What is a Soft Reset on a Mac?
A soft reset is a process that restarts your Mac without completely powering it down and rebooting the operating system. It’s gentler than a hard reset, which completely shuts down and restarts the Mac.
With a soft reset, your Mac’s memory and open apps are cleared out, but the computer doesn’t go through a full boot cycle. Your Mac essentially refreshes itself while preserving your uptime[1]. This type of reset can help resolve minor system issues, crashes, or freezes without being disruptive.
In contrast, a hard reset completely powers down the Mac and reboots the operating system. All open apps and activities are force quit. A hard reset is more thorough but also takes more time.
You may want to do a soft reset if your Mac is acting sluggish, an app is unresponsive, or you’re seeing performance issues. A soft reset clears out system memory and stops stuck processes while preserving your work. It’s a handy way to quickly refresh your Mac.
[1] https://smallbusiness.chron.com/soft-reboot-apple-macbook-43743.html
When Should You Soft Reset Your Mac?
There are a few common issues that can be resolved by doing a soft reset on your Mac:
Fix freezing/crashing issues – If your Mac is randomly freezing, crashing, or failing to start up properly, a soft reset can help clear out any software bugs or conflicts causing these problems. Resetting flushes memory and clears potentially corrupted temporary files that may be contributing to stability issues.1
Resolve software problems – A soft reset can reset your Mac’s software state back to a clean baseline. This can fix bugs, glitches, and other problems introduced by installed apps, updates, or system changes. Resetting clears out any problematic cached data.2
Improve slow performance – Over time, caches, logs, and other temporary files can build up and slow down your Mac. Doing a reset clears out these unwanted files and frees up storage space. This can restore speed and responsiveness, especially if you’ve noticed degraded performance.
Back Up Your Mac Before Soft Resetting
It is important to back up your Mac before doing a soft reset. This protects your data in case anything goes wrong during the reset process. Here are the types of backups you should do:
Time Machine backup – Time Machine is the built-in backup utility in macOS that allows you to back up your entire Mac to an external disk drive (according to Apple support). It’s a good idea to make sure you have a recent Time Machine backup before resetting.
iCloud backup – You can also back up files to iCloud by enabling iCloud backup in System Preferences (according to Apple support). This backs up your photos, documents, and other data.
Doing both a local Time Machine backup and an iCloud backup provides an extra layer of protection. That way if one backup fails or doesn’t fully complete, you have another backup to fall back on before resetting your Mac.
How to Soft Reset a Mac
There are a few different ways to soft reset a Mac depending on the specific components you want to reset. Here are the most common methods:
Reset PRAM
PRAM (Parameter RAM) stores certain settings like screen resolution and speaker volume. To reset PRAM:
- Shut down your Mac.
- Turn it back on and immediately press and hold Command+Option+P+R keys.
- Keep holding the keys until you hear the startup chime a second time.
This resets the PRAM.[1]
Reset SMC
The SMC (System Management Controller) controls power and hardware features like fans and lights. To reset SMC:
- Shut down your Mac.
- Press and hold Shift+Control+Option keys on the left side of the keyboard and the power button at the same time.
- Keep holding for 10 seconds, then release all keys and power button.
- Turn your Mac back on.
This resets the SMC.[2]
Reset NVRAM
NVRAM (non-volatile RAM) stores information like network settings and display resolution. To reset NVRAM:
- Shut down your Mac.
- Turn it on and immediately press Command+Option+P+R.
- Hold the keys until your Mac restarts and you hear the startup chime a second time.
This clears any settings stored in NVRAM.
What to Expect After Soft Resetting
When you soft reset your Mac, the process typically only takes a few minutes. Here’s what happens:
The Mac will restart and you’ll see the Apple logo and progress bar as it boots back up. This may take slightly longer than a normal reboot as it clears out system memory and resets settings [1].
Once your Mac finishes restarting, it will take you back to the login screen. Log in as normal.
You’ll want to verify that the issue you were troubleshooting has been resolved. Check that apps are launching properly, your Mac is running smoothly, and you’re not still experiencing crashes or other problems.
Your files, documents, and data should all still be intact after a soft reset. It does not erase any user data. However, you may need to reopen apps and documents that were previously open [2].
If you find everything is still working fine after 15-30 minutes of use, the soft reset likely resolved your problem.
If issues persist, you may need to try additional troubleshooting steps like resetting specific components or a hard reset.
Reset Specific Components
Sometimes you may not need to reset your entire Mac, but rather just reset specific components that can cause problems. The main components that can be reset individually are PRAM, SMC, and NVRAM.
Reset PRAM
The PRAM (Parameter RAM) stores certain settings like screen resolution, startup disk selection, and speaker volume. Resetting the PRAM may help if you’re having issues like a gray screen at startup or volume not working properly.[1]
To reset the PRAM on an Intel-based Mac:
- Shut down your Mac.
- Turn it back on and immediately press and hold Command + Option + P + R.
- Keep holding the keys until you hear the startup chime again, then let go.
Reset SMC
The SMC (System Management Controller) handles tasks like battery management, fans, lights, etc. Resetting it can resolve problems like fans running high or issues with power/charging.[2]
To reset the SMC on an Intel-based MacBook:
- Shut down your Mac.
- Press and hold Control + Option + Shift keys along with the power button for 10 seconds.
- Let go and turn your Mac back on.
Reset NVRAM
NVRAM (Non-Volatile Random Access Memory) stores information about screen resolution and startup disk selection. Resetting it may help if those features aren’t working right.[3]
To reset the NVRAM on any Mac:
- Shut down your Mac.
- Turn it on and immediately press and hold Option + Command + P + R.
- Hold the keys until you see the Apple logo, then release.
Troubleshooting Soft Reset Issues
If the soft reset is not working as expected, there are a few things you can try to troubleshoot:
Check the power connections – Make sure the power cable is securely plugged into both the Mac and the power outlet. Try a different power cable if possible.
Reset SMC – The System Management Controller (SMC) controls power and hardware functions like fans and lights. To reset it, first shut down your Mac. For MacBooks, press Shift + Control + Option keys on the left side of the keyboard and the power button at the same time. For iMacs and Mac Pros, unplug the power cable and hold the power button down for 5 seconds before replugging it.
Boot into Safe Mode – Restart your Mac and immediately press and hold the Shift key until you see the login screen to boot into Safe Mode. This will load a minimal version of macOS to determine if issues persist.
If problems persist after the reset, it could indicate a hardware issue like RAM or storage drive failure. You may need to contact Apple Support for further troubleshooting in that case.
It’s also possible the reset did not complete properly if the Mac turns back on but seems frozen or unusable. Continue holding down the power button to force shut down and then perform the reset process again.
When to Do a Hard Reset Instead
The main difference between a soft reset and a hard reset on a Mac is that a soft reset simply reboots the device, while a hard reset resets the device back to factory settings 1. A soft reset is essentially just restarting your Mac, while a hard reset erases all of your data and settings.
In most cases, a soft reset will fix minor issues with freezing, slow performance, or apps not responding. However, a hard reset is better for major problems like:
- You can’t restart your Mac at all
- You forgot your login password
- You’re selling or giving away your Mac
- You have a major virus or malware infection
- You need to wipe the hard drive before an upgrade or repair
A hard reset should be used as a last resort when a soft reset does not resolve the problem. It will completely erase and reinstall macOS, so make sure to backup your data first. The steps to hard reset a Mac involve booting into Recovery Mode and using the Disk Utility or Reinstall macOS options.
Best Practices to Avoid Needing Resets
There are a few best practices you can follow to help avoid issues that may require resetting your Mac:
Update Software Regularly
Keeping your Mac’s operating system and applications up-to-date can prevent bugs and stability issues. Set your Mac to automatically install OS updates in System Preferences > Software Update. Also regularly check for app updates in the App Store.
Proper Shutdowns
Always shut down your Mac properly, using the Apple menu > Shut Down option. Forcing it to power off uncleanly can lead to file system corruption over time. Let the shutdown process fully complete before disconnecting power.
Clean Up Storage
A full boot drive can degrade performance and cause crashes. Regularly clear out unused files, apps, downloads, and iOS device backups to free up storage space. The Optimized Storage setting in About This Mac helps automate this.
Monitor Performance
Use Activity Monitor to check for any processes hogging CPU, memory, or disk usage, which can indicate problematic software. Check console logs for crash reports or error messages that may reveal unstable apps.
FAQs About Soft Resetting a Mac
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about soft resetting a Mac:
What data will I lose when soft resetting?
A soft reset does not erase any of your files or data. It simply clears out system memory and resets settings to default. Your apps, documents, photos, and other files will remain untouched. However, any unsaved work will be lost during the reset process [1].
How long does a soft reset take?
A soft reset usually only takes a few minutes. You’ll see the Apple logo and progress bar as your Mac reboots. The entire process typically completes within 2-5 minutes.
Will I lose my apps after soft resetting?
No, soft resetting does not uninstall or delete any applications. All your apps will still be there after the reset. However, any app settings and preferences will be cleared out and reset to defaults.
In summary, soft resetting can help clear up system issues and glitches without erasing your files or data. It resets settings and clears memory to get your Mac running smoothly again. Just be sure to save your work before resetting.