How To Erase A Mac Before Selling | Factory Reset Guide

Factory resetting a Mac before selling it erases all personal data, signs out of Apple services, and reinstalls macOS so the new owner starts fresh.

Before you work out how to erase a Mac before selling, check which macOS version it runs — that one detail decides whether you use the one-click Erase All Content and Settings tool or the manual Recovery Mode route. On macOS Monterey 12 and later, the built-in tool handles the entire job automatically. On older systems, you step through Recovery Mode yourself. Either way, the result is the same: a clean Mac that boots to the setup screen for its next owner.

Erasing A Mac Before Selling: What The Process Actually Does

Erasing a Mac for resale goes far beyond emptying the Trash. The process destroys the encryption key stored on the device’s security hardware — the Apple Silicon chip or T2 chip on Intel models — which makes your data permanently unreadable. It also signs your Apple Account out of iCloud, disables Find My Mac and Activation Lock, then reinstalls a fresh copy of macOS. When it finishes, the Mac lands on the Setup Assistant with none of your files, settings, or accounts remaining.

Method One: Use “Erase All Content And Settings” (Monterey Through Ventura+)

Macs running macOS Monterey 12 or later include a dedicated Erase All Content and Settings feature. It handles sign-out, data removal, OS reinstall, and Activation Lock disable in a single workflow. This works on Apple Silicon (M1 through M3), T2-equipped Intel Macs, and standard Intel Macs running the required macOS version.

Before you start, back up anything you want to keep using Time Machine or another backup method. Once the erase runs, the data is gone permanently.

On macOS Ventura 13 or later:

1. Open System Settings from the Apple menu.
2. Go to General > Transfer or Reset.
3. Click Erase All Content and Settings.
4. Enter your administrator password when the Erase Assistant opens.
5. Review the summary of what will be erased, then click Continue.
6. Enter your Apple Account password to sign out of iCloud and other services. Ignore any prompts to sign back in.
7. Click Erase All Content & Settings to confirm.

On macOS Monterey 12:

1. Open System Preferences from the Apple menu.
2. In the menu bar, click Erase All Content and Settings.
3. Follow steps 4 through 7 from the Ventura instructions above.

The Mac restarts twice during the process. When it finishes and shows the Setup Assistant screen, the erase succeeded — the Mac is ready for its new owner.

Apple Support: Erase your Mac and reset it to factory settings

Method Two: Manual Recovery Mode (For Older Intel Macs)

Macs running macOS Big Sur 11 or earlier, or any Intel Mac that lacks the Erase All Content and Settings option, need the manual Recovery Mode approach. This method requires several pre-erase steps because the Recovery tool does not sign out of accounts automatically.

Pre-erase steps:

• Back up your data with Time Machine.
• Sign out of iCloud: System Preferences > Apple ID > Overview > Sign Out.
• Sign out of iMessage: Messages > Preferences > iMessage > Sign Out.
• Deauthorize the computer for media purchases: Music (or iTunes) > Account > Authorizations > Deauthorize This Computer.
• Disable Find My Mac: System Preferences > Apple ID > iCloud > uncheck Find My Mac.

Enter Recovery Mode and erase the disk:

1. Restart the Mac and hold Command + R until the Apple logo appears.
2. Select Disk Utility from the macOS Utilities window, then click Continue.
3. In Disk Utility, click View > Show All Devices.
4. Select the top-level entry for your startup disk — labeled something like “Apple SSD” or “Macintosh HD” with the internal drive name above it.
5. Click Erase. For format, choose APFS. For scheme, choose GUID Partition Map if available.
6. Click Erase (or Erase Volume Group on T2-equipped Macs). Disk Utility confirms when the erase finishes.

Reinstall macOS:

1. Quit Disk Utility to return to the macOS Utilities window.
2. Select Reinstall macOS and click Continue.
3. Select the erased disk and click Install.
4. Let the installation complete. Plug the power cable in if using a notebook.

Stop at the setup screen: When the Mac reboots into the Setup Assistant, press Command + Q to shut it down. The Setup Assistant screen means the reinstall finished successfully. Do not complete the setup — leave it for the new owner.

Erase Methods Compared

Common Mistakes To Avoid

The most frequent error is skipping the iCloud sign-out on manual erases, which leaves Activation Lock active and prevents the buyer from using the Mac. On the automatic method, the Erase Assistant handles this — but only if you enter your Apple Account password when prompted. Ignoring that prompt and clicking “Skip” keeps your account linked to the device.

Another common mistake is completing the Setup Assistant after reinstalling macOS. The Mac should stop at the “Hello” or welcome screen. If you walk through the setup steps and create a new account, the buyer inherits an already-configured machine instead of a fresh one.

On Apple Silicon Macs, using Command + R at boot instead of holding the Power button can lead to the wrong Recovery environment. For M-series Macs, always use the power button method: press and hold until “Loading Startup Options” appears, then select Options.

What Happens To Your Data After Erasing It?

When you erase a Mac with FileVault enabled — which is the default on modern systems — the process destroys the encryption key rather than overwriting individual files. Without that key, the encrypted data on the drive becomes permanently unreadable, even with forensic tools. This is the same standard used by enterprise IT and government agencies for retiring devices. The Erase All Content and Settings feature handles this automatically. On the manual method, erasing the volume group removes the key the same way.

If FileVault was disabled before the erase, standard disk erasure leaves data potentially recoverable. For high-security needs, enable FileVault before erasing, or use the Erase All Content and Settings method which ensures the drive is encrypted first.

Final Pre-Sale Checklist

A Mac that reaches the Setup Assistant screen with no accounts configured is ready for sale. Hand it over, and the buyer goes through their own setup — just like unboxing a new machine.