Sep 28, 2020 • Filed to: Solve Mac Problems • Proven solutions
'Is it possible to reinstall macOS without losing data?'
If you have a similar question in mind, then we have got you covered. Just like any other computer, Mac systems can also suffer from unwanted issues at times.
In this guide, we will teach you how to boot Mac into recovery mode and reinstall macOS without losing your data. Let's explore this macOS solution in detail.
When to reinstall macOS?
There are all kinds of reasons for us to reinstall macOS on the system. The following are some of the common problems that force a complete reset on a Mac.
- To reinstall the Mac App Store for a Snow Leopard system on which it has been removed, you can perform the following steps: Download the OS X 10.6.6 Combo updater and mount the disk image Download.
- We’ll cover how to reinstall Mac OS X system software only with Recovery Mode, this reinstalls the most recently available version of OS X that is (or was) actively running on the Mac. If performed correctly as described, applications and user data will be preserved and not be modified at all, since this approach only reinstalls the operating.
- Factory Reset Mac and Reinstall macOS Catalina. I hope the tutorial was able to help you with your Mac resetting problems. The steps are easy-to-follow, and I think everyone will be able to do it without any problem. Still, if you face any issue, comment down below, and we will help you out.
- The best way to reset the app it to uninstall and reinstall it. Uninstall the OneDrive app by pressing and holding the OneDrive app icon. Tap the ' X ' in the corner and then accept the confirmation message to.
In iOS 11, Apple added an option to offload apps rather than just delete them as a compromise between apps you use and storage consumed. IDG An offloaded app sports a cloud download icon.
- Firmware issues – Mostly, a firmware issue related to macOS demands a reinstallation of the operating system. It can happen when macOS seems to malfunction and can't complete the needed operations.
- Startup issues – Apart from the firmware, there would be a problem with your Mac's startup or bootstrap program as well. Mostly, the issue is resolved by visiting the Mac recovery mode.
- Corrupt OS – Ideally, your macOS can get corrupt or compromised due to different reasons. In order to fix it or run troubleshooting, you would need to reinstall the OS.
- Malware attack – A virus or malware can also infect the core function of macOS and would demand a complete reinstallation of the tool.
- Other issues – There could be numerous other issues with your Mac as well that would demand a reinstallation. For instance, if your system has been upgraded to a corrupt macOS version or the update was halted in between, then you need to reinstall OS X.
Preparations before reinstalling macOS
Before we teach you how to reinstall macOS X, there are certain vital things that you need to consider.
- Mostly, it takes 30 minutes to 3 hours to reinstall macOS (the exact time would vary among different OS and system models). Therefore, your Mac should be charged enough to complete the installation.
- During the reinstallation process, your Mac might be overheated or restart multiple times. It is recommended to not keep it in direct sunlight or a hot place during the process.
- Chances are that your existing data on Mac might be deleted after the reinstallation. Thus, you can consider taking its backup if you don't want to lose it.
- Disconnect all the attached units like USB drive, SD card, etc. from your Mac beforehand. Also, if you think your system has been infected by malware, then consider formatting it as well.
- Your system might download the needed patches and updates during the process. Keep your Mac connected to a stable internet connection for a seamless updating.
Once you are ready, simply take the following steps to reinstall macOS without losing its data.
How to Reinstall Mac OS?
Step 1: Backup Files on Mac
If you don't want to suffer from an unexpected loss of your important files during the reinstallation, then you should take a backup of your data beforehand. There are different ways to backup data on Mac.
1. Backup files Using Time Machine
Time Machine is the inbuilt solution to backup data on Mac and restores it afterward. If you do not want to let go of your important files during the reinstallation process, then consider taking their backup beforehand. You can use an external data source so that Mac can create a Time Machine on it. Mostly, Time Machine will detect a connected unit and would ask you to take its backup automatically. If not, then follow these steps to back up your Mac data using Time Machine.
- Simply connect a secure data storage to your Mac and launch Time Machine by visiting Menu > System Preferences > Time Machine.
- Here, click on the 'Select Backup Disk' so that you can manually choose a location to save the backup content.
- As a pop-up screen would appear, just select the available drive and confirm your choice. If you want, you can choose to encrypt your data as well.
- To further customize things, you can visit its 'Options' and even enable the automatic backup feature.
- As a pop-up screen would appear, just select the available drive and confirm your choice. If you want, you can choose to encrypt your data as well.
2. Backup files Using Cloud Storage
As you know, Time Machine will only take a manual backup of your Mac data to a dedicated storage unit. If you want to save your data on the cloud, then take the assistance of iCloud, Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, or any other cloud-based service. Since iCloud is the native cloud storage solution from Apple and an inbuilt Mac app, it is widely recommended. You can easily backup files to iCloud from Mac by following these steps.
- Firstly, go to System Preferences and launch the iCloud app. If you are not logged in, then enter your Apple account details to sign-in.
- The iCloud app has options to sync various data types. Simply enable the features (by checking it) and turn on the backup feature.
- There is an 'Option' button adjacent to some data types (like Photos) that you can visit to customize your backup.
- You can go to the 'Manage' section from here to view how much space is left on iCloud. Since only 5 GB of space is provided for a free (basic) account, you can also upgrade your account as well to get more space on iCloud.
How To Uninstall An App In Mac
![Best Best](/uploads/1/3/4/2/134275415/292374592.png)
3. Backup files Using External Hard Drive
If you are running short on time, then you can also take a manual backup using an external hard disk as well. Just connect the hard disk to your Mac and make sure that you are using a hard drive that is compatible with your macOS. Now, simply copy the content from your Mac's storage that you wish to save and paste it to the external hard disk. In this way, you would be able to maintain a second copy of all the important data at a dedicated source.
In contrast, you need to know how to recover files from external hard drives.
![How to reinstall photos app mac How to reinstall photos app mac](/uploads/1/3/4/2/134275415/447724542.jpg)
Step 2: Boot Mac in the Recovery Mode
Once you have taken a backup of your Mac data, you need to restart in the recovery mode. The Mac Recovery Mode is a dedicated module in the operating system that provides all kinds of firmware and disk-related options. You can run disk utilities via the Recovery Mode on MacBook, reinstall macOS, recover Time Machine backup, and do so much more. In order to learn how to restore Mac in recovery mode, follow these steps:
- Firstly, go to the main menu by clicking on the Apple icon and choose to restart your system.
- While the system is restarting, press the Command and R keys at the same time till your Mac enters the Recovery mode.
- When you get the utility window on the screen, just click on the 'Reinstall macOS' option and continue the process.
Please note that if you wish to upgrade your Mac instead, then press the Option + R keys instead of the Command + R key combination.
Step 3: Erase the Mac Hard Disk
This is an optional step during the reinstall macOS process as a lot of people would like to delete the existing data on their system. If you are reselling your Mac or your system has been infected by malware, then you can consider this option as well.
- When you get the macOS utility window, click on the 'Disk Utility' option instead of reinstalling it. You can also go to the 'Utilities' menu to get this option.
- As the Disk utility window will open, you can just select the drive that you wish to erase from the left panel.
- On the right, you will get detailed information with numerous other tools. Just click on the Erase icon and confirm your choice (by entering the firmware password).
This will start the erasing process on the selected drive. You can also go to the Security Options here to further customize things.
Step 4: Reinstall Mac OS X without Losing Data
When you get the macOS utility window on the screen, you can just click on the 'Reinstall macOS' option to proceed. Afterward, you simply need to follow this basic drill to reinstall macOS on your system.
- A confirmation message will appear, informing you about the reinstallation details. Just click on the 'Continue' button to proceed.
- Subsequently, you will be asked on which disk you wish to install macOS. Simply select the inbuilt disk on your Mac to start the process.
- That's it! Your system will reinstall macOS on it by performing all the needed tasks. You can just sit back and wait for the process to be completed and make sure that you don't turn off Mac in between.
- In the end, you can just choose to restore data from the Time Machine backup. You can get this option from the macOS Utilities or just launch the Time Machine application on your system as well.
Recover Erased Files after Reinstalling Mac OS
A lot of times, users are not able to maintain the backup of their data and end up losing their important files during the macOS reinstallation. If you have also lost your data on Mac due to this, then don't worry – simply take the assistance of Recoverit Mac Data Recovery software. A highly advanced data recovery tool can retrieve all kinds of lost, deleted, and inaccessible content from your Mac storage. It is known to b yield positive results under all scenarios, including data loss caused by macOS reinstallation.
After installing Recoverit Data Recovery on your Mac, simply follow these basic steps to get your data back.
Step 1: Select a Location
Firstly, you need to install Recoverit Data Recovery on your Mac by downloading the application from its website. Launch it whenever you want to restore notes on Mac and select a source location to scan. That is, select the native source drive of Mac and click on the 'Start' button.
Step 2: Scan the Location
As the application would start scanning your Mac for the lost notes, you can just wait for a while for the process to be completed. The interface will also display the progress of the entire process for your convenience.
Step 3: Preview and Recover
When the extraction process is completed, the application will notify you. Now, you can just preview and select the files you wish to get back. Click on the 'Recover' button and make sure that you save your notes to a trusted location.
I'm sure that after following this guide, you would be able to reinstall macOS without losing data. Since working on Mac can be a bit tricky at times, it is recommended to always maintain a backup beforehand. Also, consider using a data recovery tool like Recoverit Data Recovery as well. In this way, you can take immediate measures as soon as you lose any information and get it back without much trouble. Recoverit also provides a data recovery solution for Windows as well and is considered a must-have application for both Mac and Windows users.
What's Wrong with Mac
- Recover Your Mac
- Fix Your Mac
- Delete Your Mac
- Learn Mac Hacks
When you started your Apple computer for the first time, you were likely amazed with its speed and ease of use. Computers generally run smoothly and efficiently at first. However, as time passes, a device can slow for several reasons. When this occurs, there’s a few things you can do, like reinstalling macOS. Additionally, this post covers how to recover and recover your Mac operating system if the need should arise.
If this task is too difficult or you don’t feel confident performing this procedure on your own, consider reaching out to HelpCloud Technician by-the-hour.
Backup Before Starting
You never know how recovering, restoring and restarting your macOS will go. Although most methods won’t delete your files, there’s always a slight chance something will go wrong and files will be erased. To avoid associated headache, you’ll want to backup your files.
How To Reinstall Program Mac
One of the easiest ways to backup your computer is with an external hard drive. This type of drive is a portable storage device that connects to your computer. Due to their large storage abilities, external hard drives are great candidates for computer backups.
If you don’t have a hard drive, you can purchase one online or in a computer-friendly store for a reasonable price. A device that costs around $50 should have enough storage capacity to handle an average computer user. Before you purchase an external hard drive, make sure it’s compatible with your Apple computer.
After your hard drive is plugged into your computer or connected wirelessly, open the main menu by clicking the Apple logo on the top of your screen. Under your preferences, select Time Machine.
You may also use the search bar to find this application. On the left, you will likely see a “Back Up Automatically” check box. Automating your backups can be very useful and save you time and trouble if your device loses data.
To backup, go to “Select Disk …” Under “Available Disks.” You’ll want to click on your drive followed by “Use Disk.” Depending on the computer, it can take around an hour or more to backup.
Look for Updates
You may feel that you need to recover, restore and reinstall your macOS when you really just need a software update. A lot of issues are resolved when you update software.
To update, open your System Preferences from the Apple menu. Click on “Software Update” to see if any upgrades are available. If one or more is listed, click “Update Now.”
Top Recovery Options
If downloading a software update doesn’t work, there’s several more things you can try. The “Command+R” recovery method loads macOS Recovery so you can install whatever version you have on your computer before getting into the utility.
The second choice is “Option+Command+R,” which will bring up macOS Recovery, allowing you to install a compatible update for your computer. Lastly, there is “Shift+Option+Command+R.” This final approach will provide you with whatever macOS was on your machine when it was first launched (or if it’s no longer available, the closest version).
Click the icon on Desktop to run the Bluestacks Emulator app on Windows. Yi home app pc mac. Login with your Google Play Store account. Then, open Google Play Store and search for ” Yi Tracker 2 “. Choose one of the app from the search result list.
Determining which of the methods above best suits your needs can be confusing. If you have any kind of difficulty making this decision, consider reaching out to HelpCloud Technicians for remote support.
To start the process, click the Apple icon in the upper left-hand corner of your computer screen. From the drop-down menu, left click “Restart.” The computer will start to reboot, and as it does, you will want to press and hold the “Command” and “R” keys until the Apple logo appears.
After several seconds have passed, the Apple logo should populate. When you see the logo, you can remove your hands from your keyboard.
Your computer will boot into macOS recovery at this time. After the loading process is complete, the computer will lead you through a series of account questions, like what language you want to use. During this process, macOS Utilities will load. You should see several options when this menu opens. Depending on your device, you might see options like “Restore From Time Machine Backup,” “Reinstall macOS,” “Get Help Online” and “Disk Utility.”
If you have an external drive and have been creating Time Machine Backups, you can select the restore from backup option. You will need to plug in the external drive that stores the data in order to select a restore source.
Another option displayed that might be useful is to reinstall macOS. If you have a compromised OS, reinstalling macOS is a good plan. Keep in mind that reinstalling macOS shouldn’t delete your files, but things can go wrong with any process. In order to make sure you safeguard your photos and other important computer files, backup your computer first.
The Get Help Online choice will take you to Apple’s support website as long as you have an internet connection in place. The last listing on this menu, Disk Utility, can help if you would like to repair different drives, change their mounting, etc. For most people, this is not needed until selling a computer.
When you sell your device, you do not want any of your personal information accessible to the new user. So, before selling a device, you will open the utility menu and erase all of the data stored on your internal disk.
Before erasing, make sure the format reads “APFS.” This way, future users will be able to access the device without needing your predetermined passwords. After this is done, you’ll go back to the menu and click “Reinstall macOS.”
One thing to keep in mind when going through the steps above is that if you don’t have macOS Sierra 10.12.4 or later, your recovery options are slightly different. “Shift+Option+Command+R” won’t be available. However, “Option+Command+R” will still install the mac OS that came with your computer, and “Command+R” will launch macOS recovery.
Other Troubleshooting Options
After reinstalling your macOS, you might find that you’re still experiencing issues. Luckily, there are other quick fixes you can try to improve your computer’s performance. You can always try power cycling to start. Although it might seem silly to fix an issue by turning your computer off and back on again, it can often resolve many issues you’re having.
When you turn your computer off, make sure you restart through the Apple menu. If you force shutdown your computer when you don’t need to, there’s a slight chance you’ll do more harm than good.
Another option is to delete the applications you’re not using from your computer. Sometimes you’ll have slow software because it’s overloaded. It’s also possible for an app to slow down your software because it’s incompatible.
To clean your computer, you delete apps you’ve downloaded from the Mac Apple Store. When you do this, all of the app’s associated files should be deleted. In other words, the app shouldn’t be storing any extra info elsewhere on your computer.
A NVRAM reset can also be very useful. Your system memory has an area called NVRAM that stores hardware settings, like speaker volume and startup disk processing. To reset, power off your computer.
When you turn it on again, press and hold the keys “Command+Option+P+R.” Your computer will make a chiming sound, and then your screen may flicker. Your computer will chime again, and on the second chime, you can remove your hold of the keys. After this, your NVRAM will be reset.
Looking into disk permissions is another trick that can fix a lot of issues. A permission provides your computer rights to access various files. Photos app on mac not syncing. Repairing these permissions seems complicated, but it doesn’t have to be.
Start by opening the Disk Utility program from your applications. Your startup disk will likely be the first one pictured. After you select your startup disk, you can click “Repair Permissions.” While you’re in this menu, also click “Verify Disk” to make sure there aren’t any other issues going on with your utilities.
As we said above, it's a symptom, not a cause of problems. Fortunately, there are a number of things you can do to prevent it. How to force stop the app installation on mac.
More On macOS
macOS is a program that allows a computer to carry out basic functions. Every Mac is equipped with a macOS, Apple’s operating system. Apple’s current OS is macOS Mojave. With Mojave, which gets its name from a desert in California, users have access to improved security and privacy features.
There are also several advantages on this operating system that are new to Mac computers. First, there’s a dark mode. This setting makes the whole system appear darker in color. The feature was used as a design aesthetic on apps in the past, but it’s now available as s system-wide offering.
The App Store has also been upgraded. With new search options, it’s easier to find what you need. There are also curated collections designed by Apple editors that can introduce you to apps you might benefit from and enjoy working with.
Another fun new feature is dynamic desktop. Depending on the time of day, your computer can show you images that correspond with what’s going on outside. For example, your desktop will display photos of beautiful sunrises in the morning, sweeping landscapes in the middle of the day and darkening skies in the evening.
On the privacy side of things, your search history is better protected with Mojave. The Safari app has Enhanced Tracking Protection built into it, which means it helps keep you safe on the web. There is also an Intelligent Tracking Prevention technology that will hide your “Likes” and other social media activities from being tracked.
Apple’s Operating System
Although macOS works well, it’s not always perfect. When you experience setbacks, see if the issue can be resolved by simply turning your computer off and on again. If not, you’ll want to backup your computer.
At this point, you can recover, restore and reinstall your macOS. However, this is not always needed. If you reach out to a HelpCloud Technician for remote support, you can access one-on-one assistance to get to the root of the issue before unnecessarily reinstalling your operating system.
The Windows keyboard shortcut Alt F4 will perform the Close / Exit / Quit action. Note: most Windows programs refer to this action as Exit (or Close) and it is a keyboard shortcut that is usually located in the File menu. This keyboard shortcut for Quit / Exit / Close is available in Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista and Windows XP. The quickest and easiest way to force quit an app with a keyboard is to use the Mac shortcut keys for closing frozen applications: On the keyboard, press and hold Command + Option + Esc. This action will immediately open a “Force Quit Application”. From the dialogue box, select the frozen. Every Mac system has the option of C-O-E to force quit the frozen app. Just like in Windows, we use Ctrl + Alt + Dlt, similarly, we use shortcut key – Command + Option + Escape. It opens a window that displays currently active apps. All you have to do is select the frozen app. https://jtknwb.weebly.com/blog/mac-shortcut-quit-app.