How to Reset SMC and PRAM to Fix 99% of Mac Issues?

If your Mac has recently started acting strangely—such as the battery not charging properly, the fan running nonstop, the keyboard backlight malfunctioning, the screen brightness not responding, external devices not being recognized, or the system booting unusually slow—don't rush to take it to a repair shop.

In many cases, these issues can be resolved with two simple steps: resetting the SMC (System Management Controller) and PRAM (Parameter RAM).

These two components function as the “lower-level brain” of your Mac and control many essential hardware behaviors. This article will explain what they are, when to reset them, and how to do it safely.

1. What Are SMC and PRAM?

What is SMC?

The System Management Controller (SMC) is a microcontroller on your Mac's logic board. It handles low-level hardware operations such as:

• Battery charging and power management

• Thermal regulation and fan control

• Sleep and wake functions

• Keyboard backlight and display brightness

• Power button and charging indicator

If the SMC malfunctions, your Mac may show odd symptoms like incorrect battery readings, fans running at full speed, or the device failing to respond when plugging in the charger.

What is PRAM?

PRAM (Parameter Random Access Memory) stores basic system settings, including:

• Startup disk selection

• Screen brightness and resolution

• Sound volume and time zone

• Keyboard and system preferences

Corrupted PRAM data may cause slow startup, display issues, sound problems, incorrect system time, or difficulty recognizing external monitors.

2. When Should You Reset SMC or PRAM?

You don’t need to reset them often, but it can help in the following situations:

When to Reset SMC:

• Battery not charging or incorrect battery percentage

• Fans running abnormally fast

• Keyboard backlight malfunction

• Issues with sleep/wake

• Power adapter not recognized

• Mac won’t turn on after pressing the power button

When to Reset PRAM:

• No startup sound

• Screen brightness not saving

• Wrong display resolution

• Time/date or time zone incorrect

• External monitor issues

• Startup disk not recognized

In short:

Hardware-related issues → Reset SMC

Settings-related issues → Reset PRAM

3. How to Reset SMC (Different for Each Mac Model)

Intel MacBook (Battery Removable)

1. Shut down the Mac.

2. Disconnect the power adapter and remove the battery.

3. Press and hold the power button for 5 seconds.

4. Reinsert the battery, connect the charger, and power on.

Intel MacBook (Built-in Battery)

1. Shut down the Mac.

2. Press and hold Shift + Control + Option + Power for 10 seconds.

3. Release all keys, then press the power button to start the Mac.

Desktop Macs (iMac / Mac mini / Mac Pro)

1. Shut down the Mac and unplug the power cord.

2. Wait for 15 seconds.

3. Reconnect the power cord and wait 5 seconds.

4. Turn the Mac on.

Apple Silicon Models (M1/M2/M3)

Apple Silicon Macs automatically handle SMC functions.

Simply shut down the Mac for 30 seconds and restart.

This performs the equivalent of an SMC reset.

4. How to Reset PRAM (or NVRAM)

1. Shut down your Mac.

2. Press the power button and immediately hold:
   Option + Command + P + R

3. Keep holding for 20 seconds.

4. Release the keys when the Apple logo appears a second time or you hear the second startup sound.

Your Mac will restart with default system settings. You may need to reconfigure sound volume, display resolution, time, and startup disk preferences.

5. What Happens After Resetting?

After a successful reset, you might notice:

• Fans return to normal speed

• Battery percentage displays correctly

• Sleep and wake functions work again

• External devices are recognized

• Brightness and volume settings save properly

Resetting SMC and PRAM will not erase your files or system data, so it’s completely safe.

If problems persist, consider updating macOS, entering Safe Mode for diagnostics, or checking for third-party software conflicts.

6. Extra Tips After Resetting

For optimal performance, consider these additional steps after resetting:

Recalibrate your battery
Fully charge → fully discharge → charge again to help macOS detect battery capacity accurately.

Clean up login items
Remove unnecessary startup programs to improve performance.

Run Disk Utility
Open “Disk Utility” → select your disk → click First Aid to fix disk errors.

Check for system updates
Keeping macOS updated prevents compatibility issues.

When your Mac behaves strangely—power issues, display issues, sound problems, or external device errors—don’t panic.Resetting SMC and PRAM often resolves more than 90% of these hardware-related glitches.

For more Mac battery and hardware maintenance tips, visit Applebattery.com
We offer high-quality replacement batteries and in-depth guides to help keep your devices running at peak performance.