Apple fixes bug that caused macOS Monterey update to brick some Apple T2 Macs

Apple has fixed a Mac firmware bug that had bricked some users’ Macs after they installed the macOS Monterey update, according to Apple reporter Rene Ritchie. The fixes apply to Macs with an Apple T2 chip, which covers most Intel Macs released in or after 2018.

“We have identified and fixed an issue with the firmware on the Apple T2 security chip that prevented a very small number of users from booting up their Mac after updating macOS,” the statement reads. “The updated firmware is now included with the existing macOS updates. Any users impacted by this issue can contact Apple Support for assistance.”

The statement doesn’t address similar complaints by owners of pre-T2 Macs. We’ve asked Apple whether there are other fixes coming—as we explained earlier this week, these kinds of problems can be caused by everything from software and firmware bugs to underlying hardware issues, so it’s possible that these reports are one-off problems that Apple can’t fix on its end. We’ll update if we get a response.

If your Mac has been affected by this bug, you may be able to recover its firmware using a USB-C or Thunderbolt cable, another Mac, and the Apple Configurator 2 app. Apple details the recovery process here—if you can get the “revive device” option to work, you shouldn’t lose any data on your Mac’s internal drive.