How to erase and factory reset a Mac – Guide

Mac computers are generally trusted. But like any computer, sometimes things go wrong. However, before you spend a lot of money on a new Mac, try a factory reset, which will erase your computer and reinstall a clean version of macOS. A factory reset is also the best way to get your old computer ready for a new owner to make sure no leftover data falls into the wrong hands. If you are selling, trading, or simply giving your MacBook or Mac to friends or family, the first thing you should do is erase and factory reset your Mac. This is partly to keep your data safe, but it also prevents later problems that can arise if you don’t disconnect this Mac from various services and software it may be using. It also means that the new user can restart their Mac as if it were brand new. Remember that just removing personal information isn’t enough if someone else is using the Mac after you. You also need to have a working version of macOS installed later. If you upgraded to macOS Monterey on a Mac with Apple silicon or a Mac with the Apple T2 security chip.

How to erase and factory reset a Mac

first, back Up Your data

Before doing anything, you must go back up the files on your Mac. You can do this manually by copying the files to an external drive. If you use iCloud, your photos, emails, contacts, documents, etc. up to cloud storage automatically. However, we highly recommend that you take the time to perform a Time Machine backup of your system using an external drive. This allows Apple’s Migration Assistant to use the same backup disk during a macOS installation to quickly transfer your apps, files, and settings from your old Mac to a new one.

There are some apps that will need to be manually unlinked from your Mac before you can say goodbye to it. Some third-party apps require licenses that only work on a limited number of computers, so think about the licenses you’ve purchased. Likewise, you should deauthorize your iTunes account on Mac as this removes access to content you purchased from the iTunes Store, iBooks Store or App Store, including music, movies, TV shows, apps, and books.

Sign out of iCloud

It is also important to disable Find My Mac and exit ‌iCloud‌ on macOS. That way, you’ll know for sure that there’s nothing on your Mac that links your Apple ID to this machine. The following steps show how.

How to Erase and reset your Mac

Now that you’ve taken the precautionary measures above and unlinked your purchases and accounts, it’s time to erase your Mac’s drive and reset the system to factory defaults.

Final note

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