How to Erase and Factory Reset Your Mac

If you propose to offer away, sell, or alternate on your Mac, the first issue you should do is erase the facts on it and carry out a factory reset. This article indicates the way.

First, Back Up Your Data

Before you do something, you should return up the files to your Mac. You could do that manually with the aid of copying across documents onto an external drive. If you use iCloud, your pics, mail, contacts, reports, and so forth should be robotically subsidized up in the cloud garage. However, we notably advise which you take some time to perform a Time Machine backup of your device using an outside force. In that manner, the same backup quantity can be utilized by Apple’s Migration Assistant at some point of a macOS set up to switch your programs quickly, documents, and settings from the vintage Mac to a new one. Check out our dedicated guide on the way to return up your Mac with the use of Time Machine.

Unlink your Apps

Certain apps need to be manually unlinked from your Mac before you are saying goodbye to it. Some third-party apps require licenses that most straightforward paintings on a confined range of computer systems, so think about any licenses you could have purchased. Similarly, you need to de-authorize your iTunes account on the Mac, as this eliminates its get right of entry to content that you acquire from the iTunes Store, iBooks Store, or App Store, inclusive of things like the tune, movies, TV shows, apps, and books. To learn how to de-authorize your iTunes account, test out our dedicated guide.

Sign Out of iCloud

It’s also vital to disable Find My Mac and signal out of iCloud in macOS. In that manner, you may know for sure there is not whatever lingering on your Mac that links your Apple ID to this system. The following steps display you the way.

How to Erase and Reset Your Mac

Now which you’ve taken the above precautionary steps and unlinked your purchases and bills, it’s time to erase your Mac’s force and reset the system to its factory defaults. Click the Apple () symbol in the pinnacle left corner of your Mac’s display and choose Restart. Click Restart. Hold down the Command and R keys as quickly as you listen to the Mac tone indicating a reboot. Wait for the macOS utility screen to seem, then click Disk Utility. Choose your Mac’s machine pressure, commonly named Macintosh HD, then click Erase. Select the Format alternative Mac Extended (Journaled) or APFS. Click Erase, confirm the movement if prompted, and wait till formatting is entire. Next, near Disk Utility and click on Reinstall macOS. Follow the installation activates and allow the procedure to retain until you spot the Setup Assistant seem. Press the keys Command+Q to close down your Mac. And this is it. You’re now prepared to sell your Mac, bypass it on, set it up as new, or repair a backup.