Holding down the shift key while turning a Mac on will boot it into Safe Mode. Here's how to start a Mac in Safe Mode and use it to diagnose issues.

Safe mode is an important troubleshooting tool. It boots the OS in such a way that it uses the bare minimum files and apps to start and run. This can help you isolate issues, figure out where problems ...

Safe Mode is a basic diagnostic mode for your operating system that starts the computer without most of its drivers and ...

Apple includes a Safe mode in its Mac startup options that can help you work out if a problem is being caused by software that loads as your Mac boots up. It's particularly useful for resolving issues ...

Reader Simon Hansen finds his Mac slow to do his bidding. He writes: My Mac has been running very slowly lately and I wanted to see how much faster it would be if I disabled its startup items. But ...

Safe Mode in OS X is a great troubleshooting option, but on rare occasions, a system might always boot to Safe Mode. Topher, an avid Mac user for the past 15 years, has been a contributing author to ...

macOS has a feature called Safe Mode that you can use to troubleshoot your Mac. You boot your Mac into Safe Mode; to do that hold down the Shift key when starting your Mac. Samir Sitaula has a shifty ...

Matt Elliott is a senior editor at CNET with a focus on laptops and streaming services. Matt has more than 20 years of experience testing and reviewing laptops. He has worked for CNET in New York and ...