A Mac’s Safe Mode is the bare-bones version of its operating system. It can be useful if you’re trying to solve problems in your Mac’s performance, whether that’s slow running speeds, system crashes, or an inability to start up. In this piece, we’ll run through the why and how of Mac Safe Mode.

Why Use a Mac’s Safe Mode?

When it comes to issues relating to a Mac’s start-up disk, booting in Safe Mode is the preferred go-to option. One easy thing it does is thoroughly purge the cache data. Starting a Mac in Safe Mode also affects the following results:

• Performs a directory check on your start-up drive (comparable to Disk First Aid)
• Loads only essential kernel extensions
• Disables third-party fonts not supplied by Apple (deletes all font caches)
• Prevents a blue screen freeze when you boot your Mac
• Disables all start-up apps and log-in items from booting

Regarding the last point, Safe Mode can be particularly useful for removing unwanted apps that stubbornly remain in the Mac’s system. In Safe Mode, all non-essential services are frozen, meaning it’s easier to remove unwanted contents.

How to Start a Mac in Safe Mode

Follow the below steps to start your Mac in Safe Mode. The process is slightly different depending on what kind of Mac you have. (Note: Intel Macs were discontinued in Fall 2021).

M1 Mac

• Shut down your Mac
• Press & hold the power button until you see the start-up options
• Choose system disk
• Hold down Shift key and click “Continue in Safe Mode”
• Log into your Mac

Intel Mac

• Turn on or restart your Mac
• As soon as it starts, press & hold Shift
• Release Shift when you see the log-in window
• Log into your Mac

Once in Safe Mode, it should be easy enough to uninstall apps and extensions, scan for malware, and check that your OS is up to date. If your issues remain, the next thing you should try is a complete factory reset (just make sure to back-up your files first).

Cleaner One Pro

A common problem that users may encounter is a Mac running noticeably slower after major system changes. Consider the following steps:

1. Make sure that Spotlight is indexing
2. Be sure to clear some disk space
3. Close down CPU-intensive apps and processes
4. Disable unneeded start-up programs

Trend Micro’s Cleaner One Pro will do all the above and more. Our handy FREE tool will go through your entire hard drive and clean out everything unneeded that is slowing your Mac down. Cleaner One Pro includes several housecleaning tools, including:

• Memory Optimizer
• Junk Cleaner
• File Scanner
• Duplicate Files Finder
• App Manager
• File Shredder
• Memory Disk map

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