If one of your Mac's features or accessories (e.g. mouse, touchpad, stylus, webcam, and/or backlighting) isn't working, you may be able to fix it yourself by trying these solutions from our in-house tech experts.
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Reset NVRAM
Update macOS
Reset NVRAM
The non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM), sometimes called the parallel random-access machine (PRAM), is a small portion of memory that your computer uses to save and have lightning-speed access to certain settings like sound, startup-disk selection, and even your time zone. Most of the time you can control these settings in your System Settings, but if you can’t, resetting your NVRAM may help.
Let’s get started.
Step 1. Check to see if your Mac has a silicon chip. How to see if your Mac has silicon chip
Please note that if your computer does have a silicon chip, you won’t be able to reset the NVRAM. If that’s the case, you’ll need to try another solution.
Step 2. If your Mac doesn’t have a silicon chip, you’re ready to troubleshoot. To start, shut down your computer.
Step 3. Turn your Mac back on by pressing the power button, and immediately press and hold Option (⌥)-Command (⌘)-P-R.
Step 4. Wait 20 seconds, then release the keys. As you hold down, you may start to hear the restart sound a few times or see the Apple logo pop up on the screen.
Step 5. When your Mac has restarted, make sure to readjust your system settings, as they could have reset in the process.
If this didn’t work for you, continue troubleshooting using these guidelines from Apple Support
Update macOS
A software update is simply a newer version of your current macOS software. "Software Update" will install updates and upgrades for your operating system as well as any built-in apps.
Update the macOS on your Mac
- Before diving in, you should always back up your Mac just to be safe.
- Select the Apple symbol located on the left corner of the screen > "System Settings" > "Software Update".
- It will check for new software available for your Mac:
- If your computer is up to date, you won’t need to do anything as your computer has already been updated.
- If there is new software available, select “Update Now” or “Upgrade Now” to install it — you may need to enter your password or restart your computer.
If "Software Update" doesn’t come up
- If you don't see "Software Update" in your "System Settings" window, try using "Search" located in the corner and look up “Software Update”.
- If your macOS doesn't have "Software Update", go to the App Store and select the "Updates" tab to see if there are any updates available.