Plug in a known-good USB-C/MagSafe charger for 15–30 minutes, then hold the power button 10 seconds and press it again. Try a different outlet and cable. On Intel Macs, reset the SMC. Check if the Mac is actually on (keyboard backlight, fans, caps lock light) and adjust brightness.

What's going on

A completely drained battery may need several minutes of charging before the Mac shows any sign of life. Apple silicon Macs have no SMC to reset; holding the power button for 10 seconds does an equivalent restart.

If the Mac starts but the screen is black, try increasing brightness, connecting an external display, or restarting into macOS Recovery.

Signs of the problem

  • No response to the power button.
  • Black screen but fans or keyboard lights are on.
  • Charger light doesn't come on.

Common causes

  • Drained battery or faulty charger/cable.
  • Mac is on but display is off/dim.
  • Firmware or SMC state (Intel).
  • Liquid or hardware damage.

Fixes to try, in order

  1. Charge and verify the chargerUse Apple's charger and cable for 30 minutes; try another outlet and cable.
  2. Long-press powerHold the power button for 10 seconds, release, then press again.
  3. Check for signs of lifePress Caps Lock, raise brightness, listen for fans; connect an external display.
  4. Reset SMC (Intel Macs)With T2 chip: hold Control + Option (left) + Shift (right) for 7 seconds, then add Power for 7 more, release, wait, power on. Older models differ. See Apple's guide for yours.
  5. Start in RecoveryApple silicon: hold Power until “Loading startup options”. Intel: Cmd+R at startup. Run Disk Utility First Aid.
  6. Apple Diagnostics and serviceRun Diagnostics (hold Power on Apple silicon, then Cmd+D). Contact Apple if it still won't start.
How to confirm the fix: The Mac boots to the login screen and charges normally.

Prevent it from coming back

Avoid fully draining the battery repeatedly and use quality chargers.