How To Erase An iMac | Factory Reset Walkthrough

Erasing an iMac is done through Erase All Content and Settings in System Settings on macOS Ventura 13 or later, with Recovery mode for older systems.

If you’re selling, trading in, or passing an iMac along, the data on it needs to vanish completely — not just deleted from the Trash. A proper factory erase removes your accounts, settings, and files in a way that can’t be easily recovered, and knowing how to erase an iMac the right way depends on which macOS version it runs. Below, you’ll find both the modern one-click method and the classic Recovery route, with exact steps for each.

The Fastest Way To Erase Your iMac

The Erase All Content and Settings option in System Settings is Apple’s recommended method for iMacs running macOS Ventura 13 or later, or macOS Monterey 12. It removes all data, accounts, and settings in a single flow and reinstalls the latest macOS automatically.

Apple introduced this feature to replace the manual Recovery workflow for most users. Instead of booting into a separate environment and running Disk Utility, the process runs from within your normal login session. The Mac handles signing out of iCloud, deactivating Find My, and removing Apple Account authorizations as part of the sequence.

How To Check If Your iMac Supports The Built-In Erase Option

Open the Apple menu and choose About This Mac to see your macOS version. Ventura is version 13, Monterey is version 12 — both include Erase All Content and Settings in System Settings. If you see a version earlier than 12, or if Transfer or Reset isn’t under General in System Settings, your iMac will need the Recovery method instead.

Erasing Your iMac: Rules That Apply To Each macOS Version

Which method you use comes down to one factor: the macOS version your iMac is running. The table below shows how the two approaches compare across the decision points that matter most. Apple’s official guide for erasing a Mac confirms that Erase All Content and Settings is the preferred method on supported systems.

What To Do Before You Erase Your iMac

A few minutes of prep prevents lost data and activation headaches. Run through this checklist before starting either erase method.

Step-By-Step: Erase Your iMac Using System Settings

Follow these steps exactly in order. The process is the same on both Ventura and Monterey, though Monterey uses System Preferences instead of System Settings.

1. Back up anything you want to keep. Apple prompts you to use Time Machine during the erase flow, but do this ahead of time.
2. Click the Apple menu and choose System Settings (or System Preferences on Monterey).
3. Click General in the sidebar, then click Transfer or Reset.
4. Click Erase All Content and Settings.
5. Enter your administrator name and password when Erase Assistant appears, then click Unlock.
6. Review the list of items that will be removed — settings, media, data, Apple Account associations, and more.
7. Click Continue and follow any onscreen prompts to sign out of your Apple Account and other services.
8. Click Erase All Content & Settings to confirm.

The iMac restarts once the process begins, may ask you to pair a Bluetooth keyboard or mouse, completes activation, and then boots into Setup Assistant — the same screen you saw when it was brand new. That’s your cue that the erase finished successfully.

Using Recovery Mode When The Built-In Option Isn’t Available

If your iMac runs an older macOS — Catalina, Big Sur, or earlier — or if Erase All Content and Settings isn’t showing in System Settings, the Recovery method erases the startup disk manually and reinstalls macOS.

1. Back up your data first. This process erases everything on the drive with no recovery shortcut.
2. Shut down the iMac.
3. Intel iMac: Press the power button and immediately hold Command (⌘) + Option (⌥) + R until a spinning globe or Apple logo appears. Apple silicon iMac (M1/M2/M3): Press and hold the power button until Loading Startup Options appears, then click Options and click Continue.
4. When the macOS Utilities window appears, select Disk Utility and click Continue.
5. Select your startup disk (usually named Macintosh HD) in the sidebar. Click Erase, choose APFS for most modern iMacs or Mac OS Extended (Journaled) for older hard-drive models, then click Erase.
6. Quit Disk Utility and select Reinstall macOS from the macOS Utilities window.
7. Follow the onscreen prompts. The iMac downloads and installs the latest macOS version it can run, then boots into Setup Assistant — confirming the erase and reinstall are complete.

Mistakes That Trip People Up When Erasing An iMac

• Skipping the backup. The erase is irreversible. Apple includes a Time Machine prompt for a reason — use it.
• Choosing the wrong disk format in Recovery. Most Intel iMacs from 2017 onward and all Apple silicon iMacs require APFS. Older hard-drive iMacs need Mac OS Extended (Journaled). Pick the wrong one and the macOS installer won’t recognize the drive.
• Forgetting to sign out of your Apple Account before Recovery. The built-in Erase option does this for you, but in Recovery the sign-out needs to happen manually. Skip it and the next owner will see an activation lock.
• Following outdated guides. Many older tutorials send users straight to Recovery even when Erase All Content and Settings is available. Check your macOS version first — the newer method is faster and safer.

After The Erase: Your iMac Is Ready For Its Next Owner

Once Setup Assistant appears, your iMac is in the same state it was when it left the factory. The new owner picks their region, connects to Wi-Fi, and signs in with their own Apple Account — no trace of your data remains. If you erased it for yourself as a fresh start, walk through Setup Assistant just as you did the first time. Either way, the heavy lifting is done.