Fix Apple Silicon Kernel Panic Loop in macOS

Quick answer

Boot to Recovery (hold power button), open Disk Utility and run First Aid on your startup disk, then reinstall macOS. If that fails, DFU restore your Mac using another Mac or a PC with Apple Devices app.

Why your Mac keeps restarting

You're seeing the dreaded “Your computer restarted because of a problem” message, and it just keeps coming back. On Apple Silicon (M1, M2, M3), this usually means the kernel hit a fatal error during boot, and the system panics, restarts, panics again. It's a loop that can make your Mac unusable.

The most common triggers I've seen in my years of support: a botched macOS update (especially beta versions), a third-party kernel extension (KEXT) that went rogue, or a failing SSD. Sometimes it's just a corrupted cache or a bad login item that triggers the panic at every startup.

Step-by-step fixes

Step 1: Force restart and try Safe Mode

First, let's see if we can break the loop with a clean boot. Here's what to do:

1. Press and hold the power button on your Mac until the screen goes black and it turns off. Wait 10 seconds.
2. Press and hold the power button again until you see “Loading startup options.”
3. Select your startup disk (usually “Macintosh HD”), then press and hold the Shift key and click Continue in Safe Mode.

If your Mac boots into Safe Mode (you'll see “Safe Boot” in the menu bar top right), you're in luck. Safe Mode forces a directory check and disables all third-party extensions. Now try a normal restart. If the panic comes back, move to Step 2.

Step 2: Reset NVRAM (yes, you can on Apple Silicon)

Sorry, but Apple Silicon doesn't have the old Cmd+Option+P+R trick. NVRAM resets happen automatically during every shutdown. But you can manually clear it via Terminal in Recovery.

1. Shut down your Mac.
2. Press and hold the power button until “Loading startup options” appears.
3. Click Options, then Continue.
4. From the menu bar, go to Utilities > Terminal.
5. Type sudo nvram -c and press Enter.
6. Type your admin password (you won't see it as you type), then press Enter.
7. Quit Terminal and restart your Mac.

If the loop persists, we're going deeper.

Step 3: Run First Aid on your startup disk

Corrupted disk structures can cause repeated kernel panics. Let's check.

1. Boot to Recovery (same as above, hold power button, choose Options).
2. Open Disk Utility.
3. Select your startup volume (the one with “Macintosh HD” in the name, not the container).
4. Click First Aid and then Run. Let it finish. It might take a few minutes.

If First Aid reports errors, it might fix them. If it says “Operation successful,” that's a good sign. Reboot and see if the panic stops.

Step 4: Reinstall macOS

If the disk is fine but the loop continues, the system files themselves might be damaged. Reinstalling macOS over the top won't erase your files, but it replaces the core OS.

1. Boot to Recovery.
2. Choose Reinstall macOS (or Reinstall macOS Sonoma/Ventura depending on your version).
3. Follow the prompts, select your startup disk, and let it install. Your Mac will restart a few times—that's normal.

After the reinstall, check if the panic loop is gone. If not, we're down to last-resort options.

Alternative fixes if the main ones fail

DFU restore (nuclear option)

This completely erases your Mac and reinstalls the firmware. You'll lose all data, so only do this if you have a backup or nothing important on it. You need a second Mac or a PC with the Apple Devices app (Windows).

1. On your broken Mac, shut it down.
2. Connect your broken Mac to the second computer using a USB-C or Thunderbolt cable.
3. On the broken Mac: press and hold the power button, and simultaneously press and hold the right Shift key (yes, on the keyboard) plus the left Option key. Keep holding all three for 10 seconds.
4. You should see the DFU mode icon (a small computer with a cable). If not, repeat the key combo.
5. On the second computer, open the Apple Devices app (or Finder on macOS Catalina and later). Your Mac should appear in the sidebar.
6. Click Restore. It'll download the firmware and flash it. After it finishes, your Mac will reboot with a fresh system.

Good news: DFU restore often fixes even the most stubborn kernel panic loops.

Boot from an external drive

If you have another Mac, you can create a bootable installer on a USB drive. Boot from that (hold power button, select the USB), then run Disk Utility and reinstall macOS from there. This bypasses the internal drive entirely, which helps you isolate whether the internal SSD is failing.

Prevention tip

Most kernel panics I've fixed come from beta software or dodgy third-party drivers. So my advice: avoid installing macOS betas on your main machine. Wait for the release. And keep an eye on any kernel extensions you've added—if you don't recognize it, don't install it.

Also, keep your Mac's storage at least 10% free. Low disk space can cause all sorts of weird kernel issues.

If the panic loop started right after a specific app or update, that's your culprit. Uninstall it and see if the problem goes away.