How to reset Mac, How to Factory Reset MAC

Macs are generally reliable. But as with any computer, sometimes things can still go wrong. Before spending a fortune on a new Mac, however, try a factory reset, which will wipe the computer and reinstall a 'clean' version of macOS. Factory reset is also the best way to hand over your old computer to its new owner and make sure no leftover data falls into the wrong hands.

This process has been going on for years on Macs with Intel processors, however, the move to Apple silicon has slightly changed the method of erasing and reinstalling the operating system. And with the move to macOS Monterey, certain computers get a new option to erase all content and settings. Here's how to erase the hard drive and reinstall the operating system on a Mac, whether it has an Apple M1 chip or uses Intel components.

Note that after the computer is reset, you will not be able to recover any deleted data on the drive. If you think you might still need what's on your hard drive, the article recommends that you do a backup first through Time Machine or by syncing important files with iCloud.

Erase all data with Erase Assistant tool

How to reset Mac, How to Factory Reset MAC Picture 1

Some Macs have a new option to erase data. If you're running macOS Monterey on an Apple silicon-based Mac or an Intel-based Mac with an Apple T2 chip, you now have the Erase Assistant tool. Open System Preferences > Erase All Content and Settings in the menu bar.

How to reset Mac, How to Factory Reset MAC Picture 2

Enter the admin password into Erase Assistant, then review the items to be deleted. Along with erasing all settings, media content, apps, and data for all accounts and volumes on the drive, the tool will also sign you out of iCloud, remove Touch ID fingerprints, and disable location services. , unpair Bluetooth devices, and delete Apple Wallet entries.

At this point, you have one last chance to create a Time Machine backup before continuing. Click Open Time Machine to create one, if you haven't already done so.

How to reset Mac, How to Factory Reset MAC Picture 3

Enter the password to sign out of Apple ID, then let the deletion process finish. Once done, your Mac will be returned to factory settings. If you don't plan to keep this computer, you're done. Otherwise, you can use the setup assistant as you did when you first set up your Mac.

Erase data and reinstall macOS with Disk Utility

How to reset Mac, How to Factory Reset MAC Picture 4

Another option for resetting a Mac is Disk Utility, which is available to all users. To access the options to erase data and reset the operating system, you need to enter macOS Recovery. How you do this depends on the chip inside the computer.

If you have a Mac M1 or an Intel-powered Mac with a T2 chip, turn off the computer completely and hold the power button until Loading startup options appears on the screen. Select Options to enter the recovery screen.

If your Mac has an Intel processor and doesn't have a T2 chip, restart the computer. From here, hold down Command + R until the Apple logo appears. Release the keys and allow the Mac to boot, then open Recovery.

If your computer crashes and the normal recovery media don't work, try the Control + Command + Eject (or power button) keyboard shortcut.

Next, you must select a user with admin rights and enter your account credentials before you can access the computer's boot options. Once completely in macOS Recovery, select Disk Utility and select the volume you want to erase.

How to reset Mac, How to Factory Reset MAC Picture 5

Have you created any additional volumes on your hard drive before? If so, remove them first. Select the partition and select the minus (-) button to erase the volume. Then you can switch to the main drive. Select Macintosh HD and click Erase on the top toolbar.

A dialog box will appear asking for the drive name and format. Keep the name Macintosh HD and make sure the format is set to APFS or Mac OS Extended (Journaled). Click Erase Volume Group (or Erase if the button isn't visible) to erase the volume.

How to reset Mac, How to Factory Reset MAC Picture 6

You should also make sure that any other internal drives have also been removed to completely wipe the computer and avoid any errors during the reinstallation process. Go to Disk Utility > Quit Disk Utility to exit the Disk Utility window and return to the Recovery screen.

If you're selling your computer, you can stop here and let the new owner install a 'clean' version of macOS. For those planning to keep their Mac, the next step is to reinstall macOS onto the computer.

The computer must be connected to a power source and the Internet. Back on the macOS Utilities screen, click Reinstall macOS and follow the instructions to download the new version of the operating system.

How to reset Mac, How to Factory Reset MAC Picture 7

If you saved your files to an external storage device through a Time Machine backup, you can now restore those files through the Migration Assistant as part of the reinstallation process.

You'll be asked if you want to transfer information from another Mac or from a Time Machine backup. Select Time Machine and continue the file recovery process.

If you decide not to restore your backup at this time, you can always return to the macOS Recovery screen and select the Restore From Time Machine Backup option. Select the appropriate backup from the list to reinstall the saved files.

Jessica Tanner

Update 29 November 2021