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How to Wipe a Mac Clean

This wikiHow teaches you how to delete all the data, files, applications, and settings on your Mac computer. Back up any data you want to save. Wiping your Mac will erase everything, including your operating system, so keeping a backup on...
Method 1 of 2:

OS X 10.7 or Later

  1. How to Wipe a Mac Clean Picture 1How to Wipe a Mac Clean Picture 1
    Back up any data you want to save. Wiping your Mac will erase everything, including your operating system, so keeping a backup on an external hard drive or DVD is a good idea.
  2. How to Wipe a Mac Clean Picture 2How to Wipe a Mac Clean Picture 2
    Open the Apple menu. It's the black apple icon in the upper-left corner of the screen.
  3. How to Wipe a Mac Clean Picture 3How to Wipe a Mac Clean Picture 3
    Click on Restart…. It's near the bottom of the menu.
  4. How to Wipe a Mac Clean Picture 4How to Wipe a Mac Clean Picture 4
    Click Restart to confirm. This immediately shuts down and reboots your Mac.
    1. Wait for your Mac to shut down.
  5. How to Wipe a Mac Clean Picture 5How to Wipe a Mac Clean Picture 5
    Press and hold ⌘+R as the Mac restarts.
  6. How to Wipe a Mac Clean Picture 6How to Wipe a Mac Clean Picture 6
    Release the keys when you see the Apple logo. The "macOS Utilities" window will appear.
  7. How to Wipe a Mac Clean Picture 7How to Wipe a Mac Clean Picture 7
    Click on Disk Utility. It's at the bottom of the list.
  8. How to Wipe a Mac Clean Picture 8How to Wipe a Mac Clean Picture 8
    Click on Continue. It's in the lower-right corner of the window.
  9. How to Wipe a Mac Clean Picture 9How to Wipe a Mac Clean Picture 9
    Click on your Mac's hard drive. It's in the upper-left of the window, under "Internal."
  10. How to Wipe a Mac Clean Picture 10How to Wipe a Mac Clean Picture 10
    Click on Erase. It's a button at the top-center of the window.
  11. How to Wipe a Mac Clean Picture 11How to Wipe a Mac Clean Picture 11
    Name your disk. Type it in the "Name:" field.
  12. How to Wipe a Mac Clean Picture 12How to Wipe a Mac Clean Picture 12
    Click on the "Format:" drop-down menu.
  13. How to Wipe a Mac Clean Picture 13How to Wipe a Mac Clean Picture 13
    Select a format. To reinstall a MacOS system, select:
    1. Mac OS Extended (Journaled) for the fastest wipe.
    2. Mac OS Extended (Journaled, Encrypted) to encrypt the disk after wiping.
  14. How to Wipe a Mac Clean Picture 14How to Wipe a Mac Clean Picture 14
    Click on Erase. It's in the lower-right corner of the dialog box. The wipe process will begin.
    1. The time to erase your disk will vary based on disk size, the amount of data stored, and whether your chose an encrypted format.
Method 2 of 2:

OS X 10.6 or Earlier

  1. How to Wipe a Mac Clean Picture 15How to Wipe a Mac Clean Picture 15
    Back up any data you want to save. Wiping your Mac will erase everything, including your operating system, so keeping a backup on an external hard drive or DVD is a good idea.
  2. How to Wipe a Mac Clean Picture 16How to Wipe a Mac Clean Picture 16
    Insert your installation disc. Insert the installation DVD or CD that came with your computer into the computer's disc drive and wait for the computer to recognize the disc.
    1. If you are using a USB drive instead of an installation disc, insert the USB drive.
  3. How to Wipe a Mac Clean Picture 17How to Wipe a Mac Clean Picture 17
    Open the Apple menu. It's the black apple icon in the upper-left corner of the screen.
  4. How to Wipe a Mac Clean Picture 18How to Wipe a Mac Clean Picture 18
    Click on Restart…. It's near the bottom of the menu.
  5. How to Wipe a Mac Clean Picture 19How to Wipe a Mac Clean Picture 19
    Click Restart to confirm. This immediately shuts down and reboots your Mac.
    1. Wait for your Mac to shut down.
  6. How to Wipe a Mac Clean Picture 20How to Wipe a Mac Clean Picture 20
    Press and hold C as the Mac restarts.
    1. If you are using a USB drive instead of an installation disc, hold down ⌥ Option instead.
  7. How to Wipe a Mac Clean Picture 21How to Wipe a Mac Clean Picture 21
    Open Disk Utility. It's located in the "Utilities" section of the Installation menu.
  8. How to Wipe a Mac Clean Picture 22How to Wipe a Mac Clean Picture 22
    Click on your Mac's hard drive. It's in the upper-left of the window, under "Internal."
  9. How to Wipe a Mac Clean Picture 23How to Wipe a Mac Clean Picture 23
    Click the Erase tab. It's at the top of the page.
  10. How to Wipe a Mac Clean Picture 24How to Wipe a Mac Clean Picture 24
    Name your disk. Type it in the "Name:" field.
  11. How to Wipe a Mac Clean Picture 25How to Wipe a Mac Clean Picture 25
    Click on the "Format:" drop-down menu.
  12. How to Wipe a Mac Clean Picture 26How to Wipe a Mac Clean Picture 26
    Select a format. If you plan to reinstall OS X, select: Mac OS X Extended (Journaled).
  13. How to Wipe a Mac Clean Picture 27How to Wipe a Mac Clean Picture 27
    Click on Erase. It's in the lower-right corner of the dialog box. The wipe process will begin.
    1. The time to erase your disk will vary based on disk size and the amount of data that was stored on your hard drive.
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