How to access Apple Diagnostics on your MacBook
Apple Diagnostics can identify hardware faults on a MacBook. Here's how to launch it on Apple silicon and Intel models, what it tests, and what to do with the results.
According to Engadget, users should first check their Mac model by opening the Apple menu and selecting About This Mac. If the information shows a chip name beginning with M, the machine has Apple silicon; an Intel model will show an Intel processor. Apple also maintains a list of Mac models with Apple silicon for those who are unsure.
The diagnostics experience varies by macOS version. Macs running macOS 26 Tahoe or later can offer individual diagnostics for components such as the built-in display, keyboard, or trackpad. On earlier versions, the test runs automatically once launched.
Before running the test, Apple recommends installing available macOS updates if the MacBook is usable enough to do so. Then shut down the machine and disconnect external devices, leaving only necessary connections such as power, Ethernet, an external keyboard, mouse, or display if needed. The MacBook should be placed on a hard, flat surface with good ventilation.
On an Apple silicon MacBook, press and hold the power button, which is also the Touch ID button on models with Touch ID, until the startup options screen appears with an Options icon. Release the button, then press and hold Command (⌘) and D until the Mac restarts into Apple Diagnostics. On an Intel MacBook, turn the computer on and immediately press and hold D. Release the key when a progress bar appears or the Mac asks for a language. If that shortcut fails, restart and hold Option (⌥) and D to start Apple Diagnostics over the internet.
Once Diagnostics opens, the MacBook may ask to connect to Wi-Fi if it is not wired in. On macOS 26 Tahoe or later, users can select the diagnostic test that matches the problem they are investigating. Earlier versions generally begin testing automatically. Apple Support or a repair technician can also start an online Apple Diagnostics session in some cases; unless running it at their request, users should choose Run Offline.
Apple Diagnostics can identify potential faults involving internal components such as memory, batteries, cameras, keyboards, trackpads, storage, displays, and wireless hardware. It does not test external hardware like USB accessories, and it is not designed to find problems caused by macOS, apps, or software extensions. If an app keeps crashing or an external drive repeatedly disconnects, the tool likely will not report anything useful.
A clean test result with reference code ADP000 means Apple Diagnostics found no issues, but it does not prove nothing is wrong with the MacBook. It only means the test did not identify a hardware problem among the components it checked, leaving software, an external accessory, or another cause possible. If Diagnostics returns a component-specific code, users can look it up to see which part of the MacBook it relates to and whether Apple recommends additional troubleshooting or service.
If hardware faults are detected, users should keep the reference codes, as they explain what to do next and are useful when contacting Apple Support or visiting an Apple Store, Apple Authorized Service Provider, or Independent Repair Provider. If no hardware problem is found but the MacBook still misbehaves, the next step depends on the symptoms. macOS Recovery, described informally as a Mac's 'repair mode,' provides tools for repairing the startup disk with Disk Utility, reinstalling macOS, or restoring from a Time Machine backup. To enter macOS Recovery on an Apple silicon MacBook, shut it down and hold the power button until startup options appear, then select Options and Continue. On an Intel MacBook, turn it on and immediately hold Command (⌘) and R.