How to Properly Reset a MacBook Before Selling?

The latest Macs have arrived, including the vibrant M3 iMacs and the “scary fast” M3 MacBook Pros. Now is a great time to buy a new Mac, whether you choose one with the M3, M3 Pro, M3 Max chip or a discounted older model.

If you’re upgrading, resetting your current Mac before selling or giving it away is essential. You don’t want your data to end up with someone else. 

If you give it to a family member, they might struggle to use some features if you don’t reset it properly. We’ll guide you through the process.

Begin by deleting all personal details from your old Mac. But first, make sure you back up your data to move it to your new Mac.

A key point to remember is to cancel AppleCare+ on your old Mac or transfer it to the new owner.

Remove Your Data from the Mac Before Wiping It

Don’t transfer your data to the new owner if you plan to sell your Mac. This step protects your privacy and ensures your security. 

It also helps the buyer avoid issues. The buyer must contact you for access if you leave anything that requires a password. Resetting the Mac to its original state is the most effective way to prevent this.

Back up your Mac

If you have your new Mac, you can move your data from the old one or use a previous Time Machine backup. If your new Mac isn’t available yet, you likely won’t sell the old one yet. 

However, if you don’t plan on using your old Mac before getting the new one, back up your files so you don’t lose any data before moving it to the new one.

For Macs with Apple silicon

If the Mac you’re selling or giving away has Apple silicon (M1 chip or later) or the T2 Security Chip, you’re in good shape. If you have macOS Monterey or newer, follow the simple steps below and skip the rest.

macOS Ventura or Later

  1. Open the Apple menu at the top left of your screen and select System Settings.
  2. In the sidebar, choose General.
  3. On the right, click Transfer or Reset.
  4. Select Erase All Content and Settings.

macOS Monterey

  1. Open the Apple menu in the corner of your screen and select System Preferences.
  2. In the System Preferences menu, choose Erase All Content and Settings.

If Your Mac Has an Intel Chip

Follow these steps for Macs with an Intel chip to remove all personal data.

Sign Out of All Accounts

The software on your Mac is licensed to you, which means it won’t transfer to the new owner (except for the operating system). To prevent issues with the new owner trying to access your software, log out of everything linked to your personal information.

Start by logging out of the Music app.

  1. Open the Music app on your Mac.
  2. Click Account in the left-side menu bar.
  3. Select Sign Out.
Select Sign Out

Log out of iMessage next.

  1. Open the Messages app on your Mac.
  2. Click on Messages in the menu bar at the top left.
  3. Select Settings from the drop-down menu.
  4. Choose iMessage.
  5. Click Sign Out and confirm to log out.
Click Sign Out and confirm to log out.=

Make sure you sign out of iCloud on your Mac.

  1. Click the Apple icon in the top-left corner of your screen.
  2. From the menu, pick System Settings.
  3. Then, select Apple ID.
  1. Go down and select iCloud.
  2. Press the Options button next to Find My Mac.
  3. Select the Turn Off box beside Find My Mac: On, and confirm by typing your password to turn off Find My Mac on your device.
  4. Complete any other steps as directed.
Complete any other steps as directed

Now, turn off the remaining iCloud features.

  1. Go to System Settings and click on your Apple ID again.
  2. Scroll down, select Sign Out, and follow the steps to log out of iCloud on your old Mac.
turn off the remaining iCloud features

Unpair Bluetooth Devices

If you’re keeping your Bluetooth devices, unpair them from the Mac you’re selling or giving away. This step isn’t critical but helps avoid accidental reconnections, especially if you’re selling the Mac to someone nearby, like a roommate.

  1. Click the Apple icon in the top-left corner of your screen.
  2. Select System Preferences.
  3. Click Bluetooth.
  4. Hover over the device you want to unpair.
  5. Click the X next to the device.

Note: If you’re unpairing a keyboard, trackpad, or mouse on a desktop Mac, connect a wired one before proceeding. Otherwise, you won’t be able to type or use the cursor, and you’ll have to pair them again.

Erase Your Hard Drive

Once you back up your data and sign out of any accounts connected to your Mac, you can erase everything by reformatting the hard drive.

  1. Restart your Mac.
  2. While it restarts, press and hold Command + R to boot into macOS Recovery.
  3. Select Disk Utility and click Continue.

Next Steps:

  1. Click View and select Show All Devices.
  2. Find your Startup disk (usually named “Macintosh HD”).
  3. Select the data disk under your startup disk.
  4. Click Edit in the top-left menu and choose Delete APFS Volume, or click Remove in the Disk Utility bar.
  5. If the Erase Group Volume option appears, click it to erase all volumes linked to the drive.
  6. Confirm by clicking Delete, then click Done when prompted.

Erase Your Startup Disk:

  1. Select your Startup Disk (usually labeled Apple HHD or SSD).
  2. Click Erase at the top of the Disk Utility window.
  3. Choose Mac OS Extended (Journaled) if your Mac uses HFS+ or select APFS if it uses APFS.
  4. If the Scheme option is available, choose GUID Partition Map.
  5. Click Erase.
  6. After completing the process, select Quit Disk Utility from the menu in the upper-left corner.

Reinstall a Clean Mac Operating System

After erasing the hard drive, it’s time to reinstall a clean macOS version. The process varies depending on whether you have an Intel-based Mac or an Apple silicon-based Mac.

Install macOS on an Intel-Based Mac

  1. Open Utility Window
    You should already be in the utility window if you have erased your Mac. If not, restart your Mac and hold down Command+R until the Apple logo appears.
  2. Reinstall macOS in Recovery Mode
    To reinstall macOS, press Command+R during startup. You may need to sign in with your Apple ID.
  3. Connect to the Internet
    Ensure your Mac is online, as it’s needed to confirm the software during installation.
  4. Enter Your Mac Password
    If prompted, use your Mac’s password, not your Apple ID password, during installation.
  5. Reboot and Enter Recovery Mode
    Restart your Mac and hold Command+R as it boots into macOS Recovery.
  6. Reinstall macOS
    Click Reinstall macOS (or Reinstall OS X for older versions) and click Continue.
  7. Choose the Hard Drive
    When prompted, select your hard drive (usually named “Macintosh HD”).
  8. Install macOS
    Click Install to install the latest macOS. Your Mac will automatically restart when the installation is complete.
    Necessary: Don’t close the lid on your MacBook or allow your Mac to sleep during the installation, even if it takes time. Interrupting the process will stop the installation, and you’ll need to restart it. You might see the Apple logo and progress bar several times.
  9. Hold Command+Q
    After installation is complete, press Command+Q to quit the setup process. Don’t complete the setup; this step is for the new owner.
  10. Shut Down the Mac
    Click Shut Down to power off your Mac. It’s now ready for the next owner, who will go through the setup process and install the latest macOS supported on the device.

Install macOS on an Apple Silicon-Based Mac

In 2020, Apple replaced Intel-based Macs with devices using Apple silicon, beginning with the M1 MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro, and Mac mini. If you have an Apple silicon device, follow the steps in our macOS reinstallation guide.

Troubleshooting

Many people have asked about erasing or reinstalling macOS, with most inquiries focused on reinstalling. 

To fix reinstalling issues, press Shift+Option+Command+R to put the Mac in Internet Recovery Mode. Internet Recovery allows the installation of the original macOS that came with the Mac. Keep that version; the new owner can update or install the latest macOS.

If the installer doesn’t detect the disk or shows an error that the OS won’t install, erase the hard drive again. Restart the Mac, hold Command+R to enter Recovery Mode, and repeat Step 4.

The switch to APFS caused some users confusion when selecting the correct disk format when erasing. Apple’s support document offers additional troubleshooting help.

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