{"id":39109,"date":"2026-06-23T01:18:04","date_gmt":"2026-06-23T08:18:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/?p=39109"},"modified":"2026-06-25T00:33:41","modified_gmt":"2026-06-25T07:33:41","slug":"how-to-reset-pram-on-mac","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Reset PRAM on Mac (Intel and Apple Silicon Guide)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Parameter random-access memory (PRAM) and non-volatile random-access memory (NVRAM) store system settings your Mac uses at startup. If those settings become corrupted or incorrect, you may notice issues with startup behavior and system preferences, such as display or sound settings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Resetting PRAM or NVRAM can sometimes resolve these problems by restoring the affected settings to their defaults.<\/strong> This guide explains how to reset PRAM on a Mac, when a reset is worth trying, and the common reasons resets may fail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"background-color: #cfe2f3; padding: 1em; border-radius: 1em;\"><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Note:<\/strong> Modern Macs use NVRAM, while PRAM refers to similar functionality on older Mac models. As such, these terms are often used interchangeably.<\/p><\/div>\n\n<br>\n\n<div style=\"background-color: #d5dde3; padding: 15px; border-radius: 10px; max-width: 500px;\">\n<h4>Table of Contents<\/h4>\n<a href=\"#qgh\">Quick Guide: How to Reset PRAM\/NVRAM on Mac\n<\/a><br>\n<a href=\"#wap\">What a PRAM\/NVRAM Reset Does on a Mac\n<\/a><br>\n<a href=\"#byr\">Before You Reset PRAM or NVRAM\n<\/a><br>\n<a href=\"#htr1\">How to Reset PRAM\/NVRAM on a Mac\n<\/a><br>\n<a href=\"#htk\">How to Know If the Reset Helped\n<\/a><br>\n<a href=\"#pnv\">PRAM\/NVRAM vs. SMC vs. RAM\n<\/a><br>\n<a href=\"#htr2\">How to Reset the SMC on a Mac\n<\/a><br>\n<a href=\"#htc\">How to Clear RAM on Mac\n<\/a><br>\n<a href=\"#faq\">FAQs<\/a><br><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"qgh\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Quick Guide: How to Reset PRAM\/NVRAM on Mac<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Modern Macs use either an Intel processor or Apple silicon, and the process differs depending on the type of Mac. Before proceeding, make sure to check whether you have <a href=\"#cwy\">an Intel Mac or an Apple silicon Mac<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-intel-macs\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Intel Macs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Shut down your Mac and turn it back on.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Immediately press and hold <strong><em>Option + Command + P + R<\/em><\/strong> for about 20 seconds.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Release the keys and allow your Mac to reboot.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-apple-silicon-macs\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Apple Silicon Macs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Shut down your Mac and wait for it to power off completely. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Press the power button to turn it back on.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For detailed instructions, see <a href=\"#htr1\">How to Reset PRAM\/NVRAM on a Mac<\/a>. For troubleshooting, see <a href=\"#htk\">How to Know If the Reset Helped<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"wap\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What a PRAM\/NVRAM Reset Does on a Mac<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A PRAM\/NVRAM reset only affects specific system settings and <strong>doesn\u2019t remove files, applications, photos, or account data.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Depending on your Mac and connected hardware, it may reset settings related to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Speaker volume<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Display preferences<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Startup disk selection<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Time zone settings<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Mouse and trackpad preferences<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"wrp\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">When Resetting PRAM\/NVRAM Makes Sense<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A PRAM\/NVRAM reset is worth trying when your Mac behaves unexpectedly, even though there may be no obvious signs of a hardware problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Common situations include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Mac starts from the wrong disk or forgets the preferred startup disk.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Display, sound, or other system preferences repeatedly revert to previous settings. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Unpredictable behavior begins after replacing, upgrading, or cloning hardware or drives.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is because your Mac may still be relying on settings from a previous configuration. Resetting PRAM\/NVRAM clears those settings and allows your Mac to recreate them using the current hardware and system configuration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-what-a-pram-nvram-reset-won-t-fix\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What a PRAM\/NVRAM Reset Won\u2019t Fix<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Because a PRAM\/NVRAM reset only affects certain system settings, it won\u2019t fix:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>App problems:<\/strong> Apps that crash, freeze, won\u2019t open, or behave unexpectedly. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Storage issues:<\/strong> Low disk space or limited storage capacity.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>RAM-related slowdowns:<\/strong> Performance issues caused by high memory usage. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Hardware failures:<\/strong> A failing drive, faulty memory module, damaged display, or worn battery.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Power and overheating issues:<\/strong> Charging problems, overheating, or excessive fan activity.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Network connectivity problems:<\/strong> Wi-Fi, router, internet service, or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/why-wont-my-vpn-connect\/\">VPN issues<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Security and account issues:<\/strong> Malware, compromised accounts, or account access problems.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>macOS corruption:<\/strong> Damaged system files that may require reinstalling macOS.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"byr\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Before You Reset PRAM or NVRAM<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Intel Macs support a keyboard shortcut to reset PRAM or NVRAM during startup, while Apple silicon Macs don\u2019t use the same reset method. The first step is to identify which type of Mac you have.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"cwy\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Check Whether You Have an Intel Mac or an Apple Silicon Mac<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can identify your Mac type from the Apple menu:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Click the <strong>Apple menu<\/strong> in the top-left corner of your screen.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Select <strong>About This Mac.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"810\" height=\"692\" style=\"margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: -15px; border: 1px solid #aaa;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-24.png\" alt=\"Mac's Apple menu.\" class=\"wp-image-39113\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-24.png 810w, https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-24-300x256.png 300w, https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-24-768x656.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 984px) 61vw, (max-width: 1362px) 45vw, 600px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"3\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Look for either <strong>Chip<\/strong> or <strong>Processor<\/strong> in the window that appears.\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>If you see <strong>Chip<\/strong> followed by an M-series chip name, you have a Mac with Apple silicon. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If you see <strong>Processor<\/strong> followed by an Intel processor name, you have an Intel Mac.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"htr1\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to Reset PRAM\/NVRAM on a Mac<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Follow the steps relevant to your Mac.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-steps-for-intel-macs\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Steps for Intel Macs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Intel Macs can reset PRAM or NVRAM using a keyboard shortcut during startup. You\u2019ll need to press the keys immediately after turning the Mac on. Here are the steps:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Shut down your Mac.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Press the power button to turn it back on.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Immediately press and hold <strong><em>Option + Command + P + R<\/em><\/strong><em>.<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Continue holding the keys for about 20 seconds.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Release the keys and allow your Mac to finish starting up.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"background-color: #cfe2f3; padding: 1em; border-radius: 1em;\"><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While you\u2019re holding the keys, your Mac may appear to restart. On some older Intel Macs, you may hear the startup chime more than once. On newer Intel Macs, the Apple logo may appear and disappear several times before the Mac finishes starting up.<\/p><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-steps-for-apple-silicon-macs\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Steps for Apple Silicon Macs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you have a Mac with Apple silicon, start by shutting down the Mac completely and then turning it back on:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Click the <strong>Apple menu <\/strong>and select <strong><em>Shut Down<\/em><\/strong><strong>.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"854\" height=\"702\" style=\"margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: -15px; border: 1px solid #aaa;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-28.png\" alt=\"Shut down button on a Mac's Apple menu.\" class=\"wp-image-39119\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-28.png 854w, https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-28-300x247.png 300w, https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-28-768x631.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 1362px) 62vw, 840px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"2\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Click <strong><em>Shut Down<\/em><\/strong> again to confirm.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"550\" height=\"580\" style=\"margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: -15px; border: 1px solid #aaa;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-27.png\" alt=\"Mac's confirmation prompt when shutting it down.\" class=\"wp-image-39118\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-27.png 550w, https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-27-284x300.png 284w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 85vw, 550px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"3\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Wait for the Mac to power off completely.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Press the power button to turn the Mac back on.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"htk\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to Know If the Reset Helped<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A PRAM or NVRAM reset doesn\u2019t display a confirmation prompt. For both Intel Macs and Macs with Apple silicon, the most reliable way to determine whether the procedure helped is to <strong>check if the reset resolved the original issue<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You may also notice that some settings have returned to their default values, including:\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Date, time, or time zone settings.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Speaker volume.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Display resolution or display preferences.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Startup disk selection.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you\u2019ve resolved your initial issue and one or more of these settings have changed, the reset or restart process was likely successful.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-common-reasons-pram-nvram-resets-fail\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Common Reasons PRAM\/NVRAM Resets Fail<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If the reset doesn\u2019t work the first time, one of the following issues may be preventing it from working:\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The key combination wasn\u2019t pressed early enough.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The keys weren\u2019t held down long enough.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The reset was attempted after <em>restarting <\/em>the Mac instead of following the shutdown procedure. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Beyond these, if your Mac uses a firmware password, <a href=\"https:\/\/support.apple.com\/en-us\/102384\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">you\u2019ll need to turn it off<\/a> before attempting the reset, as it prevents startup key combinations.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"pnv\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">PRAM\/NVRAM vs. SMC vs. RAM<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">PRAM, NVRAM, System Management Controller (SMC), and random-access memory (RAM) are often confused because they all affect how a Mac operates.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Understanding the difference can help you choose the right troubleshooting step. Here\u2019s how they differ:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr style=\"background-color: #88E47B\"><td><strong>Component<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>What It Does<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>When It Matters<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Best Next Step<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>PRAM\/NVRAM<\/strong><\/td><td>Stores startup and system settings<\/td><td>Settings repeatedly revert, or the Mac starts from the wrong disk<\/td><td>Reset PRAM\/NVRAM<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>SMC<\/strong><\/td><td>Controls power, charging, thermal, and hardware functions on Intel Macs<\/td><td>Charging, fan, sleep, wake, or power issues<\/td><td>Reset the SMC<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>RAM<\/strong><\/td><td>Stores active app and process data<\/td><td>Performance slows when available memory is low<\/td><td>Close apps or reduce memory usage<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"htr2\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to Reset the SMC on a Mac<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An SMC reset is separate from a PRAM\/NVRAM reset and only applies to Intel Macs. It may help when <strong>a problem appears to relate to power, charging, thermal management, or other hardware-controlled functions<\/strong> rather than stored system settings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-apple-silicon-macs-0\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Apple Silicon Macs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Apple silicon Macs don\u2019t use a manual SMC reset process. If you have this type of Mac, restart or shut down the device and turn it back on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-intel-macs-0\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Intel Macs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The SMC reset process varies between Intel Mac models, including models with and without the Apple T2 Security Chip. Follow the steps that apply to your Mac.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 id=\"h-intel-macbook-pro-and-macbook-air-t2-models\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Intel MacBook Pro and MacBook Air (T2 Models)<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If your Intel MacBook includes the Apple T2 Security Chip, follow these steps:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Click the Apple menu and select <strong><em>Shut Down<\/em><\/strong><strong>.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Press and hold the <strong><em>Control<\/em><\/strong><em> <\/em>and <strong><em>Option<\/em><\/strong><em> <\/em>keys on the left side of the keyboard and the <strong><em>Shift<\/em><\/strong><em> <\/em>key on the right side. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Hold the keys for 7 seconds, then press and hold the power button.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Continue holding all four keys for another 7 seconds, then release them.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Wait a few seconds, then press the power button to start your Mac.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h4 id=\"h-intel-imac-mac-mini-and-mac-pro\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Intel iMac, Mac mini, and Mac Pro<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For Intel desktop Macs, the process is simpler:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Shut down your Mac.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Unplug the power cord.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Wait 15 seconds.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Plug the power cord back in.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Wait 5 seconds.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Press the power button to turn on your Mac.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"htc\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to Clear RAM on Mac<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">RAM is the short-term memory your Mac uses while apps and background processes are running. Clearing RAM won\u2019t reset startup settings or fix a preference that keeps reverting. It\u2019s more useful <strong>when your Mac slows down during active use<\/strong>, especially when several apps are open simultaneously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you\u2019re unsure whether RAM is contributing to the problem, you can check memory usage:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Press <strong><em>Command + spacebar<\/em><\/strong>, search for <strong><em>Activity Monitor<\/em><\/strong>, and open it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Click the <strong>Memory tab.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Review the <strong>Memory Pressure<\/strong> graph at the bottom of the window.\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\" type=\"a\">\n<li><strong>Green:<\/strong> Memory is being used efficiently.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Yellow:<\/strong> Your Mac is starting to experience memory pressure, which may affect performance.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Red:<\/strong> Your Mac is running low on available memory and may become less responsive.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"675\" style=\"margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: -15px; border: 1px solid #aaa;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-26-1024x675.png\" alt=\"Activity Monitor open on a Mac.\" class=\"wp-image-39117\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-26-1024x675.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-26-300x198.png 300w, https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-26-768x506.png 768w, https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-26-1536x1012.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-26-1200x791.png 1200w, https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-26.png 1894w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 1362px) 62vw, 840px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"4\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Click the <strong>Memory<\/strong> column to sort apps by memory usage.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Select the app you no longer need and click the <strong>X button.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"675\" style=\"margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: -15px; border: 1px solid #aaa;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-25-1024x675.png\" alt=\"How to quit an app through Activity Monitor on Mac.\" class=\"wp-image-39115\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-25-1024x675.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-25-300x198.png 300w, https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-25-768x506.png 768w, https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-25-1536x1012.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-25-1200x791.png 1200w, https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-25.png 1894w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 1362px) 62vw, 840px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"6\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Click <strong><em>Quit<\/em><\/strong><em> <\/em>to close the app. Use <strong><em>Force Quit<\/em><\/strong> only if an app is unresponsive.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If memory pressure remains high, a few additional steps may help:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Restart your Mac:<\/strong> This clears active memory and closes background processes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Quit unused apps:<\/strong> Closing a window doesn\u2019t always quit the app. Use <strong><em>Command + Q<\/em><\/strong> or choose <strong><em>Quit <\/em><\/strong>from the app menu.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Check login items:<\/strong> Apps that launch automatically can consume memory in the background. Review them under <strong><em>System Settings<\/em><\/strong><strong> &gt; <\/strong><strong><em>General<\/em><\/strong><strong> &gt; <\/strong><strong><em>Login Items &amp; Extensions<\/em><\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Close memory-intensive tabs:<\/strong> Web apps, streaming sites, and large numbers of open tabs can consume significant memory.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Read more:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/best-browsers-mac\/\">Best Browsers for Mac for Privacy and Performance<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"faq\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">FAQs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"schema-faq wp-block-yoast-faq-block\"><div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1782201738256\"><h3 class=\"schema-faq-question\">How do I reset PRAM on a Mac?<\/h3> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">To <a href=\"#htr1\">reset PRAM or NVRAM on an Intel Mac<\/a>, shut down the computer, press the power button, then immediately hold <em>Option + Command + P + R<\/em> for about 20 seconds.<br><br><\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1782201762321\"><h3 class=\"schema-faq-question\">How do I reset PRAM on a MacBook Pro?<\/h3> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">The process depends on whether your MacBook Pro has <a href=\"#htr1\">an Intel processor or Apple silicon<\/a>. On Intel models, shut down the Mac, then turn it on while holding <em>Option + Command + P + R<\/em> for about 20 seconds. Apple silicon models don\u2019t use a manual PRAM\/NVRAM reset process, so restart or shut down the Mac and turn it back on instead.<br><br><\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1782201771847\"><h3 class=\"schema-faq-question\">What does resetting PRAM do on a Mac?<\/h3> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Resetting PRAM or NVRAM <a href=\"#wap\">restores certain stored system settings<\/a> to their default values. These settings can include sound volume, display resolution, startup disk selection, and time zone preferences.<br><br><\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1782201780681\"><h3 class=\"schema-faq-question\">When should I reset PRAM on my Mac?<\/h3> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\"><a href=\"#wrp\">A PRAM or NVRAM reset<\/a> may be worth trying when startup or system settings don\u2019t work as expected. Common examples include issues with startup behavior, display preferences, sound settings, or time zone settings.<br><br><\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1782201789461\"><h3 class=\"schema-faq-question\">How do I know if the PRAM reset worked?<\/h3> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">If the <a href=\"#htk\">reset was successful<\/a>, your Intel Mac may restart, play the startup sound more than once, or display the Apple logo multiple times during startup. Once your Mac starts up, check whether the reset resolved the issue. <br><br><\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1782201799239\"><h3 class=\"schema-faq-question\">What\u2019s the difference between resetting PRAM, resetting NVRAM, and resetting SMC?<\/h3> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">PRAM, NVRAM, and SMC serve different purposes on a Mac. PRAM and NVRAM store certain system settings, while <a href=\"#pnv\">the SMC manages power<\/a>, charging, thermal, and other hardware-related behavior on Intel Macs. Resetting one doesn\u2019t affect the others.<\/p> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Parameter random-access memory (PRAM) and non-volatile random-access memory (NVRAM) store system settings your Mac uses at startup. If those settings become corrupted or incorrect, you may notice issues with startup behavior and system preferences, such as display or sound settings. Resetting PRAM or NVRAM can sometimes resolve these problems by restoring the affected settings to &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;How to Reset PRAM on Mac (Intel and Apple Silicon Guide)&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":161,"featured_media":39110,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_stopmodifiedupdate":false,"_modified_date":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[845],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-39109","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-guides"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.9 (Yoast SEO v26.9) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How to Reset PRAM on Mac (Intel &amp; Apple Silicon) | PIA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn what a PRAM\/NVRAM reset does, when to use it, and how to reset Intel and Apple Silicon Macs.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How to Reset PRAM on Mac (Intel and Apple Silicon Guide)\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Learn what a PRAM\/NVRAM reset does, when to use it, and how to reset Intel and Apple Silicon Macs.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"PIA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/privateinternetaccess\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-06-23T08:18:04+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-06-25T07:33:41+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/featured-image-How-to-Reset-PRAM-on-Mac.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2400\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Sayb Saad\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@buyvpnservice\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@buyvpnservice\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Sayb Saad\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"10 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Sayb Saad\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/0fe9c0b8fba3b4f3d90a73c164f56a3c\"},\"headline\":\"How to Reset PRAM on Mac (Intel and Apple Silicon Guide)\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-06-23T08:18:04+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-06-25T07:33:41+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/\"},\"wordCount\":1953,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/featured-image-How-to-Reset-PRAM-on-Mac.png\",\"articleSection\":[\"Guides\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":[\"WebPage\",\"FAQPage\"],\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/\",\"name\":\"How to Reset PRAM on Mac (Intel & Apple Silicon) | PIA\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/featured-image-How-to-Reset-PRAM-on-Mac.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-06-23T08:18:04+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-06-25T07:33:41+00:00\",\"description\":\"Learn what a PRAM\/NVRAM reset does, when to use it, and how to reset Intel and Apple Silicon Macs.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/#breadcrumb\"},\"mainEntity\":[{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/#faq-question-1782201738256\"},{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/#faq-question-1782201762321\"},{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/#faq-question-1782201771847\"},{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/#faq-question-1782201780681\"},{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/#faq-question-1782201789461\"},{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/#faq-question-1782201799239\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/featured-image-How-to-Reset-PRAM-on-Mac.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/featured-image-How-to-Reset-PRAM-on-Mac.png\",\"width\":2400,\"height\":1600},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"How to Reset PRAM on Mac (Intel and Apple Silicon Guide)\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"PIA\",\"description\":\"Online privacy news from around the world.\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Private Internet Access\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/pialogowhitekglogo.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/pialogowhitekglogo.png\",\"width\":1200,\"height\":1200,\"caption\":\"Private Internet Access\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/privateinternetaccess\/\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/buyvpnservice\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/piavpn\/\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UClyJZ47Rizb1xnwuKXDI0_w\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/0fe9c0b8fba3b4f3d90a73c164f56a3c\",\"name\":\"Sayb Saad\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/cropped-image-2-1-96x96.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/cropped-image-2-1-96x96.png\",\"caption\":\"Sayb Saad\"},\"description\":\"Sayb Saad is a privacy and cybersecurity writer at PIA who doesn\u2019t take feature lists at face value. With more than five years of experience covering VPNs and digital security, he prefers to test tools himself, dig into how they work, and translate the findings into advice people can actually use. When he\u2019s away from the screen, he recharges outdoors or hangs out with his feline sidekick.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/author\/sayb-saad\/\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/#faq-question-1782201738256\",\"position\":1,\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/#faq-question-1782201738256\",\"name\":\"How do I reset PRAM on a Mac?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"To <a href=\\\"#htr\\\">reset PRAM or NVRAM on an Intel Mac<\/a>, shut down the computer, press the power button, then immediately hold <em>Option + Command + P + R<\/em> for about 20 seconds.<br\/><br\/>\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/#faq-question-1782201762321\",\"position\":2,\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/#faq-question-1782201762321\",\"name\":\"How do I reset PRAM on a MacBook Pro?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The process depends on whether your MacBook Pro has <a href=\\\"#htr\\\">an Intel processor or Apple silicon<\/a>. On Intel models, shut down the Mac, then turn it on while holding <em>Option + Command + P + R<\/em> for about 20 seconds. Apple silicon models don't use a manual PRAM\/NVRAM reset process, so restart or shut down the Mac and turn it back on instead.<br\/><br\/>\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/#faq-question-1782201771847\",\"position\":3,\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/#faq-question-1782201771847\",\"name\":\"What does resetting PRAM do on a Mac?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Resetting PRAM or NVRAM <a href=\\\"#wap\\\">restores certain stored system settings<\/a> to their default values. These settings can include sound volume, display resolution, startup disk selection, and time zone preferences.<br\/><br\/>\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/#faq-question-1782201780681\",\"position\":4,\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/#faq-question-1782201780681\",\"name\":\"When should I reset PRAM on my Mac?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"<a href=\\\"#wrp\\\">A PRAM or NVRAM reset<\/a> may be worth trying when startup or system settings don\u2019t work as expected. Common examples include issues with startup behavior, display preferences, sound settings, or time zone settings.<br\/><br\/>\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/#faq-question-1782201789461\",\"position\":5,\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/#faq-question-1782201789461\",\"name\":\"How do I know if the PRAM reset worked?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"If the <a href=\\\"#htk\\\">reset was successful<\/a>, your Intel Mac may restart, play the startup sound more than once, or display the Apple logo multiple times during startup. Once your Mac starts up, check whether the reset resolved the issue. <br\/><br\/>\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/#faq-question-1782201799239\",\"position\":6,\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/#faq-question-1782201799239\",\"name\":\"What\u2019s the difference between resetting PRAM, resetting NVRAM, and resetting SMC?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"PRAM, NVRAM, and SMC serve different purposes on a Mac. PRAM and NVRAM store certain system settings, while <a href=\\\"#pnv\\\">the SMC manages power<\/a>, charging, thermal, and other hardware-related behavior on Intel Macs. Resetting one doesn't affect the others.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"How to Reset PRAM on Mac (Intel & Apple Silicon) | PIA","description":"Learn what a PRAM\/NVRAM reset does, when to use it, and how to reset Intel and Apple Silicon Macs.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"How to Reset PRAM on Mac (Intel and Apple Silicon Guide)","og_description":"Learn what a PRAM\/NVRAM reset does, when to use it, and how to reset Intel and Apple Silicon Macs.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/","og_site_name":"PIA","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/privateinternetaccess\/","article_published_time":"2026-06-23T08:18:04+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-06-25T07:33:41+00:00","og_image":[{"width":2400,"height":1600,"url":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/featured-image-How-to-Reset-PRAM-on-Mac.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Sayb Saad","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@buyvpnservice","twitter_site":"@buyvpnservice","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Sayb Saad","Est. reading time":"10 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/"},"author":{"name":"Sayb Saad","@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/0fe9c0b8fba3b4f3d90a73c164f56a3c"},"headline":"How to Reset PRAM on Mac (Intel and Apple Silicon Guide)","datePublished":"2026-06-23T08:18:04+00:00","dateModified":"2026-06-25T07:33:41+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/"},"wordCount":1953,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/featured-image-How-to-Reset-PRAM-on-Mac.png","articleSection":["Guides"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":["WebPage","FAQPage"],"@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/","url":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/","name":"How to Reset PRAM on Mac (Intel & Apple Silicon) | PIA","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/featured-image-How-to-Reset-PRAM-on-Mac.png","datePublished":"2026-06-23T08:18:04+00:00","dateModified":"2026-06-25T07:33:41+00:00","description":"Learn what a PRAM\/NVRAM reset does, when to use it, and how to reset Intel and Apple Silicon Macs.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/#breadcrumb"},"mainEntity":[{"@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/#faq-question-1782201738256"},{"@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/#faq-question-1782201762321"},{"@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/#faq-question-1782201771847"},{"@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/#faq-question-1782201780681"},{"@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/#faq-question-1782201789461"},{"@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/#faq-question-1782201799239"}],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/featured-image-How-to-Reset-PRAM-on-Mac.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/featured-image-How-to-Reset-PRAM-on-Mac.png","width":2400,"height":1600},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"How to Reset PRAM on Mac (Intel and Apple Silicon Guide)"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/","name":"PIA","description":"Online privacy news from around the world.","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/#organization","name":"Private Internet Access","url":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/pialogowhitekglogo.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/pialogowhitekglogo.png","width":1200,"height":1200,"caption":"Private Internet Access"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/privateinternetaccess\/","https:\/\/x.com\/buyvpnservice","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/piavpn\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UClyJZ47Rizb1xnwuKXDI0_w"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/0fe9c0b8fba3b4f3d90a73c164f56a3c","name":"Sayb Saad","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/cropped-image-2-1-96x96.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/cropped-image-2-1-96x96.png","caption":"Sayb Saad"},"description":"Sayb Saad is a privacy and cybersecurity writer at PIA who doesn\u2019t take feature lists at face value. With more than five years of experience covering VPNs and digital security, he prefers to test tools himself, dig into how they work, and translate the findings into advice people can actually use. When he\u2019s away from the screen, he recharges outdoors or hangs out with his feline sidekick.","url":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/author\/sayb-saad\/"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/#faq-question-1782201738256","position":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/#faq-question-1782201738256","name":"How do I reset PRAM on a Mac?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"To <a href=\"#htr\">reset PRAM or NVRAM on an Intel Mac<\/a>, shut down the computer, press the power button, then immediately hold <em>Option + Command + P + R<\/em> for about 20 seconds.<br\/><br\/>","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/#faq-question-1782201762321","position":2,"url":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/#faq-question-1782201762321","name":"How do I reset PRAM on a MacBook Pro?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"The process depends on whether your MacBook Pro has <a href=\"#htr\">an Intel processor or Apple silicon<\/a>. On Intel models, shut down the Mac, then turn it on while holding <em>Option + Command + P + R<\/em> for about 20 seconds. Apple silicon models don't use a manual PRAM\/NVRAM reset process, so restart or shut down the Mac and turn it back on instead.<br\/><br\/>","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/#faq-question-1782201771847","position":3,"url":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/#faq-question-1782201771847","name":"What does resetting PRAM do on a Mac?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Resetting PRAM or NVRAM <a href=\"#wap\">restores certain stored system settings<\/a> to their default values. These settings can include sound volume, display resolution, startup disk selection, and time zone preferences.<br\/><br\/>","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/#faq-question-1782201780681","position":4,"url":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/#faq-question-1782201780681","name":"When should I reset PRAM on my Mac?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"<a href=\"#wrp\">A PRAM or NVRAM reset<\/a> may be worth trying when startup or system settings don\u2019t work as expected. Common examples include issues with startup behavior, display preferences, sound settings, or time zone settings.<br\/><br\/>","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/#faq-question-1782201789461","position":5,"url":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/#faq-question-1782201789461","name":"How do I know if the PRAM reset worked?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"If the <a href=\"#htk\">reset was successful<\/a>, your Intel Mac may restart, play the startup sound more than once, or display the Apple logo multiple times during startup. Once your Mac starts up, check whether the reset resolved the issue. <br\/><br\/>","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/#faq-question-1782201799239","position":6,"url":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/how-to-reset-pram-on-mac\/#faq-question-1782201799239","name":"What\u2019s the difference between resetting PRAM, resetting NVRAM, and resetting SMC?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"PRAM, NVRAM, and SMC serve different purposes on a Mac. PRAM and NVRAM store certain system settings, while <a href=\"#pnv\">the SMC manages power<\/a>, charging, thermal, and other hardware-related behavior on Intel Macs. Resetting one doesn't affect the others.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39109","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/161"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=39109"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39109\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":39160,"href":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39109\/revisions\/39160"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/39110"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=39109"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=39109"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=39109"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}