In case you are promoting your MacBook or Mac, buying and selling it in, or simply passing it on to associates or household, you’d be clever to wipe the Mac and restore it to manufacturing unit settings first. That is partly in order that your knowledge stays secure, however it can additionally keep away from any points at a later date that might come about should you don’t disconnect that Mac from varied providers and software program you would possibly use. It additionally means the brand new consumer can restart the Mac as if it was model new.
Simply do not forget that if somebody goes to be utilizing the Mac after you, eradicating private data alone isn’t sufficient. You additionally want to verify there’s a working model of macOS put in afterward. Learn our information to promoting a Mac.
One more reason why you would possibly need to wipe your Mac is to carry out a clear set up of macOS, which could be a good technique to repair points along with your Mac if it’s beginning to behave oddly or you’re anxious you might need a virus. Wiping a defective Mac will help you set it up like a brand new Mac and can hopefully repair any software-related points.
In case you have macOS Monterey or afterward an M-series Mac, or a Mac with a T2 chip, the method for erasing the content material in your Mac is way simpler than it was once because of an possibility in System Preferences/System Settings. We’ll run via the brand new steps under earlier than shifting on to the extra sophisticated methodology you’ll want to make use of on older Macs.
Comply with our information to do the next:
- Again up your Mac.
- Erase all of your knowledge out of your Mac.
- Restore your Mac to its manufacturing unit settings.
- Reinstall macOS.
Again up your Mac
Earlier than you do something you need to again up or clone your Mac. It’s because (as you would possibly anticipate) resetting a Mac to manufacturing unit settings removes all the info saved on that machine.
Don’t fall into the entice we fell into: As a result of we use iCloud to sync all information throughout all our Apple gadgets we assumed that we might simply get well all the pieces we would have liked from the cloud–that was true to a sure extent, but it surely wasn’t till after we wiped the Mac that we realized that the info for one non-Apple app we used wasn’t within the cloud. In as of late of working predominantly within the cloud, it’s a straightforward mistake to make! Sadly, you may’t again up all the pieces in your Mac to iCloud.
Fortunately, backing up your Mac is straightforward to do so long as you might have an exterior arduous drive to make use of. After getting an exterior drive, backing up may be very easy utilizing Apple’s Time Machine software program. Right here’s easy methods to again up utilizing Time Machine. The perfect factor about backing up with Time Machine is it makes it simple to maneuver your knowledge to a brand new Mac afterward.
When you don’t need to use Apple’s free Time Machine software program, you can also make a clone of the entire drive utilizing a program like Carbon Copy Cloner or SuperDuper (each can be found as free trials).
This cloned drive might be re-cloned again to the primary drive should you determine to revive your Mac, or it may be used to entry all the unique information and switch them and all of your settings to your new laptop.
We have now an entire information that explains easy methods to again up a Mac in addition to this information to the very best Mac Backup Software program.
Erase your Mac (macOS Monterey or later)
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When macOS Monterey was launched in 2021 Apple added a brand new possibility in System Preferences (System Settings as of macOS Ventura) for wiping a Mac and returning it to manufacturing unit settings.
Because of this new “Erase All Content and Settings” possibility, wiping your Mac to be able to go it on, promote it, or simply since you need to do a clear set up within the hope that it’s going to repair points is kind of a easy course of. Nevertheless, you have to to have an M-series Mac, or a Mac with a T2 chip inside. It additionally must be working both macOS Monterey or macOS Ventura.
In case your Mac is older then the steps that you must take are just a little extra sophisticated, we’ll run via the steps for older Macs under.
Tips on how to erase a M1/M2 Mac, or a T2 Mac
The brand new possibility that arrived in macOS Monterey takes care of plenty of the sophisticated steps concerned in wiping your Mac, so long as it’s an M-series Mac or one with a T2 chip.
When you click on on the Erase All Content material and Settings possibility then all the pieces will probably be taken care of, together with elimination of your saved fingerprints for Contact ID and something within the Pockets app, signing you out of your Apple ID, and turning off Discover My and Activation Lock. Bluetooth gadgets will probably be unpaired. It additionally removes all of the accounts and their knowledge and any volumes you might have arrange on the Mac–so should you share the Mac with another person do be certain that their stuff is backed up too. It should additionally delete any purposes put in on the Mac.
To kick off this course of that you must comply with barely totally different steps relying on which model of macOS you’re utilizing:
In Ventura or later:
- Open System Settings.
- Click on on Basic.
- Select Switch or Reset.
- Choose Erase All Content material and Settings.
- Enter your password.
- Click on Proceed.
In Monterey:
- Open System Preferences.
- Click on on System Preferences within the menu bar on the high of your display screen.
- Click on on Erase All Content material and Settings.
- Enter your password.
- Click on Proceed.
At this level you’ll be reminded to do a backup with Time Machine earlier than you start deletion.
A window will then present you what will probably be deleted, together with Apple ID, Contact ID, equipment, and Discover My settings.
Lastly you have to to log off of your Mac and all associated providers utilizing your Apple ID.
Earlier than your Mac is erased you obtain a remaining warning, so if in case you have second ideas at the least you may cease at this level!
Having clicked the second Erase All Content material & Settings your Mac will restart.
As soon as your Mac restarts you may undergo the steps to set it up as new, or you may depart it at this stage for the following proprietor to arrange. Simply flip the Mac off first.
Which Macs have a T2 chip?
Erase All Content material and Settings will work for Intel Macs which have the T2 safety chip, these embrace:
- MacBook Air from 2018
- MacBook Professional from 2018
- Mac mini from 2018
- iMac 27-inch from 2020
- iMac Professional
- Mac Professional from 2019
In case you have a Mac with a T2 chip you need to be capable of replace it to macOS Monterey, or macOS Ventura, and use the Erase All Content material and Settings possibility, which will probably be easier than the steps would in any other case be.
That’s it. In case you are fortunate sufficient to have a Mac with Apple silicon, or a Mac with the T2 chip that’s all that you must do. In any other case transfer on to the following step.
Erase your Mac (Intel Macs with out T2 chip)
Apple
If you wish to wipe an older Intel-powered Mac that doesn’t have the T2 chip (see the checklist of Macs above) you’ll have a extra sophisticated journey to reset your Mac to manufacturing unit settings.
You will have to signal out of the varied providers you employ, deauthorise accounts, and unpair Bluetooth gadgets, earlier than beginning your Mac up in Restoration mode to be able to delete your knowledge. We’ll run via every step under.
Signal out of providers
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You realize that you must erase the Mac earlier than you go it on, however earlier than you delete all the pieces there’s some extra admin to do first.
Earlier than you start the method of wiping your Mac it’s price signing out of the next to keep away from complications afterward:
Signal out of Discover My: Open System Preferences and click on in your title within the Apple ID/iCloud part. Scroll right down to the Discover My Mac part and click on on Choices. Click on on Flip Off beside Discover My Mac and Fins My community.
Signal out of iMessage: Open Messages in your Mac and click on on Messages within the menu bar. Click on on Settings/Preferences > click on on the iMessage tab > Signal out.
Signal out of your Music/iTunes account: You will have to deauthorise your Apple Music and/or iTunes Retailer account and log off. That is necessary as a result of you may solely use as much as 5 Macs to play music which are locked to your account. Open the Music app > Click on on Account > Click on on Authorisations > De-authorise this laptop. Then click on on Account > Signal Out.
Signal out of your TV account: As with the Music app you might have a restrict to the variety of gadgets that may play motion pictures you might have purchased from the iTunes Retailer, so you need to signal out of your account within the TV app. Open the TV app > Click on on Account > Click on on Authorisations > De-authorise this laptop. Then click on on Account > Signal Out.
Signal out of iCloud: Open System Preferences and click on in your title within the Apple ID/iCloud part. Then signal out. When it asks if you wish to make a copy of the iCloud knowledge simply deselect all the pieces (in fact ensure you again that data up someplace). Then click on Proceed and look forward to it to signal out (which can take some time). When you use iCloud Photograph Library you’ll be requested if you wish to obtain pictures to the Mac (you don’t except you need to make a again up of this cloud primarily based library). Lastly enter your Apple ID Password to verify, and enter the password for the Mac.
One other technique to be completely positive that none of your private settings stay on the Mac is to reset the NVRAM. We focus on how to try this right here: Tips on how to reset the NVRAM, PRAM, and SMC on any Mac.
Unpair Bluetooth gadgets
Apple
It’s additionally a good suggestion to unpair your Bluetooth gadgets. That is particularly necessary in case you are passing your Mac on to somebody in your house or workplace as any Bluetooth gadget that will have as soon as been paired along with your outdated Mac might hook up with the outdated one once more
- Open System Preferences > Bluetooth.
- Unpair your gadgets.
Simply bear in mind you have to your mouse and keyboard for the following steps so plug them in should you can.
Flip off FileVault (should you use it)
Apple
FileVault encryption could make it troublesome for unauthorized individuals to entry the info in your Mac. In case you are utilizing FileVault to encrypt the info in your Mac you need to flip it off earlier than you delete your knowledge and put together the Mac on the market–this appears illogical as you need to shield your knowledge, however you may be eradicating the info so there’s nothing to guard, however, extra crucially, should you depart FileVault on the one that you go your Mac to would wish to enter your password to unlock the disk earlier than they’ll arrange the Mac.
Right here’s easy methods to flip off FileVault:
- Open System Preferences.
- Click on Safety & Privateness.
- Click on on FileVault.
- Click on on the lock and enter your title and password.
- Click on Flip Off FileVault.
Restart your Mac in Restoration (Intel Mac)
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Now you might have backed all the pieces up, deauthorised your accounts and unpaired gadgets, you’re able to begin to erase all the pieces on the Mac. To take action that you must enter Restoration mode. This may allow you to wipe the Mac.
We’ll element easy methods to enter Restoration mannequin on an Intel Mac right here, the method is totally different on M1 and M2 Macs, however you gained’t want this step in case your Mac has an Apple chip. (If you wish to know easy methods to get to Restoration on a n M1 or M2 Mac we run via that in one other article.)
Tips on how to enter Restoration on a Mac with an Intel processor
- Click on the Apple emblem on the high left of the display screen and choose Restart.
- Instantly maintain down the Command and R keys till you see an Apple emblem or spinning globe. (You could be higher off utilizing a special key mixture relying on the age of your Mac, and which macOS you need put in or was put in on the Mac while you purchased it – we’ve an entire information to beginning a Mac in Restoration Mode right here). For instance, Apple recommends that “if you’re selling or giving away a Mac that is using OS X El Capitan or earlier, use Option-Command-R to make sure that the installation isn’t associated with your Apple ID”.
- Anticipate it to take some time for the Mac to start out up on this mode.
- You may even see a display screen asking you to decide on a language.
- The subsequent display screen you’ll see is the Restoration Mode Utilities window.
Erase and reformat your Mac (Intel Mac)
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Now you might have entered Restoration you may erase your Mac.
Once more, the directions are just a little totally different relying on the model of macOS you’re utilizing and whether or not your Mac is Intel or M1.
We’ll run via the tactic in Monterey, Massive Sur and Catalina, earlier than shifting onto Mojave and former variations of macOS under that.
Tips on how to delete your Mac in Massive Sur/Monterey
- Now that you’re in Restoration, as per the directions above, that you must choose Disk Utility from the checklist.
- As soon as in Disk Utility choose Macintosh HD (or no matter you might have referred to as your ‘hard drive’).
- There are numerous choices alongside the highest: click on on Erase.
- You need to see the title of your drive and the format needs to be APFS. Beneath you need to see an choice to Delete Quantity Group (this can make sure you delete each the Macintosh HD and Macintosh HD Information.)
- After getting deleted the Macintosh HD you may then click on on another drives and volumes and click on the – to delete the quantity.
To ensure you delete all the pieces you have to to decide on Erase Quantity Group, should you don’t see this feature strive the directions under.
We’ll element easy methods to delete your Mac in Catalina and Mojave on the finish of this text as the method is barely extra sophisticated.
Reinstall macOS
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The subsequent step entails reinstalling macOS–you may’t simply promote your Mac having erased the contents, should you do the brand new consumer will probably be confronted with a flashing query mark once they begin up the Mac as a result of there will probably be no working system put in. It’s worthwhile to reinstall macOS earlier than you may promote it on.
In case you have an M1 or M2 Mac, or a Mac with the T2 chip, this will probably be dealt with by the Erase All Contents and Settings possibility in System Preferences, as detailed above. But when that isn’t an possibility for you then the under information ought to assist:
Tips on how to reinstall macOS
Whether or not you’re reselling the Mac, or simply planning to proceed to make use of the Mac and simply needed to do a clear set up it would be best to set up a model of macOS.
You need to nonetheless be in macOS Utilities in Restoration Mode as per the steps above.
- Select Reinstall macOS from Utilities and comply with the directions that seem to reinstall macOS.
- Your Mac will begin to obtain and set up which ever model of macOS your Mac was working – alternatively, should you needed to set up an older model of macOS we’ve extra data under.
- Finally after the longest-ever 49 minutes or so your Mac will restart. However the wait isn’t over. It should nonetheless take some time when you begin up and watch the white bar. Ours stated 11 minutes remaining round that point, but it surely took so much longer than that. Simply depart your Mac to get on with it and ignore any time remaining indicators.
- Lastly you will note the Welcome display screen. In case you are promoting or passing in your Mac you may depart it at this stage as a result of the brand new consumer might want to enter their particulars. If you wish to proceed to make use of the Mac then comply with the steps to set it up.
Tips on how to set up an older model or downgrade macOS
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The tactic above will work if you wish to set up the newest model of macOS put in on the Mac. It gained’t improve you to the newest model should you aren’t already working it.
There are different choices if you wish to set up a special model of the macOS.
As an alternative of urgent Command + R at begin up you may press Shift + Possibility/Alt + Command R (in case you are working Sierra 10.12.4 of later) to put in the model of macOS that got here along with your Mac, or the one closest to it that’s nonetheless out there. (Command + R gained’t work on an M1 Mac).
Alternatively you may make a bootable drive containing the model of macOS that you just need to run and set up it in your Mac utilizing that. Learn how to try this right here:
Tips on how to make a bootable macOS installer on an exterior drive.
If that you must set up an older model of the Mac working system and are questioning how you are able to do that should you haven’t received the unique discs, learn this:
Tips on how to set up outdated variations of macOS or Mac OS X.
We have now one other article that goes into extra element on easy methods to set up an older model of macOS utilizing Restoration mode.
Deleting your Mac in Catalina, Mojave and earlier
As promised above, listed here are the steps to comply with if you wish to delete your Mac in macOS Catalina or older.
We have now extra steering right here: Tips on how to erase a Mac’s drive in macOS Catalina, Massive Sur, or Monterey.
Tips on how to delete your Mac in Catalina
When Apple launched macOS Catalina in 2019 it added a brand new read-only quantity the place the working system lives. This quantity is Macintosh HD (yours might have a special title). Alongside it additionally, you will have a Macintosh HD – Information quantity. That is the place your knowledge resides.
The explanation Apple separated the 2 volumes in Catalina is to make sure that essential working system knowledge can’t be overwritten. Due to this further quantity the method is just a little totally different to the way it works on older Mac.
- As per the steps above begin up your Mac in Restoration.
- As soon as Restoration begins up select Disk Utility.
- You need to see two disks – Macintosh HD and Macintosh HD – knowledge (proven under – sorry about picture high quality!) This knowledge drive is the place your knowledge is saved individually to the macOS set up. (It’s potential your drive is named one thing else, like Dwelling HD for instance).
- Click on on this Macintosh HD – Information drive to pick out it.
- Both click on on the – button or go to the menu and select Edit > Delete APFS quantity.
- You will notice a message warning you that this can completely erase your knowledge. Click on on Delete.
- Wait whereas the quantity is deleted.
- Now that you must return to Disk Utility to delete the Macintosh HD. You need to do each steps as you gained’t simply be capable of reinstall macOS excessive of macOS. And you have to to reinstall the macOS to be able to recreate the Macintosh HD-Information quantity. Click on on Macintosh HD to pick out it.
- We advocate that you just click on Unmount. Initially after we tried to delete Macintosh HD we noticed an error message that acknowledged: Erase course of has failed as a result of quantity Macintosh HD on disk 2s5 couldn’t be unmounted as a result of it’s in use by course of 793 (kextcache). Unmounting first fastened this downside.
- With Macintosh HD nonetheless chosen click on on Erase.
- Enter a reputation you need to give the drive after you have reformatted it, resembling Macintosh HD.
- Select the format. That is will probably be APFS in case you are utilizing Catalina – older OSs might need had the choice of Mac OS Prolonged (Journaled).
- Click on Erase and enter your Apple ID if required. Wait.
- Now give up Disk Utility to return to the MacOS Utilities display screen.
Tips on how to delete your Mac in Mojave or earlier
The method for deleting and reformatting your Mac is barely simpler in macOS Mojave or earlier as there isn’t the second Information quantity to delete first.
As above, begin up in Restoration.
- Choose Disk Utility from the choices, and click on Proceed.
- Click on in your primary arduous drive, usually referred to as Macintosh HD, within the sidebar on the left. You’re searching for the disk title, not the quantity title indented beneath it if that seems.
- To wipe your arduous drive, click on the Erase button, then click on Erase. Notice that this completely erases all knowledge on the arduous drive so don’t do that except you’ve cloned the drive or are pleased to by no means entry something on that drive once more.
- When it’s completed, exit this system by going to the highest menu and deciding on Disk Utility > Give up Disk Utility.