Fortunately, problems when starting up macOS and iOS rarely occur. However, if you encounter them, they can be tricky to resolve as your Mac, iPhone, or iPad may not boot up completely.
When you have startup problems with your Mac, iPhone, or iPad, macOS Tahoe and iOS 26 (and newer) will automatically enable Recovery Assistant to identify and fix the problem.
Help with start-up problems
If your Mac, iPhone or iPad has unexpected startup problems, macOS Tahoe and iOS 26 (and later) offer a solution. These systems can automatically detect start-up problems and, if necessary, solve them using the new Recovery Assistant. Usually the Recovery Assistant can solve the problems or help you find a solution.
Additionally, Recovery Assistant can be launched manually on macOS as well as iOS and iPadOS.
macOS Recovery Assistant
The macOS Recovery Assistant under macOS 26 works as follows:
- If your Mac detects a problem during startup, the Recovery Assistant will automatically appear in the form of a window. This will show a first aid icon and notify you that your Mac encountered a problem while starting up. Click Continue in the window.
- If you’re asked to enter a password to unlock the drive, enter the administrator password you use to log in to your Mac. Then click Unlock.
- Recovery Assistant requires an internet connection to download the latest information about software issues that may be affecting your Mac. If prompted, choose a Wi-Fi network.
- When the recovery process is complete, Recovery Assistant will report whether your device was successfully recovered, could not be recovered, or if no known issues were found. Click Restart Mac.
- If your Mac boots up successfully, you may receive a notification to restore your iCloud data. Click the notification to open System Settings, or choose Apple menu  ▸ System Settings, then click Restore iCloud Data in the sidebar. You will then be asked to log in with your Apple account.
Manually launch macOS Recovery Assistant
You can also open Recovery Assistant manually from the Utilities menu in macOS Recovery.
Recovery Assistant for iOS and iPadOS
The Recovery Assistant for iPhone and iPad functions in the same way as the version for macOS. It appears automatically when startup problems occur.
Start Recovery Assistant (iOS and iPadOS) manually
You can manually activate Recovery Assistant for iPadOS and iOS by following these steps:
- Connect your device to a computer or power source.
- Turn off the device.
- Press and hold the side button until you see the screen asking to connect to the computer, then release the side button.
- Press the side button twice.
- Click Continue.