What Is Verbose Mode and How to Boot Your Mac in Verbose Mode?

Summary: It is an overview of Mac Verbose Mode, including its definition as well as the guide to use and exit it. And common frequently asked questions about Verbose Mode are also mentioned.

Verbose Mode is known as one of the special startup modes on Mac to help you find various Mac problems. Although it no longer appears to work in macOS 11.2 and later, it is still helpful in previous macOS versions. And in this tutorial, we'll explain what Verbose Mode on Mac is as well as how to enable and disable Mac Verbose Mode.

What is Verbose Mode on Mac

Verbose Mode is a booting mode on Macintosh computers that replaces the graphical startup screen with a series of command lines. Those specified command lines display what Mac is doing and what drivers and software it is loading upon startup or in programming.

Verbose Mode can help you recognize various Mac problems you may be experiencing with macOS like Mac white screen problem, or third-party applications. To quickly find what your exact problem is, you need to read those technical texts word by word and understand their meaning.

Usually, the messages that appear on the screen along with the words "error", "failed", or "terminated" locates where the problem is. And please be noted that, unlike Mac Recovery Mode, Verbose Mode only helps you verify the problem, it is incapable of troubleshooting your issue.

Furthermore, since the command lines displayed are complicated technical texts, only advanced users who are familiar with Unix or computer geeks can understand them. Common users may find it so hard to figure out.

How do you enable Mac Verbose Mode

To start up your Mac in Verbose Mode, follow these simple steps:

If your Mac is on, turn it off first.
Press the Power button to start your Mac.
As soon as your Mac starts to boot, press and hold the Command + V key combinations.

When a series of command lines show up on the screen, it indicates you've successfully entered Verbose Mode. Your Mac will automatically exit Verbose Mode when its startup process completes and the macOS login screen or desktop shall appear.

Note: If you had set a Mac firmware password before, then you need to input the firmware password before loading Mac Verbose Mode.

How to always boot your Mac in Verbose Mode

When it comes to always booting your Mac in Verbose Mode, things get different. You need to utilize the macOS built-in application - Terminal to make it.

Open Launchpad > Other Folder, and select the Terminal application. Alternatively, you can search for Terminal by Spotlight in the menu bar.
Input the following command into the Terminal window and hit the Return key. You might need to provide your Mac's administrator password.sudo nvram boot-args="-v"
Quit Terminal and restart your Mac to see if Verbose Mode works.

The above command is used to change the NVRAM settings and to always boot into macOS Verbose Mode. And please be noted that you should also be very careful when working with NVRAM settings on an M1 Mac: any errors or problems may require a complete system reinstall.

How do you get your Mac out of Verbose Mode

As Verbose Mode may slow down your Mac, you may want to disable Verbose Mode as soon as the problems diagnosed by Verbose Mode have been fixed. Here are the steps to disable automatic booting in Verbose Mode:

Open Launchpad > Other Folder > Terminal utility. Or you can search for Terminal in Spotlight by pressing Command + Space key combinations.
Type in the following command into the Terminal window and hit the Return key. Enter your administrator password if it asks for it.sudo nvram boot-args=" "
Quit Terminal and restart your Mac to see if your Mac boots normally.

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