How to Fix Error -1008F on a Mac: A Complete, Detailed Guide

Apple’s two solutions

1. 1

   Restart with Option, Command and R

   Shut down your Mac, then turn it on and immediately hold down the Option (⌥), Command (⌘) and R keys until you see a spinning globe. For this error, Apple recommends using this key combination rather than Command-R or Shift-Option-Command-R.

2. 2

   Otherwise, turn off Activation Lock

   If your Mac still starts up in macOS, go to the Apple menu › System Settings › your name › iCloud. Click Show All (or Show More Apps), then Find My Mac, and turn it off using your Apple Account password.

3. 3

   Mac won’t start up? Use iCloud.com

   On another device, go to http://www.icloud.com/find and sign in with your Apple Account. Then select your Mac and click Remove.

4. 4

   Try Recovery again

   Restart your Mac while holding down Option, Command and R. Once macOS Recovery has finished, you can turn Activation Lock (Find My Mac) back on.

Second-hand Mac: the previous owner’s account

Activation Lock is linked to the Apple Account of the person who turned on Find My Mac. If your Mac came from a previous owner and a window asks for their Apple Account, they will need to remove the Mac from their account via iCloud.com (step 3 above). Until they do, you won’t be able to turn off Activation Lock yourself.

Still stuck? Check your connection

Internet Recovery requires a broadband connection using DHCP, over Wi-Fi or Ethernet. Try plugging an Ethernet cable into your router or connecting to a different network, and avoid networks with a sign-in page (hotels, stations, workplaces). You’ll find full details in our article on errors -2002F, -2003F and -2005F.

Wi-Fi card: if your Mac’s Wi-Fi menu stays empty while your other devices can see the network, the Mac’s Wi-Fi card (AirPort card) or its antennas are probably to blame. Here are all available AirPort cards and all antennas.

Find the right part for my Mac

Not sure which model you have? Quickly identify the parts you need for this repair without making a mistake.

Identify my Mac

Using Recovery after replacing your drive? A new SSD is blank: see our articles on the flashing question mark folder at startup and installing macOS on a hard drive. If your Mac shows a different error on the same screen, see error -2100F.