So either a Mac OS X 10.6.8 Install DVD will be needed or Mac OS X 10.7 or later written to a USB Thumb Drive as an Installer. IMO, an iMac running Mac OS X Tiger is a boat anchor. Apr 08, 2019 Choose your Mac's system drive, usually named Macintosh HD, then click Erase. Select the Format option Mac Extended (Journaled) or APFS. Click Erase, confirm the action if prompted, and wait.
Selling your old Mac is easy after all the resale value of Apple devices beats all its competitors. However, it the part where you reset your Mac before selling it, that is a tad bit difficult.
Although laborious, it is important to devote your full attention to the process. After all you don’t want to loose your precious data or worse pass it on to someone else. This guide will help you prepare your Mac for sale; covering all major steps such as backup, disabling services and features, restoring factory setting, erasing the hard drive and reinstalling macOS again.
How to Restore Mac to Factory Settings Before Selling It
On paper, we can divide the process into three broad stages – the preparing stage, wiping the hard disk and reinstall macOS. In the latter two, most of the work will be done by your Mac; you just have to set the instructions and sip a coffee or two, while the processes are complete.
Though the preparation stage requires your full attention, for instance, you may lose crucial documents if the backup is not performed correctly. So, take a deep breath before you start to erase your old Mac and follow the steps mentioned below carefully.
What To Do Before You Sell or Trade-In your Mac
Creating Backup
This one’s a no brainer, backing up is a distinct and necessary step before you wipe your Mac. Not a very complicated procedure, we have already shared steps to create a backup using Time Machine on Mac.
Another way to safeguard your precious data is to directly transfer your data from your old Mac to the new one. Note that the backup may take a lot of time, though you can employ our hack for speeding up the machine backup via terminal commands to speed up the process.
While a backup is unavoidable during a total reset, everyone should incorporate this habit on a regular basis. Backing your devices saves your data from any unforeseen accidents. For instance, your Mac is lost, and while you are trying to recover it through Apple’s Find My Mac feature, you can remotely wipe your Mac to protect it as you already have an updated backup.
Deauthorize All Your Apple Services
With your Apple ID, you create an ecosystem; wherein all your Apple devices are interlinked. This may pose a threat to your and the new owner’s privacy, therefore, sign out from iTunes, iCloud, iMessage and all third party apps, whose licenses you have bought such as Photoshop.
Further, do not forget to remove Mac from your trusted devices. Check out our complete guide on deauthorizing your Mac for detailed tutorials. Though optional, it will be wiser if you also unpair all your Bluetooth devices such as keyboards, mouse, speakers, or earphones.
To unpair your Bluetooth devices, go to the Apple logo symbol () and select System Preferences. Click on Bluetooth, as you hover over the devices, a cross (x) will appear next to the device’s name. Click on the cross to Remove, as the dialog window asks you to confirm.
Not just for your Mac, similar steps should be taken for all Apple devices. Check out our exclusive guide for things you should surely do before selling your iPhone.
How to Erase Your Old Mac Before Selling It
The best way to wipe your Mac before you sell it is to erase your hard drive and reinstall macOS. While there are third-party apps available on your Mac Apple Store, Mac offers a fairly easy way to restore the factory settings.
Where is right. Before you move ahead, please ensure that the steps mentioned above have been taken care of.
Step #1. Restart your Mac and hold Command (⌘) + R, while the startup disc is waking up until you see the Apple logo.
![How How](https://i0.wp.com/512pixels.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/10-Public-Beta-Kodiak-About-This-Mac.png?ssl=1)
Step#2. Mac will now boot into macOS Recover, select your preferred language from the given options.
Step #3. Select Disk Utility from the options and click on Continue.
Step #4. Click on View from the menu bar and choose Show All Devices.
Step #5. Select the disk to erase from the sidebar; the default name for the startup disk is Macintosh HD.
Step #6. Click on the Erase button from the menu bar
Step #7. Go to Format section of the dialogue window and select APFS or Mac OS Extended (Journaled) depending upon your drive’s format.
Step #8. If the Scheme option is available, select GUID Partition Map. Then click on Erase to start erasing.
Step #9. The process will take some time, once done click on the Disk Utility from the top left corner of the screen and select Quit Disk Utility from the drop-down menu.
Microsoft Disk Wipe Tool
How to Reinstall the Mac Operating System
After quitting you will be directed back to the Utility window, if not restart your Mac. Ensure that you are installing macOS via the Recovery Mode as you won’t require to enter your Apple ID for this method.
Note that you will require a steady internet connection for the installation. Choose Wi-Fi from the menu bar, if a connection is available.
Step #1. If you are restarting Mac, then press either of the key combinations mentioned below until the Apple logo shows up for the desired result.
- Command (⌘) + R: This will install the latest macOS version that was installed on your Mac
- Option + Command (⌘) + R: This will upgrade to the latest macOS that is compatible with your Mac
- Shift + Option + Command (⌘) + R: This will install the original macOS that came with your device, or the closest version still available
Step #2. When the utility window shows up, select Reinstall macOS or Reinstall OS X and click on Continue.
Step #3. Follow the onscreen instruction and select the disk you want when prompted.
Step #4. Click on Install and wait for the installation to complete. During the installation, Mac will restart several times.
It may show you a progress bar or the screen may remain empty for several minutes. Do not close the lid or put your Mac to sleep.
Step #5. Once complete, your Mac restarts to a setup assistant. Do not complete the setup to allow the new owner to complete the installation with their own information. Press Command (⌘) + Q to quit the assistant and click Shut Down.
That all folks!!
Signing off…
Whether you are selling, giving away, or trading in your Mac, protecting your data and personal details from going into someone else’s hand is crucial.
You might also like to read:
In case you face any issue while resetting your Mac, feel free to ping us for help either in the comment section.
Jignesh Padhiyar is the co-founder of iGeeksBlog.com who has a keen eye for news, rumors and all the unusual stuff that happens around Apple products. During his tight schedule, Jignesh finds some moments of respite to share side-splitting contents on social media.
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Start up from macOS Recovery
Determine whether you're using a Mac with Apple silicon, then follow the appropriate steps:
- Apple silicon: Turn on your Mac and continue to press and hold the power button until you see the startup options window, which includes a gear icon labeled Options. Select Options, then click Continue.
- Intel processor: Make sure that your Mac has a connection to the internet. Then turn on your Mac and immediately press and hold Command (⌘)-R until you see an Apple logo or other image.
If you're asked to select a user you know the password for, select the user, click Next, then enter their administrator password.
Reinstall macOS
Select Reinstall macOS from the utilities window in macOS Recovery, then click Continue and follow the installer's instructions.
Follow these guidelines during installation: Unable to download chrome on mac.
- Allow installation to complete without putting your Mac to sleep or closing its lid. Your Mac might restart and show a progress bar several times, and the screen might be empty for minutes at a time.
- If the installer asks to unlock your disk, enter the password you use to log in to your Mac.
- If the installer doesn't see your disk, or it says that it can't install on your computer or volume, you might need to erase your disk first.
- If the installer is for a different version of macOS than you expected, learn about other installation options, below.
- If the installer offers you the choice between installing on Macintosh HD or Macintosh HD - Data, choose Macintosh HD.
After installation is complete, your Mac might restart to a setup assistant. If you're selling, trading in, or giving away your Mac, press Command-Q to quit the assistant without completing setup. Then click Shut Down. When the new owner starts up the Mac, they can use their own information to complete setup.
How To Wipe Mac Os X
Other macOS installation options
By default, macOS Recovery installs the latest macOS that was previously installed on your Mac.* You can get other macOS versions using one of these methods:
- On an Intel-based Mac, you can use Option-Command-R at startup to upgrade to the latest macOS that is compatible with your Mac. Exceptions:
- If macOS Sierra 10.12.4 or later was never previously installed, you will receive the macOS that came with your Mac, or the closest version still available.
- If your Mac has the Apple T2 Security Chip and you never installed a macOS update, you will receive the latest macOS that was installed on your Mac.
- On an Intel-based Mac that previously used macOS Sierra 10.12.4 or later, you can use Shift-Option-Command-R at startup to install the macOS that came with your Mac, or the closest version still available.
- Reinstall macOS from the App Store instead of using macOS Recovery. If you can't install the latest macOS, you might be able to install an earlier macOS.
- Create a bootable installer, then use it to install macOS on your Mac or another Mac.
Wipe Mac Os X Without Disc
* If you just had your Mac logic board replaced during a repair, macOS Recovery might offer only the latest macOS compatible with your Mac. If you erased your entire disk instead of just the startup volume on that disk, macOS Recovery might offer only the macOS that came with your Mac, or the closest version still available.