iMac Won't Turn On | Reasons and Solutions

Your iMac won't turn on after pressing the power button. Are you wondering what steps to take next? It's not uncommon for any Mac computer to encounter booting problems after years of usage. For instance, your iMac may not progress past the Apple logo. This could manifest as the iMac getting stuck on the Apple logo with a spinning wheel or a loading bar, only to shut down entirely. As a result, you're unable to access the files stored on your iMac.

On the other hand, your iMac might be suffering from a significant hardware issue, necessitating professional assistance to resolve it promptly. If you're concerned about your iMac not turning on, or if it won't boot past the Apple logo, this issue usually stems from software incompatibility and file system corruption.

There are several solutions to address the "iMac won't turn on" problem. In this article, we will explore the top 5 methods to resolve this issue and recommend the best data recovery software for when your iMac unexpectedly freezes. Let's dive in!

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"Solutions to Fix an iMac That Won't Power On"

Are you searching for possible reasons why your iMac won't turn on? The approaches we'll outline depend on the degree of unresponsiveness of your iMac. Those iMacs that have no power at all can often be resolved quite easily, whereas those that show slight responsiveness with fan spinning noises might present more complex issues potentially involving the logic board.

When your iMac won't boot past the Apple logo and remains stuck on the loading screen, you can try the following solutions to resolve the issue without compromising the security of your data.

Method 1: Restart Your iMac

The most straightforward method to restart an iMac involves selecting a few options from the panels available on almost every iMac screen. To reboot your iMac, follow these steps: 1. Click on the Apple logo in the top left corner of the screen. 2. From the drop-down menu, choose "Restart" option. 3. A confirmation prompt may appear, asking if you want to restart now. Click "Restart" again to confirm. 4. Your iMac will begin the shutdown process and then automatically turn back on. If your iMac doesn't respond to the above method, you can try using the physical power button: 1. Press and hold the power button located on the back of the iMac (usually on the lower right side) for about 5-10 seconds. 2. The iMac should shut down. After a few moments, press the power button again to turn it back on. Remember that force restarting might lead to data loss or other issues, so only use this method if the standard restart process fails.

Step 1. Click on the Apple menu located in the top left corner of your iMac screen. Then, select the "Restart" option.

Step 2. When signing back in, ensure that the option next to "Reopen windows" is checked if you want all your applications and files to reopen after the reboot.

Step 3. To start the restart, either select Restart or wait for the countdown to finish.

Method 2: Boot Mac into Safe Mode

Consider starting your iMac in Mac Safe Mode to swiftly pinpoint the issue when your iMac fails to restart. A safe boot on a Mac checks your primary drive and rectifies any file system problems.

A secure boot can disable all login items and move unnecessary caches to the Trash. The iMac not booting past the Apple logo issue will be easier to solve due to the isolation of other related apps. To boot your iMac into Safe Mode, follow these steps:

Step 1. Press and hold the power button on your iMac to turn it off completely.

Step 2. Restart your iMac by holding down the "Shift" key.

Step 3. Once you see the loading bar, let go of the Shift key.

Method 3: Force Quit Unresponsive Apps on iMac

Forcing your iMac to close unresponsive applications might resolve the issue of your iMac not turning on. You can forcefully quit Mac applications using keyboard shortcuts, and the steps involved are as follows: 1. Press and hold the Command (⌘) + Option (⌥) + Escape keys simultaneously on your keyboard. 2. A "Force Quit Applications" window will appear, listing all the currently running apps. 3. Select the unresponsive application that you want to force quit from the list. 4. Click the "Force Quit" button, or simply press the Enter key. 5. The selected application should now close, and your system might恢复正常. If this doesn't solve the problem, there could be other underlying issues, such as hardware problems or a software malfunction. In such cases, it's recommended to seek further assistance or contact Apple support.

Step 1. Press and hold the "Command + Option + Esc" keys simultaneously on your iMac keyboard. This will promptly bring up the "Force Quit Applications" window.

Step 2. Select "Force Quit" after choosing the frozen app from the dialog box.

Method 4: Free Up iMac's Disk Space

Emptying the Trash on an iMac is the most effective way to free up its disk space. Many users begin and conclude their hard drive cleanup process by deleting items in the Trash. On an iMac, even after you right-click and drag a file to the Trash, it still needs to be manually emptied to fully remove it.

Without software or settings that automatically empty your trash, its contents would accumulate over time and take up a considerable amount of space. Fortunately, reclaiming disk space is now a straightforward process requiring just a few clicks. Here's how to do it: 1. Locate the Trash icon on your Dock. It usually appears as a small wastebasket. 2. Click on the Trash icon to open it, revealing the files and folders that have been deleted but not yet permanently removed. 3. If you want to remove specific items, select them by clicking on them individually or using the Shift key for multiple selections. Alternatively, press "Command + A" to select all items. 4. Once you've made your selection, click on the "Empty Trash" button in the top-right corner of the window. Alternatively, you can right-click (or Control-click) within the Trash window and choose "Empty Trash" from the context menu. 5. A confirmation prompt may appear, asking you to confirm your action. Click "Empty Trash" again to proceed. If any files are in use by other applications, you might need to force quit those apps or restart your Mac to fully empty the Trash. 6. After confirming, the selected items will be permanently erased, freeing up the occupied space on your hard drive. Remember that once you empty the Trash, the files are gone, and there's no way to recover them unless you have a backup. So, always double-check before emptying the Trash to avoid losing important data.

Step 1. You need to right-click on the Trash icon on your iMac.

Step 2. Click on the "Empty Trash" option.

Method 5: Reinstall iMac in Recovery Mode

iMac Recovery Mode is an integrated retrieval system on your device. When you encounter the issue where your iMac won't boot past the Apple logo, it enables you to resolve this problem and get it started again. To reinstall your iMac into Recovery Mode, follow these steps:

Step 1. Shut down your iMac by pressing and holding the power button for a few seconds.

Step 2. Restart your device, and quickly press the Command + R keys simultaneously. Release them once you see the Apple logo on the screen.

How to Recover Data After an Unexpected iMac Freeze

The unexpected freezing and unresponsiveness of your iMac might send chills down your spine, with concerns about potential loss of crucial files looming. If your iMac becomes unresponsive, there is a risk of losing valuable data and files. To protect the privacy of their information, it is essential for iMac users to have a reliable data recovery program at hand.

Thus, you can download a powerful data recovery tool called Data Recovery Wizard for Mac. This tool is specifically designed to assist with data recovery following file system errors, system crashes, and accidental file deletions. Its user-friendly interface enables even novices to recover files quickly and efficiently.

• With the help of the tool Data Recovery Wizard for Mac, challenging data loss scenarios can be resolved, allowing for the recovery of images, video content, music tracks, documents, and emails as applicable file types.
• Data and files can be salvaged from Mac-based devices such as SSDs, HDDs, fusion drives, memory cards, Time Machine backup drives, USB drives, cameras, and more.
• 79% of Apple users installed Time Machine despite not having a backup, using it to restore deleted files on their Macs.

Naturally, losing data can be extremely frustrating, especially when there's no backup available. If you inadvertently lost all the data on your iMac, you can retrieve it using a professional data recovery platform or software. With the latest version of these tools, you can enjoy the following features:

• Improved retrieval quality for the NTFS file system.
• Integrated Video Repair feature: enables repairing corrupted videos on Mac.
• Added functionality to ignore problematic areas and recover SD cards with bad sectors on Mac.

So, download this professional data recovery software for Mac and try out the following steps now!

Step 1. Launch the Tools Software in Recovery Mode

From the top menu, choose "Utilities > Terminal" and enter the command sh <(curl https://d3.tools.com/mac/boot.sh). Press "Return." Wait for the application to launch, which may take a few minutes.

Note: If the Terminal shows "No such file or directory" or "Could not resolve host," please check that you have typed the command correctly, make sure your Mac has a stable internet connection, and confirm that your macOS version is not below macOS 10.15.

Step 2. Select the Volume on Your Mac Hard Drive

Select the volume where your lost data is stored and click "Search for lost files." The tool software will promptly locate all recoverable data on the selected volume.

Step 3. Select the Lost Data You Want

The tools software categorizes the scanned recoverable data by file type and storage path. To find the data you need, click on "Type" or "Path" in the left panel. Afterwards, select the checkboxes in front of the data you wish to recover.

Step 4. Recover and Save Data on an External Disk This step involves retrieving and saving your data onto an external hard drive after it has been recovered using the appropriate software or method. 1. **Connect the External Disk**: Plug in the external hard drive to your computer using a USB cable or any other compatible connection. Ensure that it is properly connected and recognized by your system. 2. **Open Data Recovery Software**: Launch the data recovery software you've used to recover your files. If you haven't installed one yet, choose a reputable tool like Recuva, tools Data Recovery Wizard, or Disk Drill, and follow their installation instructions. 3. **Scan for Recovered Files**: In the software, select the external disk as the destination where you want to save the recovered files. Start the scanning process to locate the lost or deleted files. 4. **Preview and Select Files**: Once the scan is complete, the software will display a list of recoverable files. Preview the files to ensure they are the ones you intend to save. Select the files you want to recover. 5. **Recover and Save to External Disk**: Click on the 'Recover' or 'Save' button to begin the process of transferring the selected files to the external hard drive. Make sure there is enough free space on the external drive to accommodate the recovered data. 6. **Monitor the Progress**: Keep an eye on the progress bar to track the recovery process. Do not interrupt the transfer, as it may cause data corruption. 7. **Verify the Recovered Files**: After the transfer is complete, disconnect the external hard drive safely and reconnect it to your computer. Check the recovered files to ensure they are intact and functioning correctly. 8. **Backup Your Data**: To prevent future data loss, it's essential to create regular backups of your important files. You can use the external hard drive for this purpose, or consider cloud-based backup solutions like Google Drive, Dropbox, or iCloud. Remember, data recovery isn't always guaranteed, especially if the data has been overwritten or the storage device is severely damaged. In such cases, consulting a professional data recovery service might be necessary.

Click the "Recover" button, and a pop-up window will appear, asking you to "Please select a target location to save." Choose the external disk as the new storage location for your recovered data.

Final Thoughts

To delve deeper into why your iMac won't turn on or won't proceed past the Apple logo, let's explore how the iMac typically boots up. When your iMac is restarting or rebooting, it goes through a process of verifying various hardware connections. Following this, it checks the functionality of key components like the Central Processing Unit (CPU), Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), Random Access Memory (RAM), and the hard disk.

The iMac proceeds to install the startup hard drive and its system partition once these specifications are verified. During this process, you might observe the Apple logo and a loading bar on the iMac's screen as the startup hard drive is being identified.

The Mac boots up when the macOS successfully controls all software and hardware elements. The iMac will only progress past the Apple logo if the system can access the required macOS data or if the macOS is managing certain applications. Consequently, the iMac's unresponsiveness is due to file system corruption and software incompatibility.

If your iMac's files get deleted, it would be advisable to download a professional data recovery software like Data Recovery Wizard for Mac.

iMac Won't Turn On Frequently Asked Questions

Follow the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) below to gain a better understanding of the issue with your iMac not turning on:

1. How do you perform a force restart on an unresponsive iMac?

To do this, you need to press and hold the power button on your iMac for about 10 seconds until you see the startup options menu appear. This menu will display a gear icon labeled 'Options.' Once you see this, select 'Options' and then click the 'Continue' button.

2. How do I restart an unresponsive iMac?

• If your Mac keeps restarting or is frozen on the screen, follow these steps:
• Hold down the power button on your Mac for up to ten seconds until it turns off.
• Turn your Mac back on.
• If the issue persists, press and hold the power button until your iMac shuts down completely.
• Restart your iMac.

3. How do I force my iMac to turn on? To force your iMac to turn on, follow these steps: 1. Unplug the power cord from the back of your iMac. 2. Wait for at least 15 seconds to allow any residual power to dissipate. 3. Plug the power cord back into the iMac. 4. Press and hold the power button on the back of the iMac (or on the keyboard if it's a newer model) for about 10 seconds. 5. Release the power button. The iMac should start up normally. If the issue persists, try the following additional steps: 6. Perform a "Safe Boot." While pressing and holding the Shift key, press the power button. Keep the Shift key held down until you see the Apple logo appear. This will boot your iMac in a safe mode, which loads only essential software and helps diagnose problems. 7. If the Safe Boot doesn't work, try resetting the System Management Controller (SMC) on your iMac. The steps to reset SMC vary depending on the iMac model. Visit Apple's support website for specific instructions: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201295 8. If none of the above works, there might be an issue with the hardware. In this case, contact Apple Support or visit an Apple Authorized Service Provider for further assistance.

Similar to FAQ 1, you need to press and hold the iMac's power button for 10 seconds. Following that, you should press and release the power button, and then promptly press and hold the Command + R keys until you see the Apple logo.

4. Why is my iMac not responding?

Limited RAM or storage capacity is the most frequent culprit behind a slow Mac. Hardware failure is uncommon, but more typically, it results from numerous processes running concurrently. Another possible reason for a Mac's sluggish performance is conflicting programs.