How to Disable macOS System Integrity Protection (SIP)

System Integrity Protection (SIP) is a security feature introduced by Apple to help protect your Mac from unauthorized changes. SIP restricts access to critical system files and processes, even by the root user, providing an extra layer of protection. You may want to disable SIP on macOS to install certain software or make specific system modifications, but it’s important to understand the risks involved. In this article, we’ll explain how to enable and disable SIP on both Intel and Apple Silicon Macs, and guide you through the process safely.

Check SIP Status on macOS Terminal

To save you some time, try checking the SIP status prior to proceeding. If it’s already disabled, you won’t need to do everything again. Here’s how to do that:

Disabling SIP on macOS

If SIP is enabled, and you want to disable it, you’ll need to restart your Mac in Recovery Mode.

Entering Recovery Mode in macOS

The process varies a bit depending on which Mac you have. The startup key combination to enter Recovery Mode differ between models with Intel and with Apple Silicon CPUs.

Apple Silicon

Follow these steps:

1. Shut down your Mac completely.
2. Turn it on while holding the Power button until the startup options window appears.
3. Click Options, then Continue to enter macOS Recovery.
4. From the macOS Utilities window, select Utilities > Terminal.

Intel

1. Shut down your Mac completely.
2. Turn it on and immediately press and hold Command + R until the Apple logo appears.
3. Once in macOS Recovery, select Utilities > Terminal.

Disabling SIP from macOS Recovery

1. From within the Recovery Mode Terminal, type csrutil disable and press Return.
2. A confirmation message will appear, indicating that SIP has been disabled.
3. Restart your Mac to apply the changes.
4. Open a Terminal window, type csrutil status and press Return to make sure the changes have been applied.

Re-Enabling SIP

After you’re done with the task that required disabling SIP, it’s highly recommended that you enable it again. Enabling SIP is just as easy as disabling it. Just follow the steps from the previous sections, but use the command csrutil enable instead.

Tips

• Backup first: Before making any changes to your Mac’s system settings, it’s wise to back up your data using Time Machine.
• Re-enable SIP after use: If you only need SIP disabled temporarily, be sure to enable it again for added security after completing your tasks.
• Use caution: Disabling SIP can make your system vulnerable to malware and other malicious activities. Only disable SIP if you are confident about what you are doing.

How to Disable SIP in macOS: Summary

1. Firstly, check if SIP isn’t already disabled by running csrutil status in Terminal
2. To disable SIP, boot into macOS Recovery, open Terminal, and run csrutil disable.
3. To enable SIP, follow the same steps, but use the command csrutil enable instead.

While disabling SIP may be necessary for certain tasks, it’s important to understand the security risks involved. Always re-enable SIP when you no longer need it to keep your Mac secure.