If you’re looking to sell or give away your Mac, it’s important to make sure that all your data and files are safely removed from the device. One of the easiest and most effective ways to do this is to perform a factory reset, which will wipe the entire hard drive and restore your Mac to its original, factory-fresh state.
And not only to throw away, this process also helps optimize the performance of the device, keeping it running like new. While performing a factory reset on a Mac may sound like a daunting task, it’s fairly straightforward and can be completed in a few simple steps. The process is essentially the same whether you’re using a MacBook Pro or Air, iMac, or Mac mini.
What to do before you reset your Mac
Ideally, wipe your Mac to erase all saved settings, login IDs, apps, and passwords. However, it is safer and wiser to remove all your traces from your Mac manually. And while it’s a few extra steps, we recommend doing it, especially if you’re selling or transferring your Mac.
- Back up your data: Well, that’s a given. Before you restore your Mac to factory settings, it’s almost essential to create a secure backup of your Mac.
- Sign out of your account: While not all apps, start by signing out of your Apple ID and default apps like Messages, FaceTime, etc.
- Cancel or transfer AppleCare: If your Mac is still covered by AppleCare, you’ll need to transfer or cancel the plan.
- Deauthorize devices: If you’re transferring or reselling your Mac, it’s a good idea to remove the device from the associated devices. You can deauthorize your Mac from the Apple Music app.
- Disconnect paired devices: This ensures that your device doesn’t re-pair with your deleted Mac on reboot. So whether iPhone or Bluetooth devices, unpair them from your Mac to protect your sensitive information.
Method 1: Erase All Content and Settings to Reset Mac to Factory Settings
Note: This feature only works with Macs with Apple silicon or the Apple T2 Security Chip, running on macOS Monterey or later.
Much like iPhones, the latest Macs also feature Erase All Content and Settings. This feature makes it easy to factory reset your MacBook Air or Pro. It deletes all settings, data and apps stored on the device quickly and securely while maintaining the currently installed operating system.
On macOS Ventura
Step 1: Click the Apple Menu from the top left corner of the screen.
Step 2: Select System Settings.
Step 3: Click General from the Sidebar.
Step 4: Next, click Transfer or Reset from the options.
Step 5: Select ‘Erase All Content and Settings’.
Step 6: Enter your device password.
Step 7: Click Continue and follow the on-screen instructions.
Note: After you click Continue, all opened applications will be closed immediately. So open the article on another device or print it for safekeeping.
Step 8: Enter your Apple ID password to sign out and click Continue again.
Step 9: Here, click on ‘Erase All Content & Settings’ to confirm that you want to proceed.
On macOS Monterey
Go to Apple Menu → System Preferences → from the menu bar, select ‘Erase All Content and Settings’ and follow the steps mentioned above.
The Mac will then restart and show a black screen or a progress bar. If prompted, connect the device to Wi-Fi or any necessary Bluetooth accessory (keyboard or mouse).
Once done, your Mac will activate. Now click Restart. You’ll be redirected to the setup assistant, where you can either reset your Mac like new (if something goes wrong) or press and hold the power button on your Mac until it turns off.
Source: Apple
Method 2: How to factory reset your MacBook M1 or Intel using Disk Utility
If you’re using an Intel-powered Mac on any macOS or M1 chip with macOS Big Sur or later, Apple’s built-in boot disk can help you wipe your MacBook.
For this, you have to enter macOS recovery mode first, the rest of the process remains the same. So we’ve broken the steps into two parts – enter Recovery mode, then completely reset your Macbook. Follow up.
1. Enter macOS Recovery Mode
The method to enter recovery mode is different for Macs powered by Apple Silicon and Intel chips. Although we have highlighted the process for both of the next two sections, please follow those related to your device.
On a Mac with an Apple Silicon chip
Turn off your Mac. Now, press and hold the power button until the boot options window appears. Select Options and then click Continue.
Source: Apple
Enter the Administrator or user password, then the Apple ID and password. Now, from the utilities window, select Disk Utility and click Continue.
Source: Apple
On Intel-based Macs
Turn on your Mac while pressing and holding Command (⌘) + R until you see the Apple logo. If prompted, enter your administrator password. Now in the utility window select Disk Utility and click Continue. Now, follow the steps below.
2. Erase Your Mac Running an M1 or Intel Chip
Step 1: From the Disk Utility window, here select Macintosh HD from the sidebar.
Note: If you have partitioned your Mac and created the drive, select each of these internal drives, click the erase drive (–) and finally select Macintosh HD.
Step 2: Click the Erase button and then specify the name and format of the disk:
- Name: Macintosh HD
- Format: APFS
Step 3: Next click the Erase or Erase Volume Group button (depending on what you see).
Source: Apple
Step 4: Enter your Apple ID, if prompted.
Step 5: Finally, click ‘Erase Mac and Restart’.
Step 6: Once the process is complete and your Mac restarts, follow the onscreen instructions.
Step 7: Your Mac will need an internet connection, click the Wi-Fi menu from the menu bar and connect it to Wi-Fi.
Step 8: Once your Mac activates, click ‘Quit Recovery Utility’.
You can leave your Mac as is or restart your Mac to set it up from scratch. When you will be redirected to the utilities window, click Reinstall macOS and then click Continue. Next, follow the onscreen instructions to reinstall macOS.
That’s it! These are both methods you can use to reset a Mac running on macOS Venture or macOS Monterey. If you have more queries, move on to the next section.
FAQ about Restore Mac to Factory Settings
1. Why can’t I erase all content and settings on Mac?
This may be because the feature is not available on your device (not the support chip or macOS). If so, you can choose the Disk Utility method to return your Mac to factory settings.
2. Why can’t I see my Macintosh HD in Disk Utility?
It’s likely you renamed it earlier, so choose whichever disc you have available. However, if you still see nothing, turn off your Mac, then unplug all unnecessary devices and try again.
3. How long does it take to restore a Mac to factory settings?
The time it takes to restore your Mac to factory settings depends on several factors, including the speed of your computer and the amount of data to delete. In general, this process can take anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours.
4. Do I need any special tools or software to restore my Mac to factory settings?
No, you don’t need any special tools or software to restore your Mac to factory settings. This process is built into macOS and can be accessed through the Settings app or the macOS Utilities screen.
Factory reset your MacBook Air or Pro
So here’s how to factory reset your MacBook. But before we conclude, here’s a subtle reminder – don’t forget to make a backup before wiping your MacBook. And if you plan to resell or transfer your device, always sign out of your account and deauthorize it manually.
We hope everything goes well for you. If you get stuck, please fill in the comments section. We would be happy to help you further. You must also remove the device from Find My before you sell it.
Categories: How to
Source: thpttranhungdao.edu.vn/en/
