How to reset SMC Mac
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How to reset SMC Mac

Do the fans of your MacBook Pro always run at full speed? Does Mac’s automatic brightness adjustment no longer work properly? Does macOS inexplicably seem slow and snappy to you? Maybe it’s all the fault of the SMC. In this article, we will give you a complete idea about how to reset SMC mac?

If you have never heard of it. The SMC (an acronym for “System Management Controller”) is a chip responsible for energy management and control of some components of Apple computers. Such as fans, keyboard lights, and the sensor for automatic screen brightness adjustment.

The problems I mentioned in the first lines of the post may depend on an incorrect configuration of its firmware. Therefore today, we will see how to reset SMC Mac hoping that this will bring all the hardware components controlled by the latter to correct functioning. Take five minutes and follow the instructions I’m about to give you: regardless of the Mac model you have. I’m sure you will be able to fix the situation. Happy reading and good luck with everything!

How to reset SMC Mac
How to reset SMC Mac

What is the SMC of the Mac and what it does

Before getting to the heart of this tutorial and discovering together how to reset the SMC of the Mac, it seems right to explain in more detail what this component is and what tasks it performs on Apple home computers.

The SMC, which, as said at the beginning of the post, is an acronym for System Management Controller, is a chip that manages some low-level functions of the computers produced by Apple. Going into more detail, its tasks are as follows.

  • Thermal management.
  • Battery management.
  • Management of the ambient light sensor.
  • Keyboard backlight management.
  • Management of the status indicator light and battery status indicator.
  • Response to pressing the power button.
  • Response to opening and closing the display lid of portable Macs.
  • We are selecting an external (rather than internal) video source for the displays of some iMacs.

How to find out if you need to reset your Mac’s SMC

Before resetting your Mac’s SMC, you need to make sure this is necessary. The main symptoms that should suggest the adoption of such a measure are the following.

  • The Mac fans always run at maximum, even when it is not very hot, and the computer is not doing particularly “stressful” jobs.
  • The automatic display brightness adjustment system does not work properly.
  • The keyboard backlight does not work properly.
  • The computer battery does not charge properly (in the case of notebooks).
  • The Mac goes to sleep or shuts down unexpectedly.
  • MacBook 12 ”or MacBook Pro does not recognize external devices connected to the integrated USB-C port.
  • The MagSafe power supply LED (for MacBook Pros that have this power supply) does not indicate charging activity correctly.
  • The Mac is slow even if there are no “heavy” programs running and if the processor is not under stress.

The last symptom listed in the list is very generic: it can be traced back to many other problems that have nothing to do with the SMC, so my advice is to proceed with the reset of the SMC only if you find one of the others problems listed.

How to reset SMC Mac: Preliminary operations

Apple recommends resetting the SMC of its computers only in case of real need. Before proceeding, it is advisable to perform some operations that can lead to the resolution of the above problems by acting in a more “soft” manner on the configuration of the computer.

  • Turn off the Mac. If the operation is not feasible by going to the apple> Shut down menu because the system no longer responds to commands, you must hold down the computer’s power key until the screen turns off.
  • Disconnect the power supply from the Mac for several seconds and then connect it again.
  • Put the Mac to sleep, selecting the appropriate item from the menu with the Apple logo (top left).
  • Restart the Mac, selecting the appropriate item from the menu with the Apple logo (top left).
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If you continue to experience malfunctions with your Mac after putting the above recommendations into practice, reset the SMC as I am about to explain.

Reset SMC MacBook

If you are using a Macbook manufactured up to 2009, a 12 “MacBook, a MacBook Pro manufactured after 2009 or a MacBook Air, follow this simple procedure to reset the system management controller. This is the procedure intended for Apple laptops with a battery that is not removable.

  • Shut down the computer completely by selecting the Shutdown item from the menu with the apple logo (top left);
  • If you haven’t already done so, connect the power supply to your Mac;
  • Press the key combination shift + ctrl + alt + power on the Mac keyboard and hold it down for about 10 seconds (if you have a MacBook Pro equipped with a Touch ID sensor, you must know that the power button is included in the Touch ID sensor);
  • Turn on the computer by pressing the power button.

If the battery charge is not 100% and you are using a MacBook Pro equipped with MagSafe. The charger LED may change from yellow to green for a few seconds, it is normal.

How to reset SMC Mac

If, on the other hand, you are using a MacBook or MacBook Pro produced before 2009, then you have an Apple laptop with a removable battery, to restore the SMC firmware you must follow this other procedure.

  • Shut down the computer completely by selecting the Shutdown item from the menu with the apple logo (top left);
  • Disconnect the MagSafe power supply from the Mac;
  • Remove the battery from the Mac by opening the battery door on the back of the computer;
  • Press the power button on the Mac keyboard and hold it for 5 seconds;
  • Reinsert the battery into the computer;
  • Connect the MagSafe power supply to the Mac;
  • Turn on the PC.

When you restart your Mac, you should note that the brightness of the screen and keyboard keys has been reset to default values. Also, you should notice the disappearance of all the problems and malfunctions that you encountered before resetting the SMC. If not, try to follow the tips you find in the last chapter of this tutorial.

How to reset SMC Mac
How to reset SMC Mac

Clear the Safari cache

One of the factors that can cause the space increase in the Other category is the cache occupied by the websites visited with Safari. When you reach a website, in fact, some data are downloaded that has the purpose of creating a cache to allow you to speed up its display for subsequent times.

On the websites you often visit, clearing the cache can be unnecessary, as it will be regenerated as soon as you access it again. For those, you do not frequent often, or that you have visited only once because you happened to us perhaps by chance, it can be a procedure that can considerably lighten the weight of the space occupied by the Other category.

My advice is to clear the entire cache so that you can rebuild it again and to repeat this procedure periodically, should you deem it necessary. Once this is done, select the Safari> Advanced> Website data items to access the Safari cache section.

Now, to start the cleaning, all you have to do is scroll through the list of websites that you see on the screen and select the word Remove all website data, then confirming the procedure by tapping on the Remove now item, in the box that appears shown. Easy, right?

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Reset SMC iMac

Do you want to reset an iMac’s SMC? No problem. Shut down your computer completely by selecting the Shutdown item from the Apple logo menu (top left), unplug the power supply, and allow 15 seconds to pass. Then reconnect the power cable to the Mac, wait 5 seconds and turn on the computer.

The above process applies to all iMac, Mac Pro, and Mac Mini models, but not to iMac Pro. If you have an iMac Pro, you have to follow a different procedure.

 

  • Shut down the computer completely by selecting the Shutdown item from the menu with the apple logo (top left);
  • With the computer off, hold the power button for 8 seconds;
  • Release the power button and wait a few seconds;
  • Turn on your iMac Pro by pressing the power button.

When you restart your Mac, you should notice the disappearance of all the problems you previously encountered. If not, try to follow the suggestions contained in the last chapter of this guide.

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Mac problems persist

If resetting the system management controller did not help to resolve macOS slowness problems, try to fix the situation by following the instructions in my Mac cleaning tutorial. This means that you have to delete all unnecessary applications, delete unnecessary files on the computer disk and check for malicious software inside the system. In this regard, I invite you to also consult my guide on how to clean the Mac from viruses.

The boot disk, speaker volume and so on. If the problems you encounter on your computer have to do with the functions just mentioned. Find out how to reset the NVRAM by reading my tutorial dedicated to the topic.

And

As an extrema ratio, you can also consider the possibility of formatting the Mac or restoring a backup made with Time Machine. In order to bring the Mac back to a previous state to the current one (therefore a state in which the computer worked well).

If the problems persist despite formatting or restoring the system. I strongly recommend that you contact Apple support. Click on the Start or power item on the screen that opens.

At this point

choose whether to call Apple support immediately (option available only on weekdays and during office hours). Whether to schedule a call with Apple’s assistance service (so as to receive a call from the Cupertino giant when you prefer to more). Whether to call Apple support at another time (to provide details of your problem online and then call phone support at another time) or to bring the computer with you for repair (to find the Apple center closer to your home and bring your Mac to repair).

My advice is to contact Apple support by phone and ask for advice on what to do. It will then be the technician of the colossus du Cupertino to tell you if and how to bring the computer to repair.

Alternatively, if you “chew” some English. I would like to point out that you can also contact Apple via Twitter, by sending an English message to the @AppleSupport account. For more details on the procedure to follow, refer to my tutorial on how to contact Apple.

More tips to delete

The advice I have given you in this guide allows you to reduce the storage space of the mac, inherently in the Other category. If, however, you want to reduce it even more, without you having to reset the mac. What you can do is act on the other iOS features, to empty the cache.

I warn you, however, that you may not see a significant improvement. As iOS has limitations that do not allow you to act on all the iOS features. Which have a greater impact on this category. However, if you want to go into this topic further. You can take a few minutes of your time to consult my guide on how to empty the iPhone cache.

If, on the other hand, you want to clean the iPhone memory also in relation to the other categories. You can intervene, for example, by removing the multimedia files or the downloaded music. In this regard, I recommend you read my guide on how to free up space on the mac.

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