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macOS Recovery is part of the built-in recovery system of your Mac. You can start up from macOS Recovery and use its utilities to recover from certain software issues or take other actions on your Mac.

How to start up from macOS Recovery

To create an OS X Recovery Disk, make sure that your machine is at least running on OS X Lion or Mountain Lion and that there is an existing Recovery System on its startup volume. If you have a newer Mac, use Internet Recovery to get the system online. MacOS Recovery (often referred to as Mac Recovery Mode) was introduced back in 2010 with OS X 10.7 Lion. This Recovery HD partition contains the latest version of the macOS you installed on your. Mountain Lion, like Lion before it, lets you boot your Mac into a special recovery mode called OS X Recovery. This mode includes a few essential utilities for fixing problems, restoring files.

1. Turn on your Mac and immediately press and hold these two keys: Command (⌘) and R. Need help?
2. Release the keys when you see an Apple logo, spinning globe, or other startup screen.
3. You might be prompted to enter a password, such as a firmware password or the password of a user who is an administrator of this Mac. Enter the requested password to continue.
4. Startup is complete when you see the utilities window:
   
5. After starting up from macOS Recovery, select a utility, then click Continue:
   • Restore From Time Machine Backup:Restore your Mac from a Time Machine backup.
   • Reinstall macOS: Download and reinstall the Mac operating system.
   • Get Help Online: Use Safari to browse the web and find help for your Mac. Links to Apple's support website are included. Browser plug-ins and extensions are disabled.
   • Disk Utility: Use Disk Utility to repair your disk or erase your disk or other storage device.
     
     Additional utilities are available from the Utilities menu in the menu bar: Startup Security Utility (or Firmware Password Utility), Network Utility, and Terminal.
6. To quit macOS Recovery, choose Restart or Shut Down from the Apple menu . If you want to choose a different startup disk before quitting, choose Startup Disk from the Apple menu.

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If you can't start up from macOS Recovery

If your Mac can't start up from its built-in macOS Recovery system, it might try to start up from macOS Recovery over the Internet. When that happens, you see a spinning globe instead of an Apple logo during startup:

To manually start up from Internet Recovery, press and hold either of these key combinations at startup:

• Option-Command-R
• Shift-Option-Command-R
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If startup from Internet Recovery is unsuccessful, you see a globe with an alert symbol (exclamation point):

In that case, try these solutions:

• Make sure that your Mac can connect to the Internet. If you're not prompted to choose a Wi-Fi network during startup, move your pointer to the top of the screen, then choose a network from the Wi-Fi menu , if available.
• Press Command-R at startup to try using the built-in Recovery system instead of Internet Recovery.
• Connect to the Internet using Ethernet instead of Wi-Fi, or vice versa.
• Connect to the Internet from a different Wi-Fi or Ethernet network. Your network configuration might not allow the Internet access that macOS Recovery needs.
• Try again later, because the issue might be temporary.
• Start up from another disk or volume, if available, or use a bootable installer to reinstall macOS.

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If you still need help, please contact Apple Support.

To use any of these key combinations, press and hold the keys immediately after pressing the power button to turn on your Mac, or after your Mac begins to restart. Keep holding until the described behavior occurs.

• Command (⌘)-R: Start up from the built-in macOS Recovery system. Or use Option-Command-R or Shift-Option-Command-R to start up from macOS Recovery over the Internet. macOS Recovery installs different versions of macOS, depending on the key combination you use while starting up. If your Mac is using a firmware password, you're prompted to enter the password.
  
• Option (⌥) or Alt: Start up to Startup Manager, which allows you to choose other available startup disks or volumes. If your Mac is using a firmware password, you're prompted to enter the password.
  
• Option-Command-P-R:Reset NVRAM or PRAM. If your Mac is using a firmware password, it ignores this key combination or starts up from macOS Recovery.
• Shift (⇧): Start up in safe mode. Disabled when using a firmware password.
• D: Start up to the Apple Diagnostics utility. Or use Option-Dto start up to this utility over the Internet. Disabled when using a firmware password.
• N: Start up from a NetBoot server, if your Mac supports network startup volumes. To use the default boot image on the server, hold down Option-N instead. Disabled when using a firmware password.
• Command-S: Start up in single-user mode. Disabled in macOS Mojave or later, or when using a firmware password.
• T: Start up in target disk mode. Disabled when using a firmware password.
• Command-V: Start up in verbose mode. Disabled when using a firmware password.
• Eject (⏏) or F12 or mouse button or trackpad button: Eject removable media, such as an optical disc. Disabled when using a firmware password.

If a key combination doesn't work

If a key combination doesn't work at startup, one of these these solutions might help:

• Be sure to press and hold all keys in the combination together, not one at a time.
• Shut down your Mac. Then press the power button to turn on your Mac. Then press and hold the keys as your Mac starts up.
• Wait a few seconds before pressing the keys, to give your Mac more time to recognize the keyboard as it starts up. Some keyboards have a light that flashes briefly at startup, indicating that the keyboard is recognized and ready for use.
• If you're using a wireless keyboard, plug it into your Mac, if possible. Or use your built-in keyboard or a wired keyboard. If you're using a keyboard made for a PC, such as a keyboard with a Windows logo, try a keyboard made for Mac.
• If you're using Boot Camp to start up from Microsoft Windows, set Startup Disk preferences to start up from macOS instead. Then shut down or restart and try again.

Remember that some key combinations are disabled when your Mac is using a firmware password.

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• Learn what to do if your Mac doesn't turn on.
• Learn about Mac keyboard shortcuts that you can use after your Mac has started up.