Mac recovery mode is a lifesaver during crises. Depending on the type of crisis, you can choose among four options available in Mac recovery mode. there might be some complications that can be resolved by normal recovery mode but it has its own set of limitations. If there is one option that could come in handy regardless of the severity of the problem, it is Mac Internet recovery mode. Learn why Mac internet recovery mode is crucial and let’s discuss how to use internet recovery mode on Mac.
What is Internet Recovery on Mac?
Internet recovery mode is completely different when compared to the Mac recovery mode. Every Mac has a designated recovery partition of 650 MB which is completely independent of the other drives.
Hence in case of corruption or inaccessibility of Mac, we can make use of Mac recovery mode and reinstall macOS or restore from the Time Machine Backup to fix any problem in the operating system. To enter the recovery mode press the “command+R” buttons while Mac is restarting. You will see the following options:
Mac will enter the internet recovery mode if the boot sector is missing or the recovery partition is damaged or corrupted. To start Mac in recovery mode, here are the steps that you need to follow: Restart or power on Mac and hold the Command + Option + R keys after hearing the start-up chime. Whether you are trying to fix a stubborn problem, repair/erase a hard disk, or reinstall the latest macOS version, macOS recovery (launched in 2010 with OS X 10.7 Lion) is the right way to go. While this official troubleshooter works well most of the time, it has had its fair share of issues.
- Restore from Time Machine Backup
- Reinstall macOS
- Get online help
- Disk utility
When you select “Reinstall macOS” the recovery partition (650 MB) is accessed where a fresh copy of macOS exists to begin the reinstallation process from scratch. Please note that this process will completely erase your Mac or MacBook volumes, so be cautious while using Mac recovery mode.
Even though the recovery partition is independent, there might be complications that might damage your entire Mac hard drive. In such a situation, normal recovery mode will not work and you will be stuck in a Mac grey screen.
The best part about Mac internet recovery is it can work even if your Mac is not booting. And since internet recovery directly accesses Apple servers, it also works when the recovery partition is damaged.
How to Access Internet Recovery Mode on Mac?
Generally, when normal recovery mode is not working, Mac automatically takes you to internet recovery mode. You will also see a spinning globe that signifies you are being sent to internet recovery mode.
If you want to manually launch the internet recovery mode, you need to hold Option+Command+R keys while restarting the Mac. Wait till the spinning globe appears and leave the keys. Later a progressive bar appears below the spinning globe icon. After the progressive bar is completely loaded you will see the macOS utility window with the same options as normal recovery mode on Mac or MacBook.
- Restore from Time Machine Backup
- Reinstall macOS
- Get online help
- Disk utility
Internet recovery mode will access the Apple server to fix any issue, so when in internet recovery mode, you need to connect it to any Wi-Fi or ethernet port.
How do I connect my Mac to WIFI in recovery mode?
Once in internet recovery mode, on the top right corner, you will see the Wi-Fi icon. Click on the Wi-Fi icon, select your network to enter the password, and click on connect.
What can You do with Internet Recovery Mac?
Mac internet recovery mode has the exact same options as normal recovery mode but there is a difference in the functionality. For example, when you select “Reinstall macOS” on internet recovery mode, your Mac will download the older version or the macOS that came with the Mac during the time of purchase.
For example, if you bought a Mac with Mojave and later updated it to Catalina, reinstalling macOS using internet recovery mode will completely erase everything on the storage drive and install Mojave. This is why you need to recover Mac hard drive before reinstalling the macOS. You can take a sigh of relief as you can upgrade it to Catalina after the installation is completed.
Pro Tip:
You can create a Mac bootable drive, later you can use the same bootable drive and log into Mac and recover crucial files. Here is how to create a bootable drive using the internet recovery mode.
How to Create a Bootable Drive Using Mac internet Recovery Mode
To create a bootable drive, you need a 12GB or larger flash drive and connect it to your Mac. Now launch internet recovery mode, select the “Reinstall macOS” option, and click on continue. Accept all the terms and conditions and follow general steps until your installation setup asks you to select a storage drive.
You will see the notification “Select the disk where you want to install macOS”. Be cautious and select the pen drive or the external storage drive you connected. After selecting the USB flash drive click on next and wait for the installation to complete.
After creating the bootable drive, restart your Mac, while booting into the operating system Mac will ask you to select from which drive you want to boot into macOS. Select the Bootable drive to log into your Mac. And now you can try to access the data.
Internet Recovery Mac Not Working? This can be the reason why?
Generally, internet recovery mode needs a certified internet connection that accepts WAP, WEP, and 802.1 IP or internet protocols. Typically, any home internet connection accepts all the aforementioned protocols. However, if you are using any proxy or PPPoE connection, internet recovery will not work. Hence, if the internet recovery mode on Mac is not working once verify the connection or try to connect to a different network.
How Long does Internet Recovery Take?
It depends on your internet connection; internet recovery mode demands a high-speed broadband connection.
What is Mac Recovery Mode?
Apple recovery mode is available in an emergency when your macOS is running into serious difficulties. There are four main features of Mac’s Recovery Mode, whether that is the regular recovery or internet recovery:
- Restore from Time Machine Backup: Use a previous version of your Mac stored on an external drive. You will have had to prepare this is in advance by connecting an external hard drive and using Time Machine to copy all of your data, including files, OS, and settings. If you have an external copy, you can use this to restore your data under the ‘Restore from Time Machine Backup’ in Recovery Mode, which will erase the current disk.
- Reinstall macOS: This wipes your current OS and its data and replaces it with a clean version. If you have any files you need saving, make sure that they’ve been uploaded to the iCloud or some other storage, whether online or on a separate hard drive. Which version of macOS that is reinstalled may depend on whether you run the normal Recovery Mode or Internet Recovery Mode.
- Get Help Online: Recovery Mode allows you to use Safari to troubleshoot issues you may be experiencing.
- Disk Utility: If you suspect there’s something wrong with your drives, you can scan, verify, and repair them from the recovery screen, which might be a quicker and more convenient alternative than erasing and reinstalling your macOS.
Now, if you are considering a complete restart in Recovery or Internet Mode, it’s recommended that you give your Mac a thorough clean first. Otherwise, this is like cleaning the house, then dumping everything you’ve hoovered back onto the carpet. The muck has only been moved around. With a tool like CleanMyMac X, you can declutter everything you don’t need, then back up safely (always best doing before restarting or rebooting), which means it should run much faster once restored to full working condition. By the way, this app removes up to 74 GB of junk on an average Mac computer. So, give it a try — you can download CleanMyMac X for free.
The differences between Internet Recovery and regular Recovery
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Normal Recovery Mode accesses Recovery HD, an emergency cache of essential utilities that is saved to a partition in your Mac's startup drive, meaning that it’s kept separate from the rest of your disk space.
Because it’s been partitioned from the rest of your disk space, the data can’t be cleared in cleanup scans or manually deleted. It’s small (650MB) so it won’t affect your Macs performance, but it may be useful if something goes wrong.
If you do need to reinstall your macOS, Recovery Mode will reboot with the most recent version that has been installed on the computer.
Internet Recovery, however, can only reinstall the version of macOS that was originally on your computer when it was new from the box, which likely won’t be the most up-to-date version. This is because Internet Recovery uses code embedded into your Mac that includes an image for the appropriate OS. When you begin Internet Recovery, the image is transmitted to the Apple servers to request the correct codes for reinstallation.
Booting from Internet Recovery takes much longer than a normal partition-based recovery and, naturally, requires an internet connection, so ensure your connection is stable and that you have adequate power (keep your Mac charged).
When to use Internet Recovery
If your Mac has been unable to create a partition for the Recovery HD, you will not be able to use normal Recovery Mode. This might be because you’re using a RAID volume, which doesn’t support the recovery partition, or your drive has been partitioned with Boot Camp Assistant and subsequently modified.
Your Mac may have successfully created the Recovery HD partition but Recovery Mode may not be able to access it. This might be due to damage to the drive or a more serious error in your system.
If your computer is unable to access normal Recovery Mode, it will automatically begin Internet Recovery. If you have a working recovery partition, you will not be able to access internet Recovery Mode.
How to enter Recovery Mode on Mac
Hopefully, you’ll never have to use either the normal or internet Recovery Mode for your Mac, but if you do it’s simple to access. For both recovery modes, you will need enough power to see you through the process as well as your Apple ID to reinstall macOS.
1. To start your Mac in Recovery Mode, first, if your Mac is turned off, switch it on. If you’re currently using it, hit Restart. You can only use Recovery Mode from the startup drive.
2. As soon as you hear the startup chime, hold Command (?) + R.
You will need to hold the keys until a new screen appears.
3. If you have a working recovery partition, you will enter the normal Recovery Mode. The macOS Utilities window appears, which will list the four options to recover your Mac (Restore, Reinstall, Get Help, and Disk Utility). Select Reinstall macOS.
From there, your Mac will be cleared and rebooted with the latest version of macOS that had been installed on it.
How to access Internet Recovery Mode
Os X Catalina Internet Recovery
1. Turn on your Mac or restart it as with normal Recovery Mode. As soon as you hear the startup chime, press and hold Command (?) + Option (?) + R.
If your normal Recovery Mode isn’t available, pressing Command (?) + R should automatically redirect you to Internet Recovery mode.
2. After a few seconds, a globe will appear onscreen with the text: Starting Internet Recovery. This may take a while.
Note: This is your computer entering internet Recovery Mode; it is not yet reinstalling OS X.
3. You will then be given a network list to choose your internet connection for the download. Press the check mark to continue or hit Enter once you have selected your network.
4. You will be asked to resubmit the network password even if you have previously connected to it, so make sure you have it available. Hit Enter or the check mark symbol to continue.
Macos Catalina Internet Recovery Download
5. The screen will then show the image of a globe again, as well as a status bar. This is your computer sending the information about its original state to Apple to request the appropriate drivers and may take some time depending on your internet connection.
6. Once complete, you will see the same Utilities screen as the regular Recovery Mode, which gives you the same options to restore your system.
Mac Recovery Mode: A last resort
It is always worthwhile to run a Disk Utility scan if possible before reinstalling your macOS. It’s even better to keep your Mac maintained with regular scans for issues that can accumulate to cause problems. Give your Mac a complete tidy up before restarting in Recovery Mode. Clean out the junk, declutter and restore your beloved Mac to full health.
Caches and system junk quickly build up to clog your system and cause performance problems that might lead you to believe you need to reinstall your macOS, when really all it needs is a thorough clean-out. CleanMyMac X has cleared 737 million GB of junk files that wear down your system and uninstalled 10.5 million unnecessary applications and their forgotten extensions.
CleanMyMac X can also run diagnostics without entering either Mac Recovery Mode, meaning you can fix operating issues before you need to initiate a full reinstall.
Get CleanMyMac X to improve the longterm performance of your Mac!