How to Select Boot Disk During Startup on Your MacBook Air

Step 1: Accessing the Startup Disk Menu

To select the boot disk on your MacBook Air during startup, start by shutting down your device completely. Once powered off, press the Power button and immediately hold down the Option (Alt) key. This action will prompt your MacBook Air to show the Startup Manager screen, where you can choose your preferred boot device.

Step 2: Choosing the Right Boot Disk

On the Startup Manager screen, you will see icons representing all available bootable devices, including your macOS installation drive and any connected external drives such as USB drives or network volumes. Use the arrow keys to navigate and select the desired disk. If you wish to boot from a USB drive or external drive, ensure it is plugged in before powering up your MacBook Air.

Step 3: Booting from the Selected Disk

Once you’ve selected the boot disk from the Startup Manager, simply press Enter to begin booting from that device. The system will proceed to load the operating system or recovery environment based on your selection. This feature is particularly useful when you need to troubleshoot, reinstall macOS, or run system diagnostics from an external device.

Step 4: Troubleshooting Boot Issues

If your MacBook Air is not showing the expected boot disks, here are some troubleshooting steps to consider:

• Ensure that the external drive is properly connected and has a bootable system installed.
• If booting from a USB drive, verify that the drive is formatted correctly (Mac OS Extended or APFS for macOS).
• If the Startup Manager doesn't appear, try resetting the NVRAM by holding down Command + Option + P + R during startup.