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If you’re planning to sell your Apple computer or give it to a family member, you must factory reset your Mac so your personal data is no longer on it. Whether you have a MacBook or Mac desktop, we’ll teach you how to do so.
Factory Resetting a Modern MacBook or Mac Desktop
If your machine is running macOS Sonoma, Ventura, or Monterey, there is a quick way to factory reset your Mac. You can do this throughSystem Settings(orSystem Preferences). On macOS Ventura or Sonoma, follow these steps:
On the other hand, if your Mac is running Monterey, here’s what you need to do:
After selectingErase All Content and Settings, you’ll have to enter your Mac’s admin password. Erase Assistant will open next and ask if you want toback up your Mac using Time Machine.
Once you go through some more steps, such as signing out of your Apple ID and clickingErase All Content & Settingsagain, your Mac will start to reset.
The method of factory resetting your Mac on older macOS versions differs considerably. We’ll cover that next.
Factory Reset Older MacBooks and Mac Desktops in macOS Recovery
If your Mac is running a macOS version that is older than Monterey, you will need to use macOS Recovery to erase your Mac. We’re not going to dive into that here, but whether you have an Intel or Apple silicon Mac, it’s easy tolearn how to boot into macOS Recovery. But if you’re having trouble, tryour fixes to enter macOS Recovery.
Before you enter macOS Recovery, be sure to log out of your iCloud account.
You’ll know if you’re in macOS Recovery as the wallpaper will be black, and there will be no apps or files available.
Erasing Your Mac in macOS Recovery
Before you go ahead with this step, make sure you’ve backed up all your important data first. Remember, you canuse Time Machine to back up your Maceasily.
Once you’re in macOS Recovery, selectDisk Utilityfrom the options on the screen and clickContinue. Then, select theMacintosh HDdrive under theInternalsection on the left pane.
Now clickErasein the toolbar at the top of the window. A dialog box will appear on the screen. Here, name the new driveMacintosh HDand set the format toAPFSorMac OS Extended. Then clickErase(sometimes, you’ll seeErase Volume Groupinstead).
Make sure you complete the same process for any other drives underInternal, but most people won’t have any. Any external hard drives or USBs would show underExternal, and you won’t erase those, but it’s best to keep them unplugged anyway.
Exit Disk Utility to return to the macOS Recovery screen.
Reinstall macOS Using macOS Recovery
Once you’re back on the main macOS Recovery window, you can reinstall a fresh copy of macOS. This is a necessary step to use the device again, as you basically deleted the OS when you wiped the hard drive in Disk Utility.
Before you proceed, plug in your Mac to charge and connect to a Wi-Fi network. Then, selectReinstall macOSand clickContinuein macOS Recovery.
Your Mac will take you through a set of on-screen instructions to complete the reinstallation of macOS. Each instruction is self-explanatory, and you don’t need to do much. Essentially, your Mac will download and install the latest macOS version from the web.
This process could take several minutes, so please be patient. But once it’s done, you can either leave your Mac as it is if you’re selling it or boot it up and use Setup Assistant to go through the initial macOS setup process like it’s a new device.
Setup Assistant will prompt you to choose your country and region, and after that, you’ll need to sign in with your Apple ID. You’ll also need to choose some basic settings for your Mac and connect it to a Wi-Fi network.
Can You Factory Reset Your Mac Without a Password?
If you forgot your Mac’s admin password and can’t seem to remember it, you may be wondering whether it’s possible to factory reset your Mac without a password.
You’ll be prompted to enter your Mac’s admin password after you hitErase All Content and Settingsin System Settings. Similarly, if you decide to reset your Mac via recovery mode, you’ll be prompted to enter your Mac’s admin password right after selecting a user account.
Therefore, you mustreset your Mac’s passwordbefore proceeding with a factory reset. Once you reset the password, you may factory reset your Mac and use it again like it’s new. Since you wiped all the data, your Mac should feel snappier.
