MacBook Air M3 restarts or displays kernel panic

From symptom to diagnosis

Reports are saved, recovery-mode tests are run and temperature and power consumption are monitored. If it fails outside the installed system, suspicion of hardware increases.

Secondary damage is also checked. A defective input can affect the charging circuit; liquid can reach multiple connectors; and a power drop can cause file system damage.

Checks you can perform without opening the device

Back up your data and keep the error reports.

Stop testing if you detect smell, localised heat, liquid ingress or intermittent connections. Continuing could expand a localised fault.

What information speeds up the diagnosis

Before sending the device, state the screen size, approximate year, capacity, the type of charger used and the exact moment the fault appeared. Also explain if there was liquid, a fall, an update, a previous repair or progressive loss of battery life.

This information does not replace measurements, but it allows preparing appropriate tests and avoids actions that could put the integrated storage at risk.

Frequently asked questions