By default, your Mac starts up from its built-in hard disk, but a startup disk can be any storage device that contains an operating system compatible with your Mac. For example, if you install macOS on an internal or external drive, your Mac can recognize that drive as a startup disk. You can then follow the steps in this article to start up from it.
Apr 06, 2020 Select your startup disk, then click the arrow under its icon, or press Return. If you press and hold the Control key during this step, your selection is saved in Startup Disk preferences, so it persists until you change it. If your Mac is using OS X Lion 10.7.3 or later, you can also use this method to start up from your Time Machine backup.
Mac OS X enables you to add startup programs that you frequently use at your business, as well as remove programs that are unwanted, increase your boot time or cause incompatibility issues. You have the option to hide or display each program's window, and you can change the startup programs for the accounts of other employees that use the computer.
Aug 24, 2015 Tip: You can also attach external hard drives with an operating system: Startup Manager will automatically add bootable volumes as you connect them. How to change your default startup disk. To tell your Mac to automatically use a specific startup volume each time your restart or turn it on, open the System Preferences application in the Dock and click the Startup Disk pane. May 13, 2020 Select the Start button, then select Settings Apps Startup.Make sure any app you want to run at startup is turned On.; If you don’t see the Startup option in Settings, right-click the Start button, select Task Manager, then select the Startup tab. (If you don’t see the Startup tab, select More details.)Select the app you want to change, then select Enable to run it at startup. An AppleScript that allows the user to bypass the OSX System Preferences to change the Startup Disk. Choose between OS 9 and OS X with the click of button. If you don’t see the login window, restart your Mac, press and hold the Shift key when you see the progress bar in the startup window, then release the Shift key after the desktop appears. See also Change Users & Groups Login Options preferences on Mac Change your password, user picture, or automatic login items on Mac Set up users, guests.
Use Startup Disk preferences
When you use Startup Disk preferences to select a startup disk, your Mac starts up from that disk until you choose a different one.
Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click Startup Disk.
Click the lock and enter your administrator password.
Select your startup disk, then restart your Mac.
If you see a message that your security settings do not allow this Mac to use an external startup disk, check the External Boot setting in Startup Security Utility.
Use Startup Manager
When you use Startup Manager to select a startup disk, your Mac starts up from that disk once, then returns to using the disk selected in Startup Disk preferences.
Press and hold the Option (Alt) key immediately after turning on or restarting your Mac.
Release the Option key when you see the Startup Manager window. If your Mac is protected by a firmware password, you can release the key when you're asked to enter the password.
Select your startup disk, then click the arrow under its icon, or press Return. If you press and hold the Control key during this step, your selection is saved in Startup Disk preferences, so it persists until you change it.
If your Mac is using OS X Lion 10.7.3 or later, you can also use this method to start up from your Time Machine backup disk. Startup Manager identifies your Time Machine backup as ”EFI Boot.”
If you can't select your startup disk or start up from it
Check for these possibilities if you can't see your disk in Startup Disk preferences or Startup Manager, or your Mac won't start up from it.
Check for a compatible operating system on the startup disk
Make sure that your startup disk is using a version of macOS that is compatible with your Mac.
Remove Apps From Startup Mac
To start up from an external disk with macOS Catalina 10.15 or later, the disk must connect via USB-A, USB-C, or Thunderbolt, not FireWire.
Mac Os Remove Startup Items
Check startup security settings
Change Startup Apps Mac Os X
If you're using a Mac that has the Apple T2 Security Chip, check the settings in Startup Security Utility. These settings determine whether your Mac can start up from another disk.
Check for Option ROM firmware
If you're in Startup Manager and can't see a third-party startup disk, the startup disk could be using Option ROM firmware. To enhance system security, Mac computers with up-to-date software don’t show devices that use Option ROM firmware until you load their firmware. To do that, press Option-Shift-Command-Period while in Startup Manager. If your startup disk appears, do that each time you want to start up from it or from another disk connected to it.
Os X Startup Apps
If you're using a firmware password, the ability to load Option ROM firmware is disabled as an additional security protection.