An easy guide to factory reset your Mac

If you've decided to upgrade or sell your old Mac, it's essential for your privacy to wipe your data clean first: photos, documents, apps, settings, etc. Or perhaps you've encountered some troublesome system issues, and you're looking to start from scratch. In both cases, a factory reset is what you need. 

Resetting a Mac to factory settings may sound daunting, but the process is simple once you know how. We’ll show you how to factory reset your Mac and clear all your data using the Erase All Content and Settings feature and what to do if you cannot see it. 

The easiest way to factory reset your Mac — use Erase Assistant

Did you know that macOS comes with a built-in tool that allows you to quickly wipe your Mac? This method works for Macs with Apple silicon or T2 chip Macs running Monterey or later — virtually all MacBooks released after 2020.

Before you begin: 

• Go to System Settings > Privacy & Security > FileVault (or System Preferences > Security & Privacy > FileVault on older macOS) and disable FileVault. The decryption process may take up to several hours.

• While waiting, disable Find My from System Settings > Apple Account > iCloud > Show All > Find My Mac > toggle OFF (System Preferences > Apple ID > iCloud > Find My for older macOS versions). 

These are just the precautions to make sure that the Erase Assistant does not get stuck (usually on the Sign Out screen). 

Now, follow these steps to use Erase Assistant: 

1. Go to System Settings > General > Transfer or Reset. 
      
   

2. Click Erase All Content and Settings. 
   

3. Enter your admin password and click Unlock. You may be asked to back up your Mac.
   
   

4. Review the list of items that will be removed (you can click > next to the account name to review them). 
   
   

5. Click Continue and follow the onscreen instructions to proceed. 

Once your Mac is on the Hello screen, it’s been reset to factory settings. The whole process will take something between 15 and 30 minutes. The Setup Assistant will now walk you through the process of setting up your MacBook as a new device. 

If you sell or give away your computer, choose Shut Down from the main Apple menu and close the lid so that the new owner completes the setup process. 

Note: If you’re still running macOS Monterey, go to Apple Menu > System Preferences. From the System Preferences menu in the menu bar, choose Erase All Content and Settings and follow the onscreen instructions. The process is similar to what we’ve described above. 

If you cannot see the Erase All Content and Settings option (if you still run macOS Big Sur or older or your MacBook is without the T2 security chip), follow the steps below. 

How to wipe all your data and factory reset your Mac

Take a quick look at all the steps involved:

• Back up your data

• Sign out of iCloud and iMessage 

• Deauthorize iTunes

• Erase Mac’s drive in recovery mode

• Reinstall macOS

Let's jump in and reset your MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, or any other Mac you own.

1. Back up your Data

A factory reset will erase all information stored on your drive, so the first step is to create a backup of your important data, files, and information.

You can do this manually by copying your data to an external drive or uploading it to your iCloud, but my preferred method is to use Time Machine.

Time Machine is a built-in backup utility on your Mac that can quickly and safely create a backup of your data, including apps, photos, music, documents, and emails. You can restore your entire drive or individual files using this handy tool.

Before you go ahead and create a backup, it's worth cleaning up your Mac first. There's no point in transferring the old junk on your freshly reset Mac.

Suppose you're looking for a hassle-free and simple way to tidy up your Mac. In that case, CleanMyMac has a handy Cleanup feature that can clean your system, resolve errors, and remove tons of temporary and broken files — get your free trial here. CleanMyMac is notarized by Apple, so you know it's safe to use.

Here's how to quickly tidy up your Mac in just a few clicks:

1. Open CleanMyMac and select Cleanup from the left sidebar.

2. Click Scan, wait for it to finish.

3. Then, click Clean.

That's it! Now, time to make a backup with Time Machine:

1. Click on the Apple menu, top left, and select System Preferences (for macOS Monterey or older) or System Settings > General (macOS Ventura or later).

2. Click on Time Machine, select your disk, and back up your MacBook.

If you've never done a Time Machine backup before, this might take a while, but don't lose patience; it's worth the wait. If something goes wrong when you reset your MacBook Pro, you'll be able to restore your drive entirely.

2. Sign out of iCloud and iMessage

Don't skip this step. It’s essential when you want to reset your MacBook Pro. You don't want any of your cloud or personal data to get into the wrong hands, plus it only does take a moment.

How to sign out from iCloud – macOS Catalina and later:

1. Select Apple menu and choose System Preferences/Settings.

2. Click on Apple ID in the left sidebar > Sign Out (you might need to click Overview for some macOS versions).

3. Finally, confirm you want to remove data.

How to sign out from iCloud – macOS Mojave and earlier:

1. Select Apple menu and choose System Preferences.

2. Select iCloud and then click Sign Out.

Finally, it's time to sign out from iMessages:

1. Open the Messages app, then click Messages in the top menu bar and select Preferences/Settings.

2. Click your iMessage account, and then Sign Out.

3. Deauthorize iTunes (Music, Books, Podcasts, and Apple TV)

On macOS Catalina, iTunes is now called Music, Books, Podcasts, and Apple TV. No matter which macOS you're operating or which app you’re running, it's important to sign out from and deauthorize access to make sure your Mac isn't connected to your accounts when it gets a new owner.

Here's how to deauthorize iTunes, Music, Podcasts, Books, and Apple TV (you'll need to do it in one app from the list):

1. Open iTunes/Music/Podcasts/Apple TV and select Account from the top menu bar.

2. Select Authorizations and choose Deauthorize This Computer.

3. You'll be prompted for your Apple ID and password.

4. Finally, click Deauthorize.

In some macOS versions, to deauthorize Books, open the app, click Store from the top menu, and choose Authorizations to deauthorize.

4. Restart Your Mac in recovery mode

Now that you've cleaned up your Mac, created a backup, and signed out of your various accounts, it's time to learn how to wipe a MacBook, ready for a fresh start, or for the new owner. 

The following steps will guide you through how to factory reset a MacBook Pro:

1. Select the Apple menu and press Restart.

2. As the system begins to restart, hold down the Command and R keys.

3. When the recovery mode Utilities window appears, select Disk Utility and press Continue.

You're ready for the final step.

5. Erase your Mac’s drive

Following on from the steps above, your MacBook has now restarted in recovery mode, and you'll be taken to Disk Utility.

1. From the sidebar, select your built-in startup disk; it will be called Macintosh HD unless you renamed it earlier.

2. Click Erase.

3. Enter the details requested and make sure you have selected the Mac OS Extended (Journaled) format.
   Tip: Choose APFS if it is on the list — it is a more modern format most Macs released after 2016 run.

4. Finally, click Erase.

Pat on the back, you've just successfully completed a factory reset on your MacBook Pro. If this device is off to a new user, reset NVRAM. Once your MacBook restarts, either choose Shut Down from the main Apple menu or press and hold the Command and Q keys and select Shut Down, ready to pass on to its new home. 

How to reinstall macOS without factory resetting your MacBook 

If the reason you wanted to know how to reset your MacBook to factory settings was that you needed a fresh start, reinstall macOS from the Utilities menu. It will re-write macOS and fix any glitches, but you won’t lose your data and settings.

Here’s how to reinstall macOS:

1. Follow the steps above to boot into recovery mode (press Command + R at startup).

2. This time, when the recovery mode Utilities window appears, select Reinstall macOS and follow the onscreen instructions.

If Command + R is not working, try recovery over the internet: 

• Option-Command-R to reinstall macOS and upgrade to the latest version of macOS that’s compatible with your Mac.

• Option-Shift-Command-R to reinstall the version of macOS that came with your Mac or the closest version that’s still available.

Note: you will need a stable internet connection to use this recovery mode. 

The steps above work for an Intel-based Mac only. If you own a Mac with Apple silicon, to boot into recovery mode, follow these steps: 

1. Shut down your MacBook completely. 

2. Now, press and hold the power button until you see Loading startup options or the Options icon.

3. Click Options > Continue. 

4. If asked, select a volume and a user and enter your password.

5. Click Reinstall macOS and follow the onscreen instructions.

And there we are, right at the end of this guide on how to reset MacBook to factory settings. Come back soon for more useful guides, tips, and tricks.