There are a few potential reasons why you may not see the option to erase all content on your Mac:
The Mac is Using a Newer Version of macOS
In newer versions of macOS, Apple changed the wording of this option from “Erase all content” to “Erase all content and settings.” So if your Mac is running macOS 10.15 Catalina or newer, look for an option called “Erase all content and settings” instead.
To check what version of macOS your Mac is running, go to the Apple menu > About This Mac. Look at the number next to “macOS.” If it’s 10.15 or higher, you’ll need to look for the updated wording.
The Option is Hidden in Recovery Mode
The “Erase all content” option is located in Recovery Mode on your Mac. To access Recovery Mode:
- Restart your Mac and immediately press and hold Command + R until you see the Apple logo or a spinning globe.
- Select “Disk Utility” then click “Continue.”
- Select your startup disk on the left side of the Disk Utility window.
- Click the “Erase” button near the top of the window.
- You should now see the option to erase all content.
So if you don’t see the Erase option, make sure you are fully booted into Recovery Mode before checking.
FileVault Encryption is Enabled
If you have FileVault encryption enabled on your Mac, the “Erase all content” option will be disabled. FileVault encrypts all the data on your startup disk, so erasing is not available.
To check if FileVault is enabled:
- Go to System Preferences > Security & Privacy.
- Click the FileVault tab.
- If the status says “FileVault is On,” encryption is enabled.
To erase your Mac with FileVault enabled, you will need to fully decrypt the disk first:
- Go to System Preferences > Security & Privacy > FileVault.
- Click the lock and enter your password.
- Click “Turn Off FileVault.” This will decrypt your drive, which may take a while.
- Once fully decrypted, you can boot to Recovery Mode and erase as normal.
Startup Disk is External or Removable
The “Erase” option also may not be available if your Mac is booted from an external drive, like a USB or Thunderbolt drive. It will only show up if your Mac is booted from the internal startup disk.
To check what disk your Mac started up from:
- Go to > About This Mac
- Look under “Startup Disk.” If it shows a removable disk or external drive, this is why you can’t erase.
- Reboot your Mac holding Option to select the internal startup disk instead.
Once booted from the built-in disk, you will be able to erase it in Recovery Mode.
Start Up Disk is Partitioned
If your startup disk has multiple partitions, the “Erase” option may only show up for the partition you are currently booted from. This is because the option erases the entire partition.
To check if your disk has multiple partitions:
- Open Disk Utility (in /Applications/Utilities/)
- Select your startup disk on the left side
- Check if there are multiple partitions shown
To erase the entire disk:
- Boot to Recovery Mode
- Open Disk Utility and select the parent disk (not a volume)
- Click Erase and choose to erase the entire disk
Startup Disk Doesn’t Appear
In some cases, your Mac’s internal startup disk may not appear at all in Disk Utility when booted to Recovery Mode. This can prevent you from accessing the Erase option.
Potential solutions include:
- Reboot to Internet Recovery Mode instead by holding Command + Option + R on startup.
- Try a different USB port if booted to recovery from an external drive.
- Reset NVRAM by holding Command + Option + P + R on reboot.
- Try booting to another OS installed on an external drive.
- Reinstall macOS while keeping data and apps to reset disk permissions.
If the disk still doesn’t appear, it’s possible there is a hardware or disk corruption issue that requires professional help to resolve.
Conclusion
In summary, common reasons you may not see the option to erase all content on your Mac include:
- Using a newer macOS version where wording changed
- Not being fully booted into Recovery Mode
- Having FileVault encryption enabled
- Booting from an external or removable disk
- The startup disk being partitioned
- The startup disk not appearing in Disk Utility
To troubleshoot, check what macOS version you’re on, confirm you’re booted from the internal disk, turn off FileVault if enabled, and boot to Recovery Mode or Internet Recovery Mode. If the disk still won’t appear or can’t be erased, seek professional help for a hardware or disk issue.
With the proper troubleshooting steps, you should be able to regain access to the option to erase all content and restore your Mac to factory settings.
| Reason | Solution |
|---|---|
| Newer macOS version | Look for “Erase all content and settings” |
| Not in Recovery Mode | Boot to Recovery Mode |
| FileVault enabled | Turn off encryption first |
| Booted from external disk | Select internal disk at startup |
| Partitioned startup disk | Erase full disk instead of volume |
| Disk not appearing | Try Internet Recovery Mode or seek professional help |
Following the solutions outlined for each potential cause should help you regain access to the option to erase all content and reset your Mac to factory condition.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Apple change the wording to “Erase all content and settings”?
Apple changed the wording starting in macOS Catalina to be more clear that erasing will reset all settings in addition to just content. This provides a better idea of what will be erased before the user confirms the action.
How can I boot to Recovery Mode on startup?
To enter Recovery Mode, restart your Mac and immediately hold down Command + R. Keep holding until you see the utilities window or a spinning globe, then you can release.
What if my Mac is using firmware password protection?
If your Mac has a firmware password set, you will need to enter this password before erasing in Recovery Mode. Boot to Recovery, open Firmware Password Utility from the Utilities menu, and enter the firmware password to proceed.
Will erasing delete my recovery partition?
No, erasing your startup disk from Recovery Mode will only erase the volume you select, not the hidden recovery partition. This ensures you can still reinstall macOS after erasing.
Can I erase if I forgot my FileVault encryption password?
No, without the password, there is no way to decrypt the FileVault volume to erase it. You will need to take your Mac to Apple or an authorized service provide to unlock the disk.
Is it better to erase SSDs or HDDs?
For HDDs, a single erase is usually sufficient. For SSDs, it’s better to do at least 3-7 pass erases to fully sanitize the cells due to wear leveling algorithms.
Can I erase the disk using Disk Utility in normal mode?
No, Disk Utility will only allow erasing the startup disk when booted from another volume, like Recovery Mode. This prevents you from erasing the currently running system disk.
How can I securely erase data after selling my Mac?
Use a multi-pass erase tool like Disk Utility’s Secure Erase feature, or a third-party tool like Eraser to overwrite all data repeatedly before selling your Mac.
What if my Mac gets stuck trying to erase the disk?
If the progress bar stalls during the erase, try rebooting and running from Recovery Mode again. If it continues to freeze, the disk may have bad sectors preventing the erase.