Erase a Mac through Erase All Content and Settings when available, then use macOS Recovery only when it is not.
Selling a Mac with your photos, messages, browser logins, and Apple Account still on it is a risky handoff. The Mac model and macOS version decide how to erase a Mac without leaving your data behind: newer models use Erase All Content and Settings, while older Intel models use macOS Recovery.
The main job is simple: back up anything you need, remove personal access, erase the internal disk, and leave the Mac at the setup screen for the next owner. Do not set it up again with your Apple Account after the reset.
Which Erase Method Matches Your Mac?
Erase All Content and Settings is the first method to try on a Mac with Apple silicon or a Mac with the Apple T2 Security Chip running macOS Monterey 12 or later. macOS Recovery is the fallback for older Intel models or any Mac that does not show the erase button.
Before starting, connect the Mac to power and Wi-Fi. Make a Time Machine backup or copy your files to an external drive, because erasing the Mac permanently removes local files.
- Use Erase All Content and Settings when the button appears in macOS.
- Use macOS Recovery when the button is missing, grayed out, or unsupported.
- Use a wired USB input device if Bluetooth accessories might disconnect during the reset.
- On an Apple silicon Mac with macOS Tahoe 26 or later after a repair, run Repair Assistant first if the Mac reports an unfinished repair.
Use Erase All Content And Settings First
Erase All Content and Settings is the least fussy method when the Mac qualifies. Apple says the feature removes settings, data, and apps while keeping the installed operating system in place, which is why it is the preferred reset flow for newer Macs.
On macOS Ventura 13 or later, open Apple menu > System Settings > General > Transfer or Reset, then click Erase All Content and Settings. Apple’s current factory-reset page lists the same path in its Erase All Content and Settings steps.
- Enter the administrator password you use to log in to the Mac.
- Choose whether to back up with Time Machine if Erase Assistant offers it.
- Review the summary showing the accounts, media, settings, and data that will be removed.
- Enter your Apple Account password if the Mac asks you to sign out.
- Click Erase All Content & Settings to confirm.
The Mac restarts, activates, and then opens Setup Assistant. For a sale or trade-in, hold the power button until the Mac turns off instead of completing setup.
Use macOS Recovery When The Button Is Missing
macOS Recovery is the manual reset path for older Intel Macs and for machines that cannot use Erase All Content and Settings. Recovery erases the startup disk with Disk Utility, then reinstalls macOS so the Mac can boot again.
On an Intel Mac, choose Apple menu > Restart, then immediately hold Command-R until Recovery opens. Select Disk Utility, click Continue, select Macintosh HD, and click Erase.
Use Macintosh HD as the name. Choose APFS when Disk Utility offers it, then click Erase Volume Group; if that button is not shown, click Erase. Quit Disk Utility, choose Reinstall macOS, and follow the screen prompts.
After reinstalling, the Mac reaches Setup Assistant. A Mac meant for someone else should be shut down there, before any Apple Account is added.
Erasing A Mac Before Selling: Steps That Fit The Model
Erasing a Mac before selling should match the hardware, not just the macOS version. Apple silicon and T2-equipped Intel Macs have a faster erase flow because the security hardware can remove user data while keeping macOS installed.
The table below gives the method to use before you touch the erase button.
| Mac Situation | Method To Use | What Happens Next |
|---|---|---|
| Apple silicon with macOS Monterey 12 or later | Erase All Content and Settings | User data is removed and macOS stays installed. |
| Intel Mac with Apple T2 Security Chip and macOS Monterey 12 or later | Erase All Content and Settings | The Mac resets to a factory-style setup screen. |
| macOS Ventura 13 or later with the erase button visible | System Settings > General > Transfer or Reset | Erase Assistant walks you through sign-out and reset. |
| macOS Monterey 12 with the erase option visible | System Preferences menu > Erase All Content and Settings | Erase Assistant opens from the menu bar. |
| macOS Big Sur 11 or earlier | macOS Recovery and Disk Utility | The startup disk is erased, then macOS is reinstalled. |
| Intel Mac without Apple T2 Security Chip | macOS Recovery and Disk Utility | You erase Macintosh HD manually. |
| Mac with a Boot Camp Windows partition | Remove Boot Camp before using Erase Assistant | The Windows partition no longer blocks the erase flow. |
| Mac being sold, traded, or gifted | Shut down at the setup screen | The next owner starts setup with their own account. |
What Gets Removed When You Erase A Mac?
Erasing a Mac removes local accounts, local files, apps you installed, saved settings, and Apple service sign-ins from that Mac. iCloud files, photos, messages, and purchases stored in your Apple Account are not deleted from Apple’s servers just because you erase one computer.
For older reset flows, sign out of iMessage and iCloud before erasing if the Mac still lets you sign in normally. That extra step can prevent Activation Lock or account prompts from bothering the next owner.
Trouble Spots That Stop The Erase
Most erase failures come from an unsupported Mac, a missing startup disk, a blocked activation step, or an account password problem. Work through the error before repeating the erase, because another attempt with the same cause usually fails again.
| What You See | Likely Cause | Move To Make |
|---|---|---|
| Erase All Content and Settings is missing | The Mac or macOS version does not qualify | Use macOS Recovery and Disk Utility. |
| Erase Assistant asks for an admin password | The Mac needs a local administrator login | Use the password for the current Mac account. |
| Apple Account sign-out fails | The account password or network connection failed | Reconnect Wi-Fi and retry the Apple Account password. |
| Other volumes must be erased first | Boot Camp or extra internal volumes are present | Remove the extra volume before erasing again. |
| Macintosh HD does not appear | Disk Utility is not showing the startup disk | Shut down, unplug nonneeded devices, and reopen Recovery. |
| Bluetooth device stops working | Accessories can unpair during erase steps | Plug in a mouse, trackpad, or typing device with USB if possible. |
| Setup Assistant appears after erase | The reset completed | Shut down there if the Mac is leaving your hands. |
Leave The Mac Ready For Its Next Owner
A finished reset leaves the Mac at Setup Assistant, not inside your desktop. That screen means your data is gone from the Mac and the next person can choose their language, Wi-Fi, and Apple Account.
- Confirm your backup exists before erasing.
- Use Erase All Content and Settings if your Mac offers it.
- Use macOS Recovery only when the erase button is not available.
- Reinstall macOS after Disk Utility erases an older Intel Mac.
- Stop at Setup Assistant when selling, gifting, or trading the Mac.
A proper handoff is boring: no signed-in Apple Account, no old user account, no personal Bluetooth accessory names, and no completed setup under your name.
References & Sources
- Apple.“Erase your Mac and reset it to factory settings.”Supports the Erase All Content and Settings path, restart behavior, and eligibility notes for newer Macs.