Unlike iPhones which have unique firmwares for almost every model, Apple Silicon Macs (M1, M2, M3, M4) share a single, massive firmware file known as the Universal Mac IPSW. If your Mac becomes completely unresponsive, shows a flashing exclamation mark, or gets stuck in a bootloop after a macOS beta update, this file is your lifeline.
Revive vs. Restore
When using a Universal Mac IPSW, you have two options in Apple Configurator:
- Revive: Updates the firmware and recoveryOS to the latest version. It attempts to retain the user's data on the internal volume.
- Restore: Completely erases the Mac's internal storage, wipes all user data, and lays down a clean installation of macOS.
Because you cannot perform this process on the broken Mac itself, you will need a second Mac to act as the host.
Related Guides
If you are troubleshooting Apple firmware issues or managing device updates, explore our other step-by-step guides: