How to Factory Reset MacBook Air: A Step-by-step Guide
Factory resetting a MacBook is sometimes the final resort and lasting solution to recurring software issues. Other times, the factory reset might be a measure to ensure you don’t leave sensitive data on your PC before handing it over to another person.
Whatever the case, you’ll find the whole process of resetting your MacBook Air fairly easy by following the guide in this article. Read on below to find out how to go about it.
How to Factory Reset Your MacBook Air
Before diving into the entire process of wiping your MacBook Air, you need to perform a backup to prevent losing files vital to you. Thankfully, Apple already provided a system utility, Time Machine, dedicated to this course. Time Machine allows you to backup files such as apps, photos, music, etc.
How to Back up Files on MacBook Air
- Get external storage and connect it to your Mac
- Select the Apple icon in the top-left corner of the desktop and click System Preference
- Select Time Machine from the menu
- Next, click Select Backup Disk
- You should find the external storage you connected earlier. Click on it and select Encrypt Backups > Use Disk.
- Finally, on the Time Machine screen, use the ON button to initiate the backup process.
Once the backup is complete, you can factory reset your MacBook Air. All you need to do to get back the files backed up on the same or another MacBook Air is to connect the external storage to the MacBook Air and follow the prompts on the Restore page.
How to Perform a Factory Reset on Your MacBook Air
You’ll need to connect your MacBook to WiFi before attempting a factory reset. With that set, follow the steps below:
Note: Ensure no external device is connected to your MacBook Air to prevent any hindrance while attempting the factory reset.
- Boot into Recovery Mode by pressing the Command key + R while booting up your MacBook Air (Hold the key combos till you see an Apple logo on your screen)
- You’ll be taken to a macOS Utilities window once the bootup is complete. Navigate to and select Disk Utility from the menu
- Next, select Continue
- Click View and then Show All Devices
- Select your MacBook Air hard drive and then click Erase
- In the Erase field, choose the format option for your MacBook Air
(The APFS option is dedicated to macOS High Sierra and later versions, while the Mac OS Extended (Journaled) option is meant for versions before macOS High Sierra)
- Finally, click on Erase to begin the formatting process.
Once the format is complete, you’ll be taken back to the macOS Utilities window. Select Reinstall macOS from the menu to load the OS back on. However, don’t go farther than the Welcome screen if you’re handing the device to someone else. Let the new owner follow the prompts from there.
Final Notes
Your MacBook Air should return to a factory-new state with the format complete. However, note that there is no undo button for a factory reset. All files erased without a backup (in case of data loss, consider using Mac Data Recovery Software) are gone forever and cannot be recovered. Therefore, ensure to follow the backup steps demonstrated earlier diligently.
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