How to Fix macOS Sequoia Reboot Loop Without Losing Data

Many users have encountered a frustrating issue after upgrading to macOS Sequoia. Following the update, the Mac reaches the user login screen, but after entering the password, the screen goes black, and the device reboots with the error message: “Your computer restarted because of a problem. Press any key or wait a few seconds to continue starting up.” This endless reboot loop persists even when attempting to boot into Safe Mode.

After trying multiple solutions—including Terminal commands in macOS Recovery and an in-place internet recovery of Sequoia—nothing worked for me. However, after much persistence, I discovered a workaround that allowed me to retain my data without wiping the Mac. This solution involves creating a second clean installation of Sequoia alongside the existing, broken installation. While I performed these steps on my MacBook Pro, they should apply to most Mac models.

This method is intended for emergency situations where no Time Machine or iCloud backups exist. To avoid future issues, always create a Time Machine backup or ensure your personal data is backed up to iCloud Drive before upgrading macOS.

Important Preparations

Before proceeding, keep the following considerations in mind:

• Free Storage: Ensure at least 50GB of free storage. If your current Sequoia installation is larger than your available free space, this method is not recommended.
• Passwords: Have both your user profile and Apple ID passwords ready.
• Comfort Level – Advanced: If you’re not comfortable using Disk Utility, it’s best to avoid this method.

Step-by-Step Fix for macOS Sequoia Reboot Loop

1. Boot into macOS Recovery

For Apple Silicon Macs:

1. Shut down your Mac completely.
2. Press and hold the power button until you see the startup options window.
3. Select Options, then click Continue to enter macOS Recovery.

More details: How to Start Up an Apple Silicon Mac (M Chip) in macOS Recovery

For Intel Macs:

1. Restart your Mac and boot into macOS Recovery by pressing Command (⌘) + R immediately after restarting.
2. Select your current “Macintosh HD” volume and user profile to access recovery options.
3. If Sequoia does not appear as a reinstall option, boot into Internet Recovery by pressing Option (⌥) + Command (⌘) + R. This may take some time but should eventually show Sequoia as the reinstall option.

More details: How To Use macOS Recovery

2. Create a New APFS Volume

1. In macOS Recovery, open Disk Utility.
2. In the Disk Utility sidebar, select your internal top-level macOS volume (usually labeled Macintosh HD).
3. Click Edit > Add APFS Volume, or click the + button in the toolbar.
4. Name the new volume (e.g., macOS Sequoia 2) to distinguish it from the original installation. Leave the size options blank and click Add.
5. Once done, quit Disk Utility.

3. Install macOS Sequoia on the New Volume

1. While still in macOS Recovery, click Reinstall macOS Sequoia and select the newly created volume as the installation location.
2. If you’re using Internet Recovery, ensure you have a stable, high-speed internet connection.
3. The installation process may take anywhere from 30 to 90 minutes, including multiple restarts.

4. Transfer Data Using Migration Assistant

1. After installation, you’ll reach the macOS Sequoia setup screen.
2. When prompted by Migration Assistant, select “From a Mac, Time Machine backup, or Startup disk” and click Continue.
3. Choose your original Macintosh HD volume as the source.
4. When asked what to transfer, it’s usually safe to select everything unless you prefer to exclude personal data, applications, or system settings.
5. The transfer process can take another 30 to 60 minutes, depending on the amount of data. You’ll need to enter your original user profile and Apple ID passwords during this process.

More details: How to Transfer Data to a New Mac

5. Verify the Installation and Data

1. If successful, you’ll reach the Sequoia login screen. This time, entering your password should log you into your account without the reboot loop.
2. Verify that your documents, photos, apps, Safari data, and Passwords app information have transferred properly.

Next Steps:

If the new installation works as expected and contains all your data, you can delete the original Sequoia install via Disk Utility. However, if you have ample storage, it might be wise to keep the original installation in case Apple releases an update that fixes the issue.