The single-user mode in mac is accessed during the system startup. It is a special boot mode that is usually used to troubleshoot problems on your computer. Through the single-user mode, you are directly taken to the command line interface of your macOS. The normal user-friendly GUIs are not seen on this mode, and the only operations you can perform are via UNIX commands. And as the name implies, you operate as a single superuser. So, here in this guide, we’ll take you through all the ways you can access the single-user mode on different types of Macs. Here we go!
How to Boot in Single User Mode on a Mac
The single-user mode is meant to perform certain administrative, maintenance, and troubleshooting tasks. These functions are carried out by starting up your system with the minimum required resources and only enabling a single user to take control of the normal multi-user environment. Well, depending on your mac chipset, there are several different ways to boot into the single-user mode. In single user mode, any unsuitable commands are likely going to have a drastic change on your system’s stability and performance.
With the T2 Chip
Before we dive into the exact steps to boot into the single-user mode, we would like to help the users who are not sure if their computer is integrated with the T2 chip or not. So, for this, Now that you’ve figured out your system’s characteristics, we shall look towards the ways to access the single-user mode. The general method to access the single-user mode is by holding the Command + S button configuration during the system start-up. However, Intel macs are known to be rigid at times and could prevent you from accessing the CUI (Character User Interface). Therefore, Apple has officially recommended Intel Mac users to run the Single User Mode from the macOS recovery window. So, for this,
With the Apple Silicon Chips
The shortcut Command + S to access the single user mode has been removed for Apple silicon macs. So, for concerned users with the Apple silicon chips, you have to access the single user mode via the macOS recovery window. So,
Without the T2/Apple Silicon Chips
For Macs without the T2/Apple silicon chips, accessing the single-user mode is relatively straightforward. The Command + S shortcut key that we mentioned earlier can be used here to access the CUI. Here are the steps to do so,
What is Verbose Mode, and How Can I Access It?
Verbose mode is similar to the single-user mode. That is, it is a special startup feature provided by the macOS that lets users troubleshoot and debug certain hardware and startup issues directly from the CUI. The two modes mentioned above are fairly similar, with the only difference being that the Verbose mode displays a detailed description of your computer as part of the command-line texts. However, both these modes operate on the Terminal, and there is no difference in their workflow. Furthermore, due to its close similarity with the single-user mode, Apple opted to totally discard the Verbose mode in newer macOS updates. However, for users using somewhat older OS builds, here are the steps to access the Verbose mode:
