sylvester_balchunas SY

When should you reset the SMC on a Mac?

The battery on my MacBook isn't charging properly and the fans are louder than usual. Someone suggested resetting the system management controller. How do I do that, and does it even apply to the Apple silicon models?
system management controller
1

Leave A Reply

Log in to post an answer.

1 Answer

D
david_beta Oct 22, 2026
sylvester_balchunas
only on an intel mac - the apple silicon ones don't have an smc to reset, a full shut down and 30 seconds off does the same job. on intel it's worth trying when the power side acts up: fans roaring with nothing running, battery not charging, won't wake from sleep, keyboard backlight or battery light behaving oddly. it isn't a general fix for slowness or app problems, so don't bother for those.
Reply