Guide: How to Reset Your Macbook
Have you decided to give or sell your old MacBook, iMac, Mac mini or Mac Pro ? It is important to always know How to Factory Reset a Macbook. In our guide, we explain to you not only how to reset your Macbook, but also how to save your data, delete it, and then install a new version of a Mac OS operating system.
Before deleting all of your Mac data, make sure you have saved it to another location (on the Cloud or an external hard drive). You are thus sure that you will not lose any important data and that you will be able to access it again. If you have already deleted your data, do not worry: in most cases, it is also possible to recover the deleted files on your Mac.
Let’s Know How to Factory Reset your Macbook
Step 1: disconnect from the iTunes Store
If you want to reset your Mac, you must first disconnect it from your iTunes account. This is important because you can only connect a total of five macOS devices to your iTunes account. Start by opening the iTunes application. From the menu bar, at the top of the screen, select “Account”, then “Authorization” and “Remove access authorization from this computer. Enter your Apple username and password and select “Cancel authorization.. This is the first step for How to Factory Reset a Macbook
Step 2: Disconnect from iCloud
If you are using the Catalina macOS operating system or a more recent version, you can access System Preferences via the Apple menu (just click on the apple symbol) to find “Apple Identifier. In the sidebar, select “Overview”, then click “Disconnection. For Mojave macOS or older operating systems, select “iCloud” in System Preferences, then click “Disconnection.
Step 3: Disconnect from iMessage
Open the “Messages” application and select “Messages”, then “Preferences” in the menu bar. Click on “iMessage“, then on “Disconnection. Thus, third parties will not be able to access your messages if you share your device.. We need to follow this step to How to Factory Reset a Macbook
Step 4: Reset NVRAM memory
With NVRAM (non-volatile RAM memory), certain parameters are stored in the RAM in order to be able to access them quickly. If you skip this step, many configurations will still be active, even after deleting the hard drive. To empty the memory, turn off your Mac. When you restart it, press the following keys simultaneously for about 20 seconds :
User settings are erased from RAM and security functions are restored.
Step 5: Deactivate the twinning of Bluetooth devices
Over time, you have probably connected many devices via Bluetooth to your Mac: keyboard, mouse, trackpad, speakers, etc.
If you want to Factory reset a Mac and give it, but you want to keep your Bluetooth devices, you must dissociate them. This avoids accidental seizure if your Mac and your device have different owners but are in the Bluetooth range. Under System Preferences, you will find the Bluetooth menu. Click the deletion button (x) to deactivate the corresponding twinning.
If you dissociate the Bluetooth input devices from a desktop computer such as an iMac, remember to plug in a keyboard and a USB mouse to continue using it.
Step 6: Erase the hard drive and reinstall MacOS
After removing all shortcuts and removing all settings, you can erase your hard drive and install a new operating system. Here is the procedure to reset your Mac.
To do this, turn on your Mac and hold down the ⁇ and R keys until you see the Apple logo, a rotary globe or any other home screen. Log in with your password, if you are invited. The “Utilities” window opens. Select the “Last Disc Utility” option here and click “Continue.
Under “View”, select the “View all devices” option. You will now see your hard drives in the sidebar, as well as all the containers and volumes they contain. Select the appropriate hard drive and click “Delete. Then fill in the following fields :
- Name: name of the hard drive after deletion
- Format: APFS or Mac OS Extended (Journaled); the disk utility already displays a compatible format
- Diagram: select “GUID partitioning table
By pressing “Clear”, you begin to delete the hard drive. You can then reinstall the operating system on the hard drive. Follow the instructions on the screen to install a new version of IOS on your device. However, during this operation, avoid entering your Apple username or password, in order to leave your Mac in factory mode.
Now you know the steps how to reset your Macbook. Go easy.
