How to Format a MacBook I Factory Reset – You may need to format your MacBook for various reasons. So, how to format a MacBook? Here is a step-by-step MacBook factory reset!
If you are thinking of selling your MacBook, you have no choice but to format it if it is running very slowly compared to before. When a slow MacBook is formatted, it starts to work fast. In the same way, by formatting the MacBook you intend to sell, you can prevent the videos, photos and documents inside it from falling into someone else’s hands.
But before formatting, make sure you back up your important videos, documents and photos. Here are all the details MacBook formatting methods!
MacBook Backup Methods
Follow the steps below to back up videos, photos and documents before formatting your MacBook;
- Click on Time Machine in System Preferences and go to the settings section.
- Select “Show Time Machine in the menu bar” in the settings.
- Click on the “Options” button to select and remove the data to be backed up and not to be backed up.
- Select folders by clicking on the “+” button.
- Press “Save” and then “Select Backup Disk”.
- Click on the drive to be used and select it.
- Check the box to encrypt the backup.
- In the last step, click on the “Use Disk” button.
MacBook Formatting Methods
The following steps should be followed for the MacBook factory reset process;
- Restart the device by clicking on the Apple icon in the upper left corner of the screen.
- Hold down the “cmd (command) +R” keys with the Mac sound.
- Never take your finger off the keys until the macOS disk monitor screen appears.
- After the Disk Utility screen appears, click on it.
- Select the “Format APFS” or “Mac Extended (Journaled, Encrypted) option.
- Select the Macintosh HD system drive and click “Delete”.
- Wait until the formatting is finished and then select “Reinstall macOS in Disk Utility”.
- The installation commands are followed.
- Wait until the Setup Assistant appears on the screen.
- If the Mac does not need to be rebooted, click “Cmd+Q”.
Sign Out of iCloud Before Formatting a MacBook
Before formatting the MacBook, iCloud should definitely be logged out. This prevents important files from falling into someone else’s hands. To log out of iCloud, follow these steps;
- Go to the first “System Preferences” field.
- Pressing iCloud also unchecks the boxes in the list for removing copies of data on the device.
- Finally, click on “Log Out” at the bottom left to complete the process.
Deleting Apple ID should also be done before factory resetting the MacBook.
Remove Application Link Before Formatting a MacBook
Here are the steps you need to follow to remove app links from MacBook;
- First, iTunes is launched.
- Click on “Account – Sign In” from the iTunes menu bar.
- Select “Account – View My Account” from the menu bar.
- On the account information page, select the “Unauthorize All” button at the bottom right of the Apple ID summary section.
- Select “Authorize All” from the window that appears on the screen.
- Select “OK” in the “Authorization Complete” window.
- To re-authorize the computer, select “Account-Authorizations-Authorize this Computer” from the menu bar.
- In the last step “OK” is selected.
