How to Erase a MacBook Before Selling or Giving It Away

Selling your old MacBook or handing it down to a family member? Before it leaves your hands, you need to remove your personal data and unlink it from your Apple Account. Skip a step and the next owner could be stuck with an Activation Lock, or worse, have access to your files. This guide shows you how to erase a MacBook before selling it, in the right order.

Step 1: Back up your data

Once the Mac is erased, your files are gone. Make a complete backup first.

1. Connect an external drive and run a Time Machine backup. On macOS Ventura and later, go to System Settings > General > Time Machine; on older versions use System Preferences > Time Machine.
2. Confirm that documents, photos and passwords you need are also in iCloud or another service.

Our guide to backing up a MacBook with Time Machine has detailed steps. If you're moving to a new Mac, Migration Assistant can use this backup to transfer everything.

Step 2: Sign out of your accounts

1. Apple Account / iCloud: on macOS Ventura and later, open System Settings, click your name at the top of the sidebar, scroll down and click Sign Out. On older versions, go to System Preferences > Apple ID > Overview > Sign Out. Signing out also turns off Find My and Activation Lock, which is essential for the next owner.
2. Messages: open Messages, go to Settings (or Preferences on older macOS) > iMessage and click Sign Out.
3. FaceTime: open FaceTime > Settings (or Preferences) and click Sign Out.
4. Other apps: sign out of apps with licences tied to a specific computer, such as some creative or office software, so you can use the licence again.

Step 3: Unpair Bluetooth devices you're keeping

If you're keeping your keyboard, mouse or trackpad, remove them in System Settings > Bluetooth (older: System Preferences > Bluetooth) so they don't accidentally connect to the old Mac later.

Step 4: Erase the Mac

The method depends on your Mac and macOS version.

Newer Macs: Erase All Content and Settings

Apple silicon Macs, and Intel Macs with the Apple T2 Security Chip, running macOS Monterey or later have a built-in eraser.

1. On macOS Ventura and later, go to System Settings > General > Transfer or Reset > Erase All Content and Settings. On Monterey, open System Preferences and choose Erase All Content and Settings from the System Preferences menu in the menu bar.
2. Enter your administrator password and follow the prompts.
3. The Mac erases your data and settings and restarts to the setup screen, ready for its next owner.

Older Macs: Erase in macOS Recovery

1. Start up in macOS Recovery. On an Intel Mac, turn it on and immediately hold Command-R until you see the Apple logo.
2. Open Disk Utility, choose View > Show All Devices, select the internal disk and click Erase.
3. Quit Disk Utility and choose Reinstall macOS, then follow the prompts.
4. When the setup assistant appears, press Command-Q and shut down, leaving setup for the new owner.

On an Apple silicon Mac, Recovery is reached by holding the power button until startup options appear, then choosing Options. If reinstalling macOS gives you trouble, our guide to updating macOS safely covers compatibility and space checks.

Step 5: Remove it from your Apple Account

As a final check, sign in to your Apple Account on another device or on the web and look at your device list. If the MacBook is still listed, remove it. This ensures it's fully unlinked from you.

Giving it a refresh before you sell?

A new battery or fresh macOS installation can make an older MacBook easier to sell. Fix Revolution offers macOS reinstallation and MacBook repair in Ottawa and Gatineau, with pick-up and drop-off at your home or office and most work completed in 1–2 business days. Get a free quote or call 613-265-4349.

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