Having a Macbook might be costly when compared to other laptop brands but it is also worth the price when you compare the specifications and benefit that you can get with it. But you might get disappointed when errors like a Macbook won’t turn on will show up after acquiring the device. It is really inevitable for such issues to occur, especially if you have been using your Macbook for quite some time already. 
Since some Macbook users have complained about having an issue on their devices that is not turning on and just stayed in a black screen, I’ve created this article to help those affected users deal with the problem. If you have a Macbook that is not turning as of the moment, feel free to read further and know more about the details.
Troubleshoot a Macbook won’t turn on problem
If your Macbook isn’t turning on even when plugged in to a direct power source, it could be an indication that there is something wrong with a hardware component that is responsible for distributing power on your device like the power wires or cable, battery or the charger itself. A defective motherboard, RAM and video card could also result to a not turning on problem on Macbook.
Being faced in this kind of situation might be a hassle since you might need to bring your Macbook to a service center for a possible repair. However, there are things that you can try on your end before you go. Follow the recommendations listed below as they are found helpful in resolving an issue on Macbook that is not turning on.
First solution: Check for power on your Macbook.
There are times that a Macbook will not show anything but it is still receiving power. Indicators such as the sound of a fan or the sound of the hard disk will tell you that it is turned on. For that case, your Macbook might be in a frozen state and that’s the reason why it is stuck on a black screen. Just make sure that it is plugged in to a power supply and press the power button as it may turn on automatically.
If there is no indication of a power on your Macbook, try swapping the cable or the power charger if you have a spare one. You can isolate the issue by trying your current charger on a different device. If they will charge, it means that your charger is working fine. If not, then it’s time for you to get a new one.
You can also connect the charger on your Macbook for an extended period. The battery might have been drained totally and it’s taking time for the device to power up. If still there’s no indication that the Mac is powering up, proceed to the next recommendation.
Second solution: Remove connected hardware to fix Macbook won’t turn on.
There are times that the connected devices on your Macbook can cause relevant symptoms to occur. Things like USB hubs, external keyboard and mouse, external hard drives and other components that are connected on your Macbook will succumb to an issue which could affect the start up process on your device, hence will result in a Macbook that is not turning on.
To make sure that this is not the main cause of the power problem on your Mac, remove all connected devices. If you’ve recently changed its hard drive, try swapping the original component. After all connected devices are removed or swapped, press the power button to check if the Macbook will be able to power on.
Third solution: Perform a power cycle or force restart your Macbook.
For instance that the Macbook will not respond to a power press and gets stuck in a frozen state, you might need to forcibly cut off the power on your computer. This should help in refreshing the system and remove any power surge that may have been causing the won’t turn on problem.
For Macbooks without a removable battery, you can perform a force restart by pressing the power button for at least 10 seconds, then release it. That should cut off the power on your device if it is on a frozen state and might resolve the not powering on issue.
If you have a removable battery on your Macbook, you can do a force restart by:
- Unplug it from the power source or power outlet.
- Remove the battery on your Mac.
- Wait for 10 seconds.
- Then reinsert the battery and press the power button.
If it successfully boots up but does not load properly, you may perform a disk utility from recovery mode. There might be a problem on your Macbook’s software due to a corrupted disk. Performing this recovery mode procedure should help in resolving this matter.
Here’s how to do it:
- While your Macbook is booting up, press and hold the Command + R keys. Make sure to press them immediately when you hear a sound. If your successful, it will boot to a recovery mode. If not, repeat the process by restarting your Macbook and click the keys immediately.
- Once on recovery mode, select the Disk Utility option.
- Click on the First Aid tab. This will attempt to fix the Macbook’s disk. File system check or FSCK will be run automatically by your Macbook.
Just follow the rest of the on-screen instructions and verify if this process will totally fix the problem.
Fourth solution: Perform a System Management Controller Firmware reset.
System Management Controller or SMC firmware handles the power supply, battery and other crucial functions on your Macbook. If you’ll experience problems like overheating battery or power-related problems such unexpected reboot or won’t turn on at all, resetting the SMC should help you out. This should refresh the system on your Mac and enhance its handling capabilities to some malfunctions.
To perform this on Macbooks without a removable battery, follow these steps:
- Plug in the power cable to your Macbook. Make sure that it is on a direct power source.
- Press the Shift+Control+Option keys at the left-side of the keyboard and the Power button on your Macbook, then hold those buttons down.
- Release those four buttons all at once and then press the Power button. This will turn on your Macbook.
For other Macbooks models with a removable battery,here’s how:
- Unplug your Macbook from the power outlet or charger.
- Remove the battery.
- Press and hold the Power button for at least 5 seconds.
- Release the Power button then reinsert the battery on your Macbook and plug in to a power source.
- Press the Power button again to turn it on.
If your Macbook is able to boot up and load successfully, it might be necessary to update the software on your Mac. If there is an available MacOS update, it will help in stabilizing its performance and fix reported errors on your device. This will also prevent future issues or the Macbook won’t turn on problem from recurring.
You may refer to the steps below to update the MacOS:
- Select Apple menu.
- Select System Preferences.
- Then click on Software Update.
You can also update the software by selecting Apple menu > About This Mac > Software Update.
If there is a software downloaded from the App Store, you may install that by:
- Select Apple menu.
- Click on App Store.
- Then select Updates.
Selecting the automatic update option is also recommended as it will help updating the MacOS automatically once there is an available update notification. Here are the steps:
- Select Apple menu.
- Select System Preferences.
- Then click on Software Update.
- Select Automatically keep my Mac up to date to automatically install MacOS updates.
You can also set Check for Updates, Download new updates when available, and Install system data files and security updates under the advanced update solutions as this will allow your Macbook to receive future updates automatically. To install this updates automatically in the future, make sure that your Macbook is plugged into a power source.
Still having a Macbook won’t turn on issue?
Faulty hardware like damaged battery connector or power supply can prevent the resolution of the won’t turn on problem on your Macbook and it could nullify the solutions presented above. If none of the procedures fixed the power problem on your Mac, you can bring it to the nearest authorized Apple repair center or Apple Store in your area. You can also send a report to Apple support about the Macbook not turning on error as they can give official recommendations on how to deal with such problem.