Erase and factory reset your Mac before you sell or give it away

Why it happens

Your Mac holds your files, passwords and your Apple Account. If it's still linked to your account, Activation Lock stops the next owner from setting it up. Erase All Content and Settings wipes your data, signs you out and removes that lock, leaving the Mac ready for someone new.

How to fix it

1. Back up everything you want to keep, because erasing can't be undone. Connect an external drive and use Time Machine, or check your files are safely in iCloud.

   General›Time Machine

2. Turn off Find My Mac. Open your Apple Account in System Settings, click iCloud, then See All, and turn off Find My Mac. Enter your Apple Account password when asked. This removes Activation Lock for the next owner.

   Apple Account›iCloud›See All›Find My Mac

3. If you bought music, films or TV shows, open the Music app and choose Account, then Authorizations, then Deauthorize This Computer.

   Music›Account›Authorizations›Deauthorize This Computer…

4. Keeping your Bluetooth keyboard, mouse or trackpad? Unpair them in Bluetooth now so they don't stay linked to the old Mac.

   Bluetooth

5. Open General, then Transfer or Reset, and click Erase All Content and Settings. Enter your Mac's administrator password.

   macOS 26 Tahoe General›Transfer or Reset›Erase All Content and Settings

   macOS 27 Golden Gate General›Transfer or Reset›Erase All Content and Settings…

6. Read the list of what will be removed and click Continue. If your Mac asks for your Apple Account password, enter it so it can sign you out. Then confirm the erase.

7. Your Mac restarts and erases itself. If it asks to activate, connect it to Wi-Fi. When the first setup screen appears, stop there and hold the power button until the Mac turns off, so the new owner can set it up as new.

8. Finally, check the Mac has gone from your devices in the Find My app on your iPhone or at iCloud.com/find. If it's still listed, remove it.

The button is Erase All Content and Settings on macOS 26 and Erase All Content and Settings… on macOS 27, in the same place. Everything else here is the same on both.

Still not fixed?

1. Don't see Erase All Content and Settings? Check you're logged in as an administrator and looking in General, then Transfer or Reset. Every Mac that runs macOS 26 or 27 has Apple silicon or the Apple T2 chip this needs. If the button still won't work, you can erase the disk with Disk Utility in Recovery and reinstall macOS from there.

2. If the new owner sees Activation Lock asking for your Apple Account, sign in at iCloud.com/find, choose this Mac and remove it from your account. They don't need to send it back.

3. Only want a fresh start without losing your files? You don't need to erase. Reinstall macOS from Recovery instead, which keeps your files.

4. If the erase fails or stops partway, restart and try again with the Mac plugged in. If it still fails, contact Apple Support before you hand the Mac over.