There are a variety of ways to reset the SMC depending on the kind of Mac you’re working with. This system management controller reset can fix problems dealing with the fans, lights, power and system performance. SMC resets reset this controller which is a part of the machine that deals with hardware and power management. SMC stands for system management controller, this is only on Intel-based Macs. NVRAM stands for non-volatile random access memory and is reset in the same manner as PRAM is. A PRAM reset and a NVRAM reset are mostly the same, it resets less volatile ram to default factory settings, fixing a number of potential issues. Today the majority of Macs in use ones manufactured after 2008, actually primarily use NVRAM to store many of these settings. However, PRAM resets are actually a thing of the past. This process should be done for a longer amount of time on a Late 2016 MacBook Pro because it doesn’t have a startup chime. To do a PRAM reset, all that has to be done is turning the Mac device on and holding Command + Option + P + R until the machine chimes a second time. Performing a PRAM reset can fix a number of issues, such as wifi connectivity, drives not showing up or screens not adjusting properly. PRAM stands for parameter random access memory, which can contain settings such as speaker volume, screen resolution, startup disk selection, and recent kernel panic information.

Among quick fixes for many issues on a Mac are PRAM and SMC resets.

Smc fan control reset default