How to Factory Reset a MacBook
A factory reset wipes everything on your MacBook and reinstalls a clean copy of macOS. You’d do this before selling a Mac, after a serious malware infection, or when macOS has become sufficiently corrupted that a clean install is the only reliable fix.
The process differs slightly between Intel Macs and Apple Silicon (M1, M2, M3) Macs.
Before you start: back up your data
A factory reset is irreversible. Everything on the drive — documents, photos, applications, settings — will be deleted. Back up using Time Machine to an external drive, or ensure your important files are in iCloud before proceeding. If you’re resetting because the Mac won’t boot reliably, back up what you can first — even partial backups are better than none.
Sign out of iCloud first
Open System Preferences (or System Settings on Ventura/Sonoma) → Apple ID → Sign Out. This removes Activation Lock, which would otherwise prevent the next user (or your reinstalled macOS) from activating the Mac. If you skip this step, you may need your Apple ID and password to complete setup after the reset.
How to reset a Mac with Apple Silicon (M1, M2, M3)
macOS Ventura and Sonoma introduced Erase All Content and Settings — a built-in reset option that does everything in one step.
- Open System Settings → General → Transfer or Reset
- Click Erase All Content and Settings
- Enter your admin password when prompted
- Follow the on-screen steps — the Mac will sign out of iCloud, erase the drive, and reinstall macOS automatically
This process takes 20–40 minutes and leaves the Mac at the initial setup screen, ready for a new user.
How to reset an Intel Mac
Intel Macs don’t have the Erase All Content option. You need to use Recovery Mode.
- Shut down the Mac
- Hold Cmd + R while pressing the power button — keep holding until you see the Apple logo
- From the Recovery utilities, open Disk Utility
- Select Macintosh HD (your main drive) and click Erase — use APFS format
- If you also see Macintosh HD - Data, erase that too
- Quit Disk Utility
- Choose Reinstall macOS from the main Recovery screen
- Follow the prompts — the Mac will download and install a fresh copy of macOS
This requires a working internet connection. The download can take 30–60 minutes depending on your connection speed.
What to do if the reset won’t complete
Common issues during a factory reset:
“An error occurred preparing the software update” — usually a network problem or an issue with Apple’s servers. Try connecting via ethernet rather than WiFi, or try again after a few hours.
The Mac gets stuck at a progress bar — this can indicate a hardware fault, most commonly a failing SSD. A drive that’s degrading may allow normal use most of the time but fail under the sustained write load of a full erase and reinstall.
Recovery Mode won’t load — if Cmd+R doesn’t bring up Recovery, try Cmd+Option+R (internet recovery). If that also fails, a firmware or hardware problem is likely.
Activation Lock screen after reset — you need the original Apple ID and password. If you’ve forgotten these, Apple Support is the only route — there’s no workaround.
When to get professional help
If the reset fails repeatedly, or if the Mac won’t boot after the process completes, the underlying issue is almost certainly hardware. A failing SSD, corrupted firmware, or board fault won’t be resolved by reinstalling macOS.
We handle MacBook repair including data recovery, SSD replacement, and logic board work. We also carry out screen replacement in Chelsea and across South West London.
If your Mac reset has gone wrong, call 020 7610 0500 or contact us — bring the machine in and we’ll diagnose it at no charge.