MAC TREAT #114: Force-Ejecting A Stuck CD/DVD

This article is inspired by a post on Macosxhints.com, an excellent repository of user-submitted Mac tips. Most of the tips tend to be fairly technical, but it’s still worthwhile to scroll through from time to time to see what’s new.

Have you ever had a CD or DVD stuck in your Mac’s optical drive? There are several ways to force it to eject. Apple recommends logging out of your user account, and then logging back in again (choose Apple menu > Log Out). Try to eject the disc again.

If you still can’t eject the CD or DVD, choose Apple menu > Restart. While your computer restarts, hold down the mouse button or trackpad button until the disc is ejected. If you have a newer MacBook or MacBook Pro with the multi-touch trackpad that doesn’t have a button, simply press down on the trackpad while the Mac reboots.

If that fails, try rebooting while holding down the Mac’s eject key while (or F12 key if there isn’t one on your keyboard).

Also, on newer Macs, the CD will very often eject itself if given enough time. If the above methods fail to eject the disk, simply reboot your Mac and let it sit for a 10 – 15 minutes. If you have a notebook, make sure your power cable is plugged in.

If these solutions fail to eject a stuck disk, here are some techier solutions from Macosxhints.com.

Also, a word advice—never insert a mini-CD or mini-DVD into your Mac’s slot drive. That is a recipe for disaster.