Welcome to the topic “How to Reset MacBook to Factory Settings.”
Does your MacBook Pro or Air look a bit slower than normal, or do you feel that it is a bit long in the tooth? Similarly, are there any issues in your MacBook that you are unable to resolve even after trying your best no matter how you try? Or do you want to buy a new Mac and want to sell your old MacBook but without a trace of your personal information?
In all these scenarios, this guide about how to reset a MacBook to factory settings will help you a lot. Below, we will show and explain the complete process, and by the end, you will know how to factory reset your MacBook and bring it back in a like-new state. The instructions below are valid for most versions of the Mac operating system.
Before you apply this procedure, we will advise you to back up your files and data. Furthermore, if you plan to sell your MacBook, ensure that you have signed out of your iMessage, iCloud, and any other accounts.
So, let’s check out the process you need to follow to reset your MacBook to factory resetting.
Steps to factory reset a MacBook?
Follow these easy steps to reset your MacBook to its default factory settings.
Step 1: First, reboot your MacBook, and right after the boot, press and hold the COMMAND key and R key together to enter into the Recovery Mode.
Step 2: After entering into the Recovery Mode, you will see the “macOS Utilities” or, in some versions, “OS X Utilities.” Here you need to choose “Disk Utility.”
Step 3: Now select “Macintosh HD” (or your Mac drive is named), and then click on the “Erase” button.
Step 4: Enter the name for your erased drive now, such as ‘Macintosh HD,’ and then from the drop down menu, select the “OS X Extended (Journaled)” option and click again on the “Erase” button. This will remove/delete all of your data, so ensure that you are ready for that.
Step 5: Once the process is finished, close the Disk Utility screen and go back to the “Mac OS Utilities” screen that you saw earlier.
Step 6: Next is the new factory installation of the Mac Operating system. Thus you need to select “Install Mac OS” and click on the Continue.
Step 7: Now select “Macintosh HD” (or your preferred Mac drive or you can use the drive that you have named in step 4) from the given list and click on the “Install” button. Then the new installation will start installing a fresh factory version of Mac in your system.
That’s it, and you have successfully completed the factory reset process. After installation of the new Mac OS will finish your PC will restart automatically along with the new factory reset version.
Furthermore, if you are selling your PC or transferring ownership, there is no need to fill in the setup details. After the factory reset, just turn it off and allow the new owner to configure the machine as per their preference.
On the other hand, if you are not selling your PC, complete the setup process with all the details. After that, your Mac will be like a brand new one, and you will have to create a new user account.
Keep in mind that you will not find your previous data on the system after factory reset, no software, no apps, no files, and nothing. All of your data is erased, and you will only get a new factory version of Mac OS.
What to consider before resetting your MacBook?
The above-mentioned steps focus on resetting your MacBook to default factory settings, but there are some key actions that you need to take before factory resetting your system. These points will ensure that you don’t lose any critical data or apps.
Here are a few points to consider:
Back up your system: this is the most crucial step, and still, most people don’t realize its importance. Creating a backup of your Mac is vital if you want to protect your files and data. If you don’t take back up of your PC, all data will be lost, and you cannot recover it after performing a factory reset.
Log out of iTunes: To do this, select your account, go to authorizations and click on the “De-authorize This Computer.”
Log out of iCloud. To do this, first, navigate to Apple’s main menu, then go to “System Preferences,” and then click on the “Apple ID.” Now select iCloud from the sidebar and switch off the “Find my Mac” option. Next, click on the Overview and Sign out.
Log out of iMessage: Go to the Messages app, select “Messages,” then go to the Preferences. Now click on the “iMessage and Sign Out.”
Disconnect Bluetooth devices: You need to unpair or disconnect other devices connected via Bluetooth. To do this, visit the Apple menu, then enter into the “System Preferences” and select “Bluetooth.” Here, you can disconnect your other Bluetooth devices such as keyboards, headphones, and others.
In the End:
We hope this read will be useful, and now you understand how to factory reset a MacBook to factory settings!
Now no problem in handing over your PC to others, and you can sell it comfortably. After factory reset no need to worry that someone will access your files or apps.
Also Read: How to Install macOS on Unsupported Mac
