A factory reset completely erases all data and settings on a MacBook and restores it to the original factory settings. This can be useful if you are selling or giving away your MacBook, switching macOS users, troubleshooting software issues, or simply want a fresh start.
Resetting to factory settings is especially recommended before selling or gifting a used MacBook, as it wipes all personal data and customizations, allowing the new owner to start fresh. It also resolves many system problems caused by outdated software, misconfigurations, malware, or corrupted files.
With the release of macOS Big Sur, the process for resetting a MacBook has changed slightly compared to previous macOS versions. However, the general principles remain the same. This guide will walk through how to fully erase and restore a MacBook to its factory defaults on Big Sur.
A full factory reset can save time troubleshooting or transferring ownership compared to selectively removing data and settings. It returns the MacBook to the same pristine state it was in when first purchased.
Back Up Your Data
Before resetting your MacBook, it is crucial to back up your files and data. A factory reset will erase everything on your Mac’s startup disk, including documents, photos, music, apps, and settings. The best way to protect your data is to create a full backup using Time Machine.
Time Machine is the built-in backup utility in macOS that can back up your entire Mac to an external drive [1]. To set up Time Machine, connect an external hard drive that is at least twice the size of your Mac’s startup disk. Then open System Preferences > Time Machine and select the external drive as the backup disk. Enable automatic backups so Time Machine continually protects your data.
Time Machine will back up everything on your Mac, including system files, applications, accounts, and settings [2]. It allows you to go “back in time” to restore previous versions of files or your entire system. Before resetting your Mac, run a manual backup by selecting “Back Up Now” in the Time Machine menu bar icon.
An alternative is backing up to iCloud Drive. However, this requires manually selecting folders to sync and only backs up your user account data. For a full system backup before resetting your Mac, Time Machine is recommended.
Sign Out of iCloud
Before factory resetting your MacBook, it is important to sign out of your Apple ID in iCloud. This disconnects your Mac from iCloud services and ensures your data in iCloud does not get deleted during the reset process. Here are the steps to sign out of iCloud on your MacBook running Big Sur:
1. Click on the Apple menu in the top left corner of your screen and select System Preferences.
2. In System Preferences, click on your Apple ID at the top of the sidebar. This will open your Apple ID account details.
3. In the Overview section, click on the Sign Out button. Confirm that you want to sign out of your Apple ID.
4. Enter your account password when prompted to fully sign out of iCloud and your Apple ID (Source 1).
5. You will see a confirmation message that you have signed out successfully. Your Mac is now disconnected from iCloud.
Following these steps ensures your iCloud data remains intact before resetting your MacBook. It is recommended to sign back into your Apple ID after completing the factory reset process.
Erase the Startup Disk
Here are the step-by-step instructions for erasing the startup disk from the macOS Recovery menu:
- Restart your Mac and immediately press and hold Command-R to boot into Recovery mode.
- Select Disk Utility from the macOS Utilities window and click Continue.
- In Disk Utility, select your startup disk from the sidebar.
- Click the Erase button at the top of the window.
- Enter a name for the erased volume and select a format – APFS is recommended.
- Click Erase to confirm – this will completely erase all data on the startup disk.
- When done, click Done to exit Disk Utility.
Now your startup disk is completely erased and prepared for reinstallation of macOS. Be sure to have a backup of your data before erasing the disk, as this step will permanently delete all files. See Apple’s support guide for more details on erasing from Recovery.
Reinstall macOS
After erasing the startup disk, you will need to reinstall the Mac operating system. Here are the steps to reinstall macOS Big Sur (make sure you have a recent backup before proceeding):
1. Restart your Mac and hold down the Command and R keys to boot into Recovery Mode. You’ll see the macOS Utilities window.
2. Select Reinstall macOS from the Utilities window and click Continue.
3. Follow the onscreen instructions to reinstall the latest version of macOS your Mac shipped with. This will install a clean version of the operating system.
The reinstallation process will take some time as the entire operating system will need to be downloaded and installed. Make sure your Mac is connected to power and has a stable internet connection during this process.
Once the reinstallation is complete, you will be presented with the macOS setup assistant to reconfigure your settings. Your Mac will now have a fresh install of the operating system.
For more details, refer to Apple’s guide on how to erase and reinstall macOS.
Restore From Backup
After erasing your startup disk and reinstalling macOS, you’ll want to restore your files, settings, and apps from a backup. The easiest way to do this is to use Time Machine.
To restore from a Time Machine backup on an Intel-based Mac (source):
- Choose Apple menu > Restart, immediately press and hold Command-R until you see the startup screen, then follow the onscreen instructions to start up from macOS Recovery.
- Click Restore From Time Machine Backup.
- Select your Time Machine backup and the backed-up system to restore from.
- Click Continue to begin the restoration process. This may take some time depending on the size of your backup.
Once the restoration is complete, your Mac should be returned to the state it was in when the backup was made, with your files, settings, and apps recovered.
If you don’t have a Time Machine backup, you can still restore files and settings from your iCloud account, provided you had iCloud Backup enabled. To do this (source):
- When setting up your Mac, select Restore from iCloud Backup.
- Sign in with your Apple ID and select the backup you want to restore from.
- Enable the apps and settings you want to restore. This will download your iCloud data.
While less robust than Time Machine, iCloud Backup can help recover critical files, settings, and app data.
Reconfigure Settings
After resetting your MacBook, you will need to reconfigure some of the settings and preferences to your liking (1). Some key settings to review and reconfigure include:
- under System Preferences, reconfigure your desktop and screen saver, Dock, Mission Control, and other interface settings
- in the Keyboard preference pane, recreate any custom keyboard shortcuts you had
- under Security & Privacy, re-enable FileVault encryption if you had it enabled before
- in Sharing preferences, re-enable any file sharing or screen sharing access you need
- under Users & Groups, recreate your login password and review the permissions for your user account
- check your Energy Saver settings for sleep and display configuration
- reconfigure any custom settings in apps like Mail, Calendar, Contacts, Notes, etc.
Some settings are stored in the cloud if you use iCloud synchronization, but many preferences will need to be reconfigured manually. Review each System Preferences pane carefully. Recreating your custom settings will help make your MacBook feel like your own again after the reset.
(1) https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/erase-and-reinstall-macos-mh27903/mac
Reinstall Apps
Once you have reinstalled macOS and restored your data from a backup, you will likely need to reinstall many of your third-party applications. Apps purchased through the App Store should reinstall automatically once you sign back into your Apple ID. However, apps installed manually or from third-party developers will need to be redownloaded and installed again.
Go through your Applications folder and make a list of any apps that did not automatically reinstall. Check the developers’ websites to redownload installers for each app. If the app requires a license or activation code, locate this information so you can activate the app after reinstalling it. Some apps may retain your license when reinstalling if you use the same Apple ID.
Be sure to reinstall essential productivity apps you relied on before resetting your MacBook. Apps like Microsoft Office, Adobe Creative Cloud, web browsers, antivirus software, and utility apps will need to be reinstalled for you to have a fully functional Mac again.
Refer to your old Applications folder and LaunchPad to jog your memory on what apps you frequently used. Don’t forget about menu bar apps, widgets, Safari extensions, and other small but important add-ons. Take your time and be meticulous about reinstalling all your apps.
Troubleshooting
Sometimes factory resets on MacBooks don’t go as smoothly as planned. Here are some solutions for common issues that may arise:
If your Mac gets stuck on the Apple logo during the reset process, try restarting into recovery mode again and reinstalling the OS. Instructions can be found in the Apple discussions thread.
If you forgot your firmware password before resetting, you may need to schedule a Genius Bar appointment to have it reset for you. Apple stores can bypass firmware passwords so you can complete the reset. See this Tom’s Guide forum post for more details.
For any other issues not booting properly after resetting, try reinstalling macOS from recovery mode again. The OS files may have been corrupted during initial install. Follow the steps above to redownload Big Sur from the App Store and retry setup.
Conclusion
Factory resetting your MacBook is a relatively straightforward process that involves backing up your data, erasing the startup disk, reinstalling macOS, and restoring your files. While it may seem daunting, it can often resolve software issues, free up storage space, and give you a fresh start with your computer.
Some key steps are signing out of iCloud, erasing the startup disk in Recovery mode, reinstalling the desired version of macOS, and then migrating your data back from a backup. Be sure to reconfigure any settings, reinstall mission-critical applications, and run Software Update after resetting your MacBook.
Overall, factory resetting is a useful troubleshooting technique for MacBooks that are experiencing performance issues, bugs, or storage constraints. By wiping the drive and starting over, you can often revive an aging computer and reclaim precious drive space. Just be absolutely certain to backup your important files beforehand.