Internet Recovery

A recovery mode that downloads macOS Recovery tools from Apple’s servers over the Internet when the local recovery partition is unavailable or corrupted.

What to Know

Internet Recovery provides a built-in recovery mechanism when the local Recovery partition is corrupted, deleted, or the internal drive has completely failed. It’s the only recovery method that works without any pre-existing bootable media, making it essential for emergency situations where traditional recovery options are unavailable. Internet Recovery also ensures devices always have access to a compatible macOS installer, regardless of local disk state.

Common Scenarios

Enterprise IT: Corporate IT relies on Internet Recovery when Macs won’t boot and standard Recovery Mode fails. However, network firewalls and proxy configurations can block Internet Recovery, so IT teams must ensure proper network exemptions for Apple’s recovery servers.

MSP: MSPs use Internet Recovery when servicing client Macs with completely corrupted or replaced drives. However, slow client internet connections can make this process take hours, so MSPs often carry bootable installers as a faster alternative.

Education: School IT uses Internet Recovery to restore lab Macs during breaks, but network bandwidth constraints mean dozens of Macs downloading macOS simultaneously can overwhelm school networks. IT teams often schedule recoveries overnight or use bootable installers instead.

In Addigy

Internet Recovery operates outside of MDM, but once a Mac is restored via Internet Recovery, devices enrolled in Automated Device Enrollment (ADE) automatically re-enter Addigy’s enrollment flow. Addigy then applies all policies, restrictions, and app installations without manual IT intervention, streamlining post-recovery device provisioning.