macOS Sonoma Simplifies Restoring a Mac in DFU Mode

With the macOS Sonoma update that's coming this fall, Apple is making it simpler to revive or restore a Mac that is stuck in DFU mode. With the new software, you can initiate a Mac-to-Mac restoration process right from the Finder app.

mac studio green
In macOS Ventura and earlier, reviving or restoring a Mac requires a second Mac that has the Apple Configurator app installed, but in macOS Sonoma, Apple Configurator is no longer required.


Restoring or reviving using Finder is basically the same process as restoring with Configurator, just without the need for additional software. The two Macs will still need to be connected to one another through a USB-C cable, and the same steps will likely apply. Both machines will need to have macOS Sonoma installed to use Finder for a restore.

DFU mode can occur when there is a power failure during a macOS update or upgrade, leading to a Mac that is unresponsive. In this situation, a second Mac is required to get the affected Mac back to a functional state.

macOS Sonoma is in beta testing at the current time, and is expected to see a launch in a month or two.

Related Forum: macOS Sonoma

Popular Stories

Apple CarPlay Ultra instrument cluster themes 01

Apple's 'CarPlay Ultra' Experience Now Available

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:07 am PDT by
Apple today announced that its next-generation CarPlay experience, now dubbed "CarPlay Ultra" begins rolling out today, starting with Aston Martin vehicles. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. CarPlay Ultra is now available with new Aston Martin vehicle orders in the U.S. and Canada. It will also be available for existing models that feature the brand's next-generation ...
Apple CarPlay Ultra instrument cluster themes 01

Apple's CarPlay Ultra Is Here – Does Your iPhone Support It?

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:17 am PDT by
Apple's recently announced CarPlay Ultra promises a deeply integrated in-car experience, but not all iPhone users will be able to take advantage of the new feature. According to Apple's press release, CarPlay Ultra requires an iPhone 12 or later running iOS 18.5 or later. This means if you're using an iPhone 11, iPhone XR, or any older model, you'll need to upgrade your device to access...
CarPlay Ultra Climate Controls

Apple Says These Vehicle Brands Plan to Offer All-New CarPlay Ultra

Thursday May 15, 2025 8:13 am PDT by
Apple today announced the launch of CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. CarPlay Ultra features deep integration with a vehicle's instrument cluster and systems, built-in Radio and Climate apps, customizable widgets, and more. The interface is tailored to each vehicle model and automaker's identity, and drivers can also adjust...
iPhone 12 Made in India

Trump Tells Tim Cook to Stop Building iPhones in India

Thursday May 15, 2025 2:21 am PDT by
President Donald Trump has asked Apple CEO Tim Cook to halt the company's manufacturing expansion in India, in a potential disruption of Apple's plan to shift iPhone production away from China. "I had a little problem with Tim Cook yesterday," Trump said during his state visit to Qatar, according to Bloomberg. "He is building all over India." "They [India] have offered us a deal where...
apple music

Apple Music Gets New Transfer Tool to Make Switching From Spotify Easier

Wednesday May 14, 2025 5:17 pm PDT by
Apple this week introduced a new feature designed to allow prospective Apple Music users to import their saved music and playlists from third-party music services to Apple Music. The feature is either in an expanded testing phase or it has started rolling out, and it is available in Australia and New Zealand according to an Apple Support document. Signs of the transfer option first surfaced...
maxresdefault

Here's the First Real-World Look at Apple's CarPlay Ultra

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:52 am PDT by
The first videos of Apple's CarPlay Ultra experience are now available, providing a never-before-seen look at the long-anticipated iPhone-linked infotainment software. British automaker Aston Martin today shared the first video of Apple's CarPlay Ultra experience in-action, followed by a detailed walk-through of the CarPlay Ultra system on Top Gear's YouTube channel, which provides the...
vision pro video recording

WSJ: Some Apple Vision Pro Buyers 'Feel Total Regret'

Friday May 16, 2025 7:43 am PDT by
Apple's Vision Pro headset has left many early adopters expressing dissatisfaction over its weight, limited use cases, and sparse software ecosystem, according to a new article from The Wall Street Journal. In the year following the device's launch, user feedback suggests that it has failed to meet expectations for comfort, software support, and social acceptance. In interviews conducted by T...
microsoft copilot plus pc

Microsoft Says 'We're Faster Than a Mac' in Latest Windows PC Ad

Thursday May 15, 2025 12:29 pm PDT by
Microsoft today shared a new ad on YouTube with the tagline "we're faster than a Mac." In the video, Microsoft says the top-end Windows PCs with Copilot+ branding are up to 58% faster than the previous-generation MacBook Air with the M3 chip, based on Cinebench 2024 multi-core CPU benchmark results. The ad is citing old figures that were reported on all the way back in May 2024, so take that ...

Top Rated Comments

Darren.h Avatar
23 months ago
wow. you still need 2 Macs to rescue your Mac from death. why cant they make it like Intel Macs ? Boot with a USB drive or something and re install?

your already in trouble if the SSD on the SOC goes bad. data gone forever.

Long live the External Hard Drives!
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
HiVolt Avatar
23 months ago
You know what would be nice, that on the upcoming iPhones with USB-C, if they could have an app on the iPhones that could do that.

Perhaps they might at some point. and on the iPads that have had USB-C for quite some time.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheOldChevy Avatar
23 months ago
Why isn't there a ROM function for that purpose ? Security reason ?
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mxrider88 Avatar
23 months ago
It stands for Dont ****ing Update.

That’s because they crippled macOS so much that we should really stop updating to avoid issues.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
markfc Avatar
23 months ago
Wait! You cant just restore from USB? I need to buy two Macs now in case one messes up?
Jesus Christ. ?
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
vegetassj4 Avatar
23 months ago
DFU mode.......what a crazy acronym:

P.G. Version: Did *Foul* Up?
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)