iMac doesn't go in recovery mode

Hi Navneet.

I can only think that your macOS is damaged or the recovery partition is missing, and this is why you cannot boot into Recovery Mode.

You could try booting into Safe Mode one-time and see if that fixes the problem.

At the Start Up chime hold down the Shift Key and keep the key pressed until you see the message "Safe Mode" displayed on-screen or you see the user login window appear, then release the shift key and wait while the Mac boots all the way to your desktop view, this will take a long time and you may be asked more than once to enter your login password, please be patient, it may take up to ten minutes before the user desktop appears.

After the desktop appears wait another ten minutes then restart the Mac, when you hear the Start-Up chime press and hold the Command and R keys until the Mac boots into Recovery Mode.

If this still fails then the simplest solution is to create a bootable installer for the version of the macOS that you want to return to, or that is currently installed, using an external hard drive connected to one of your other Apple computers, follow the link below for details:

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT201372

Then boot your iMac using that external drive, which will allow you to reformat the existing internal drive and reinstall a clean macOS that is not registered to you.

When you boot for the first time after carrying out this process you can restore your user settings, apps and data from a Time Machine backup or shut down the Mac for disposal or trade-in.

If you intend to dispose of, or trade-in the Mac, make sure that you logout of your iCloud and App Store accounts on the Mac while it still allows you to boot into normal mode and before you boot to the external drive for a clean re-install of the OS.

HTH.

Will.

Hi NavneettSiingh

What type of Mac keyboard are you using?

Is this a version one wireless keyboard? (version one wireless keyboards have user replaceable batteries inside that you remove to recharge), or, is this a version two wireless keyboard that has a built-in battery and is recharged by connecting to the Mac using a Thunderbolt or USB cable?

For version one wireless keyboards make sure that the batteries are fully charged before attempting to boot into Recovery Mode.

For version two wireless keyboards connect the charging cable directly between the keyboard and the Mac, the keyboard will then communicate over the cable instead of via wireless.

Alternatively, borrow a wired Microsoft Windows keyboard and plug that into one of the USB ports and ignore the wireless keyboard until you are in recovery mode.

To boot into Recovery Mode using a Microsoft Windows keyboard the combination is the Windows/Start key and the R key for most Windows keyboards, alternatively Ctrl and R should work if the first suggestion does not:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/keyboard-mappings-using-a-pc-keyboard-on-a-macintosh-d4fd87ca-8762-30ee-fcde-08ffe95faea3

When booting into Recovery Mode with the series one wireless keyboards this was sometimes a problem if the batteries were low, and timing of the key presses is quite important, the Command + R keys need to be pressed as soon as the start-up chime is heard, if you press too soon, too late, or release the keys too early, before Recovery Mode is called, then you only ever reach Normal Mode.

If you have a series one wireless keyboard you will probably find it easier to connect a Windows (or Mac) wired keyboard and use that instead, this is especially the case if you are having issues with Bluetooth on your Mac.

HTH

Will.

Only press the Command and R keys when the first chime is heard and release both the keys when the scroll bar appears on-screen as the macOS begins to load

If your Keyboard has an LED to show it is connected, or a LED on the caps-lock key that flashes briefly during boot-up then press the Command and R keys immediately after those led(s) flash or light up.

An alternative method sometimes works if at the chime sound you press the Command key first and hold it down, wait for one second and then press the R key down and hold it. With some keyboards if you press both keys at exactly the same time the keyboard thinks that is a “bounced” input and consequently ignores both keys.

If the above still does not work you should maybe try a borrowed Windows keyboard anyway, just in case your Mac keyboard has a worn or faulty Command key.

HTH.

Will.