How to factory reset a MacBook Pro, and when to do it

Posted:
in General Discussion edited October 2020
When you're preparing a MacBook Pro to sell, these are the steps you need to take to put the machine ready for a new user -- and making sure all your personal and account details are removed.

You can reset your MacBook Pro so that it's just as it was when you got it. You kept the box, right?
You can reset your MacBook Pro so that it's just as it was when you got it. You kept the box, right?


Resetting your MacBook Pro to the way it was when you got it from the factory isn't difficult, but it isn't quick, either. You could do it if you've been consistently having serious problems with the MacBook Pro. However, the only time you should definitely do it is when you're about to sell or give away the machine.

If you do a factory reset, you're politely preparing the MacBook Pro for the new user -- and you're also guaranteeing that there's nothing of yours left on it. Not software, not licences, and most definitely not any login account details.

What it means

While on iOS there is a Reset option under Settings, General, there is no such button on the Mac.

Whether it's on iOS or Mac, though, what the term means is setting everything back to the way it was when the machine was new.

That means removing your personal data, wiping the drive completely, and then setting it up again ready for the new user.

It also means, before you do anything else whatsoever, you make at least one backup of everything. This is not the time to put backing up off.

Removing your personal data

These days we're so seamlessly dependent on iCloud that removing your data chiefly means signing out.

Before you do that, though, make sure you have deauthorized your MacBook Pro from the Music app.

You haven't authorized or de-authorized anything since you signed up for Apple Music, but remove the authorisation now because you may need it later
You haven't authorized or de-authorized anything since you signed up for Apple Music, but remove the authorisation now because you may need it later
  • Open Music

  • Choose Account

  • Click on Authorizations...

  • Select De-authorize this computer

  • Quit Music

Do the same thing with the TV app. Since both that and Music used to be part of iTunes, they continue to use the old iTunes authorization that meant you only had so many computers that could play music or video.

Next, launch the Mac App Store.
  • Click on the Store menu

  • Choose Sign Out

If you're now used to opening the app associated with an Apple service and choosing either de-authorize or sign out, there's one left that will throw you. It's the same idea, the Sign Out button is just in an odd place.

Why it's in a different place than any other app, we don't know. But to sign out of Messages, start by going to Preferences.
Why it's in a different place than any other app, we don't know. But to sign out of Messages, start by going to Preferences.

  • Open Messages

  • Choose Preferences

  • Click on iMessage

  • Choose the Sign Out button

Lastly, for this part, sign out of iCloud too.

  • Open System Preferences from the Apple menu

  • Choose Apple ID from the top right corner

  • Click on Overview

  • Click Sign Out toward the bottom left
At stages during all of this, you will be asked to confirm that you want to sign out, but you do.

Hardware issues

If you currently use your MacBook Pro closed, with an external keyboard and display, the odds are that the keyboard is Bluetooth wireless and the display is not.

You can leave the display connected until you hand over the MacBook Pro to someone. But you'd best disconnect the keyboard or any other wireless devices you have, such as AirPods or a separate trackpad.

This isn't necessary if you're also giving them these wireless devices, but there's got to be a limit to how generous you are. And that limit, plus your patience, will be severely tried if don't unpair the devices. The next time they're with you, and you happen to start typing on your own computer, you could end up controlling theirs.

  • Go to System Preferences

  • Choose Bluetooth

  • Hover your mouse over the device name in the list that appears

  • Click circular close box that appears
Un-pair any Bluetooth devices you have. Unless you're giving them away.
Un-pair any Bluetooth devices you have. Unless you're giving them away.


Even though the next step is possibly going to be a little inconvenient, do this unpairing of wireless devices anyway. Since you're resetting a MacBook Pro, then even though you've been using it closed, you can, and now have to open the lid to use its keyboard.

Wipe the drive

Tell us again that you've done a backup. Better yet, don't tell us, just make another backup right now.

When you're done, reboot the MacBook into macOS Recovery using these steps.
  • Restart your MacBook and immediately hold down Command-R

  • You'll see a startup screen, which varies between different Macs

  • If prompted, enter your password. It must be an admin password, but if you're the only user of the Mac, that's you.

  • Wait for the macOS Utilities window to open

This macOS Utilities app includes various options but the one you want this time is to launch Disk Utility.

On the left of the screen that appears, you'll see a list of drives connected to the Mac. Look under the heading Internal to find your startup disk. As well as that, which may be called Macintosh HD, there will be at least one other volume called Macintosh HD - Data.

You're going to delete this, but you're going to be careful, and you're not going to use the obvious Erase button. Instead, go to the Edit menu, and choose Delete APFS Volume.

Disk Utility is easy to use, but so powerful that we've got to mention the word
Disk Utility is easy to use, but so powerful that we've got to mention the word "backup" again.


There will then be a confirmation dialog but it needs even more care than usual. For as well as a Delete button that you want, there is also a Delete Volume Group button -- and you do not want that.

Choose only the Delete button.

Delete any of the - Data volumes, then finally select your Macintosh HD drive or whatever name you've given to the internal one.

You'll need to give the drive a name, but since you're trying to replicate the straight-from-factory environment, call it "Macintosh HD."

Then you will also be given a choice of drive formats, but just choose whichever Disk Utility is showing by default.

Setting up

Remember that you've booted up into this macOS Utilities volume and that Disk Utility is just one of the apps available to you. Quit it, and you're returned to the list of those apps.

Choose Reinstall macOS.
  • If prompted, enter your password

  • Confirm you want to install the latest macOS that will run on this MacBook Pro

This last step may take some time. Leave the MacBook Pro open and allow it to restart as it requires.

When it's finished, the MacBook Pro has been reset to the way it was when it got to you from the factory.



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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 13
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,038member
    1) I was surprised by the title and then disappointed by the article. Overall it's good information for the novice or casual Mac user, but for a second I thought there was a way to restore to actuations, factory defaults (i.e.: install the original macOS version) that I wasn't aware of.

    2) I think as an addendum it would be nice to let more security conscious users know about the Secure Erase options (even if you don't recommend it for the typical user due to time and improbable attempts to recover a deleted partition), especially since storage is no longer removable.
    viclauyycGeorgeBMac
  • Reply 2 of 13
    I am sure someone will still forget to backup after all these warnings.

    also, please make sure you test your backup after you backup.

    i lost 8 months of data after a bad crash. The Time Machine data is not useable, even I asked Apple for help. My 2 most recent CCC backup is also fail to load. I end up need to using an 8 months old backup from different drive.  

    So please check your backup drive before deleting.
    minicoffeehammeroftruthwatto_cobra
  • Reply 3 of 13
    Helpful reminders. Thank you.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 4 of 13
    MplsPMplsP Posts: 4,015member
    Another thing to consider is erasing/resetting the NVRAM/PRAM - I recently wiped an old iMac I was preparing to sell and was surprised to see that it connected to the wifi when it started up. Turns out, Wifi passwords can be stored in the NVRAM. To erase it, press Option + Command + P + R at startup.

    gatorguyFileMakerFellerwatto_cobra
  • Reply 5 of 13
    mfrydmfryd Posts: 223member
    For computers that support it, don't forget to clear out the secure enclave (fingerprints, etc.).

    watto_cobra
  • Reply 6 of 13
    viclauyyc said:
    I am sure someone will still forget to backup after all these warnings.

    also, please make sure you test your backup after you backup.

    i lost 8 months of data after a bad crash. The Time Machine data is not useable, even I asked Apple for help. My 2 most recent CCC backup is also fail to load. I end up need to using an 8 months old backup from different drive.  

    So please check your backup drive before deleting.
    That's why you should rotate your Backup devices. I use ten different 2TB HDD's for my Time Machine backups. I move to another one every week of the month. When it is a new month, the first device used gets put into fire storage and the oldest one there returned to the backup cycle. Before re-using it I test the integrity of the drive. I had one fail last year. I replaced it with a 2TB SSD.
    Backup integrity of user data is checked using an old Laptop that is a hackintosh. It is the only reason I keep it around.
    I note which drive is used when in a paper notebook that is kept in the fire safe.

    This may seem overkill but I like you got burned many years ago with backups of Windows systems that were useless when needed. I employed a 'rotating tower of hanoi' backup process that has worked for me for nearly 20 years. Most of my HDD's are left over from the days when I did Windows software dev so I know that for many, their days are numbered. I am trialling an M2 PCI drive now. Even with USB-3.0 the backup speeds are fantastic. Yes, it is expensive but what is your data worth especially if you make you living with your Mac?
    It will be the way of the future I'm sure.

    FileMakerFeller
  • Reply 7 of 13
    LeoMCLeoMC Posts: 102member
    Why should one waste time, logging out from accounts when the wipe makes sure that happens too?
  • Reply 8 of 13
    Mike WuertheleMike Wuerthele Posts: 6,922administrator
    LeoMC said:
    Why should one waste time, logging out from accounts when the wipe makes sure that happens too?
    Because it doesn't. If you don't follow the procedure, your device will still be registered on your iCloud account.
    GeorgeBMacgatorguyFileMakerFellerwatto_cobra
  • Reply 9 of 13
    mfrydmfryd Posts: 223member
    LeoMC said:
    Why should one waste time, logging out from accounts when the wipe makes sure that happens too?

    It's not logging out of the account.  It is de-registering the computer.  You can have up to 5 computers registered to your iTunes account.  A computer stays registered, even if you wipe it clean.   The easiest way to de-register is from the registered computer.   That's not possible if you no longer have the computer.

    The other alternative is to de-register all your computers, but Apple severely limits are often this can be done.

    Thus, the best course of action is to de-register a computer before you wipe it clean.

    FileMakerFellerwatto_cobra
  • Reply 10 of 13
    GeorgeBMacGeorgeBMac Posts: 11,421member
    For backups I wish Apple would up its game for MacBooks, etc.
    The iCloud backup seems to work very well for iPhones & iPads.  But MacBooks are still reliant on the "old" external drive -- which I find very inconvenient.

    It is one of the reasons why I prefer my old style Thinkpads.   I install a second (old) harddrive (of which I have several laying around after upgrading the C: drive to SSDs) and Windows backs up the C: drive to it on a regular basis without me doing anything at all -- just as Apple does for iPhones using iCloud).

    Expanding that capability to MacBooks would be very nice.

    Thinking about it:  MacBooks use mostly off the shelf hardware available to any manufacturer.   For them to stand out, Apple needs to exploit the advantages offered by its software and ecosystem.   But they have not exploited those advantages nearly as much for Macs as they have for iPhones.
  • Reply 11 of 13
    A little off-topic but it's related so I'll mention it.

    iCloud email addresses are free. But you need to create one from an Apple device and, to prevent abuse, Apple sets a limit of THREE on creation on new addresses. There's not a limit - as far as I know - on creation of AppleIDs with other email addresses. The limit is on new iCloud email accounts.

    And there is NO way to reset that since it's enforced in iCloud-AppleID-land.

    So if you buy an Apple device from someone and, not having an iCloud email account, try to create one but are rejected, this will be why. 

    BTW - I always recommend that new owners of Apple devices create an AppleID with its associated iCloud account. More than a few have been forced to change email accounts for various reasons and, although you can change the associated email address, you can never change the AppleID itself. Friends don't let friends do that.
    FileMakerFellerwatto_cobra
  • Reply 12 of 13

    mfryd said:
    LeoMC said:
    Why should one waste time, logging out from accounts when the wipe makes sure that happens too?

    It's not logging out of the account.  It is de-registering the computer.  You can have up to 5 computers registered to your iTunes account.  A computer stays registered, even if you wipe it clean.   The easiest way to de-register is from the registered computer.   That's not possible if you no longer have the computer.

    The other alternative is to de-register all your computers, but Apple severely limits are often this can be done.

    Thus, the best course of action is to de-register a computer before you wipe it clean.

    Amen to that. Some years ago I had a Mac that went in for repair - and came back with a new motherboard. 

    Oops.

    No way to de-register the old one and I was already at the limit. So the delete-all sledgehammer was my only tool. 

    Very messy. So take the hint - de-register first.
    GeorgeBMacwatto_cobra
  • Reply 13 of 13
    Well I’ve wiped everything as per instructions (I believe) but no luck with the setting up..
    I get as far as selecting the disc to install on and get ;the operation couldn’t be completed. Permission denied’



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