How to Reset MacBook Air or MacBook Pro

Here’s how to reset your MacBook Air or MacBook Pro and restore macOS to its original state. Is your MacBook Air or MacBook Pro a little long in the tooth? Is there a problem you can’t solve, no matter how hard you try? Or do you want to sell your MacBook without any personal data? Here’s our guide on how to reset a MacBook, or any Mac computer, to solve any of these problems.

Below we explain how to completely factory reset your MacBook (or iMac) and reset it to like-new condition. The instructions below (with a few minor changes here or there depending on your machine) will work for macOS Catalina and most earlier versions of the operating system.

Read: How to Take a Screenshot on Your Mac

Before doing this, be sure to back up your data. If you’re selling your MacBook, be sure to sign out of iMessage, iCloud, and any other accounts before resetting. Worried about losing your data? Scroll to the bottom of this article for the steps you need to take before you can factory reset your MacBook.

How to Reset MacBook Air or MacBook Pro

1. Hold down Command and R on the keyboard and turn on the Mac. Let go when the Apple logo appears.

2. Select your language and continue.

3. Select Disk Utility and click Continue.

4. Select your startup disk (named Macintosh HD by default) from the sidebar and click the Erase button.

5. After selecting the name of the disk after erasing, select Mac OS Extended (Journaled) from the drop-down menu, and then click Erase. (If you want to encrypt your drive for added security, select the “Journaled, Encrypted” option. You will be asked to create a password.) Select GUID Partition Map.

6. Click on Delete and then click on Done and exit the window.

7. Connect to Wi-Fi in the upper right corner, if you haven’t already, as you normally would on your Mac.

8. From the main menu, select Reinstall macOS, then click Continue.

9. Tap Continue. A pop-up window will appear; Select Continue there as well.

10. Read the Software License Agreement and click Accept.

11. Select your startup disk and click Install.

12. Wait for the first step of the installation to happen. (Now is a great time to take a break and stretch your legs. Having a sandwich is encouraged, but optional.)

13. The computer restarts and continues with the installation.

What to do Before Resetting your MacBook

The guide above focuses on resetting your MacBook, but there are some recommended steps you should be aware of before you can factory reset your MacBook. These pointers will ensure that you don’t lose any personal files, photos, or apps while switching from one MacBook to another.

There are a few things to consider before resetting your MacBook Air or MacBook Pro.

• Back up your MacBook. The importance of this step can not be overstated. Creating a backup will protect your most valuable files. If you don’t back up your data, it will disappear into the ether when you do a factory reset.
• Sign out of iTunes. Select Account > Permissions > Deauthorize this computer. If you are using the latest macOS, you can skip this step.
• Sign out of iCloud. Tap the Apple menu, go to System Preferences, then click Apple ID. Select iCloud from the side panel and turn off Find My Mac. Then click on Show and Disconnect.
• Sign out of iMessage. Open the Messages app, select Messages then Preferences. Click on iMessage and sign out.
• Unpair the Bluetooth device. Go to Apple menu > System Preferences and select Bluetooth. Here you can unpair the keyboard, headphones, or another Bluetooth-enabled device.

Now you know how to factory reset a MacBook or any Mac computer! if you are not able to your reset a MacBook then you can do a comment in the box. We will try to help immediately