Quick Links

If you just bought a new Mac and want to resell your old MacBook Pro, then you should factory reset it. By doing so, all of your locally-stored personal data and preferences will be erased, and the laptop will restore its out-of-the-box status. The process of doing so depends on the operating system you're running, and there are some preparatory steps you must first follow. Worry not, however, as we will be detailing everything you need to know in this guide.

Create a backup

The first step is to create a backup of your MacBook Pro which includes your data, apps, music, photos, emails, etc. A backup can be done using Time Machine, the built-in backup feature of your MacBook, and it can be used to restore everything on your new device. All you need is an external storage device that is compatible with macOS and has enough storage space to safely back up all your data.

  1. Connect the external storage device.
  2. Open Time Machine Preferences from the Time Machine menu in the menu bar — Apple Logo > System Preferences > Time Machine.
  3. Select the external storage device by hitting the Select Backup Disk button, then click on Encrypt backups and Use Disk.
    Time Machine settings on macOS with select backup disk button highlighted
  4. After you select a backup disk, Time Machine should immediately begin making a backup.
  5. To start a backup manually, choose Back Up Now from the Time Machine menu in the menu bar. Use the same menu to check the status of a backup or skip a backup in progress.

Sign out of iCloud and other services

After creating a backup, it's recommended to sign out of all Apple services such as iTunes, iCloud, and iMessage.

  1. Open the Apple Logo menu in the upper-left corner and click on System Preferences.
  2. Click on Apple ID if you're using macOS Catalina (10.15) or later. If you're using an older version of macOS, click iCloud instead.
  3. On the left side, select Overview, and click on the Sign Out button at the bottom. Earlier versions of macOS should directly have the Sign Out button.
  4. Next, sign out of your Apple Music account, or iTunes account if your MacBook Pro is running macOS Mojave or earlier.
  5. Open the Music/iTunes app.
  6. On the top menu bar, you should see the option for Account.
  7. Open the drop-down menu, and click on Authorizations > De-authorize This Computer.
    Deauthorize this computer button in account settings in Apple Music app on macOS
  8. You'll be asked to enter your Apple ID and password to confirm the same.
  9. Finally, you should sign out of the Messages app.
  10. Open the Messages app on your MacBook Pro, click Messages on the top menu bar, and open Preferences.
  11. Click on the iMessage tab and you should see the option to Sign Out next to your Apple ID.
    sign out button in iMessage settings on macOS

Factory reset on macOS Big Sur and earlier

We can finally move on to factory resetting your MacBook Pro where all your data, apps, and settings will be removed. If your MacBook Pro is running macOS Big Sur or earlier, you can follow the steps below.

  1. Power up your MacBook Pro into recovery mode. This can be done by turning on your Mac, then immediately pressing and holding the Command and R keys.
  2. If asked, select a user you know the password for, then enter their administrator password.
  3. From the utilities window, select Disk Utility and click Continue.
  4. Select Macintosh HD in the sidebar of Disk Utility and click the Erase button in the toolbar.
  5. Select the disk format as APFS if you're running macOS 10.13 High Sierra and later. It's also better for newer SSD's. If you have an older MacBook Pro, select Mac OS Extended (Journaled).
  6. Click Erase Volume Group. If you don't see this button, click Erase instead. After the erasure is done, select any other internal volumes in the sidebar, then click the delete volume button in the toolbar to delete that volume.
    erase volume group button in disk utility app on macOS
  7. Once you have erased your disks, quit Disk Utility and return to the utilities window.
  8. Select Reinstall macOS in the utilities window, then click Continue and follow the onscreen instructions to reinstall macOS.
  9. Make sure you don't close the lid while the OS is being installed.

Factory reset on macOS Monterey and later

The macOS Sonoma install page in macOS recovery.

If you're running macOS Monterey or later, then the process is even simpler. Apple has baked the functionality in a more intuitive and user-facing manner, sparing you the need to erase volumes and reinstall the operating system. The process on macOS Monterey slightly differs from that on Ventura and later versions, including the latest macOS Sonoma. For this reason, we've detailed the steps you need to follow, no matter which recent macOS version you're running, in this dedicated guide.

The bottom line: Factory resetting your MacBook Pro is important

As you can see, factory resetting your MacBook Pro is doable, as long as you follow the instructions carefully. Don't forget to back up your important data in advance, as wiping the disk will expectedly delete your local content as well. Do note that it's important to go through this process if you plan to resell or give away your MacBook Pro, as you wouldn't want the new owner to access your files and apps. Factory resetting is also a solid way to fix some common macOS problems when all else fails.