be read by removing it. Recovery means getting the logic board working well enough to unlock the data through its own chip, and you’ll need your login password (and FileVault recovery key if FileVault is on).
• 2016 and 2017 MacBook Pro with Touch Bar: storage is also soldered to the board, even though there’s no T2 chip. Recovery still means board-level work.
• 2016 and 2017 13-inch models without Touch Bar, and 2012 to 2015 Retina models: a removable Apple SSD with a proprietary connector, readable with the right adapter.
• 2012 and earlier non-Retina models: a standard 2.5-inch drive you can read with a USB adapter; see how to get files off a dead laptop.

On a soldered-storage MacBook Pro, never choose an option that erases or restores the Mac, including a firmware “restore” from Apple Configurator, unless your data is backed up. A “revive” keeps data; a restore erases it. More on how we handle Macs is on our Apple data recovery page.

The bottom line

When a MacBook Pro won’t turn on, first rule out a dark screen with Caps Lock and an external display, then check the charger and cable. Hold the power button for 10 seconds on Apple silicon, or reset the SMC the way Apple specifies for your Intel model. Run Apple Diagnostics if it starts. On 2016 and later models, storage is soldered, so keep your password and FileVault key handy and avoid anything that erases the Mac.

Our MacBook recovery service recovers data from dead and damaged MacBook Pros, including soldered and encrypted models, for one flat $1,200 price for a single device. Shipping is free and prepaid, and you pay nothing unless the recovery succeeds.