Table of Contents
There are many reasons why you might want to factory reset your MacBook. Maybe you’re selling it and want to wipe all your personal data off of it. Maybe it’s been acting slow and sluggish and you want to start from scratch. Or maybe you just want to clean up your hard drive and get rid of all the clutter.
Whatever your reasons, factory resetting your MacBook is a pretty simple process. But how do you factory reset your Mac without knowing password? In this article, we’ll show you how to factory reset your MacBook, even if you don’t know the password.
Before you erase your Macbook, there are a few things you can do to prepare it for sale:
1. Back up Your data
Make sure to copy all of your important files and documents off of the computer before you erase it. Go to System Preferences > Time Machine and select “Back Up Now”. Once the backup completes, select “Verify Backups” to ensure that the process was successful.
You can also use iCloud to backup your data. Go to System Preferences > iCloud and select the “iCloud Drive” option. This will sync your data to Apple’s servers and you can access it from any other Apple device.
2. Deactivate Any Accounts
If you have any paid subscriptions associated with your Macbook, be sure to cancel or deactivate them before you erase the device.
3. Sign out of Any Services
If you’re signed in to any services on your Macbook (like iCloud, iTunes, or the App Store), be sure to sign out before you erase the device. If you are logged into any accounts on your Macbook (email, social media, etc.), be sure to log out before you erase the device. This will prevent the new owner from having access to your accounts.
4. Unlink Your App
If you are planning to factory reset your Mac, it is recommended that you unlink your apps first. This will ensure that all of your app data is backed up and you will not lose any important files. To unlink your apps, follow these steps:
1. Open the Finder on your Mac.
2. Click on the Applications folder.
3. Right-click on the app you want to unlink and select Get Info.
4. In the General section, uncheck the box next to "Locked".
5. Close the Get Info window.
6. Repeat steps 3-5 for each app you want to unlink.
Once you have unlinked all of your apps, you can proceed with factory resetting your Mac.
How Do I Factory Reset MacBook without Password?
A factory reset will erase all the content from your MacBook, including any passwords you have set. However, if you forgot your password and can’t log into your MacBook, you can still reset it using a few different methods.
Option 1. Reset Your Macbook via Recovery Mode
If you forget your Mac’s password, you can reset it using Apple’s built-in Recovery Mode. This will erase your Mac’s hard drive and reinstall macOS, so make sure you have a backup before proceeding.
Here’s how to factory reset your Mac without a password:
1. Shut down your Mac.
2. Press and hold the Command (⌘) and R keys on your keyboard, then turn on your Mac.
3. When the "macOS Utilities" window appears, choose "Disk Utility," then click "Continue."
4. Select your Mac’s hard drive in the left sidebar, then click the "Erase" button.
5. Choose "Mac OS Extended (Journaled)" from the "Format" drop-down menu, then click "Erase."
6. When the erase process is complete, quit Disk Utility, then choose "Reinstall macOS" from the macOS Utilities window.
7. Follow the on-screen instructions to reinstall macOS.
Option 2. Factory Reset Your Macbook using iCloud
If you can’t remember your password and don’t have access to your MacBook, you can still reset it using iCloud. To do this, go to the Apple website and sign in with your Apple ID. Then, click on the "iCloud" icon and select the "Find My iPhone" option. From here, you can select your MacBook from the list of devices and click the "Erase" button. This will reset your MacBook to its factory settings.
Option 3. Use Terminal Factory Reset Macbook with Password
The final way to reset your password is to use the Terminal. To do this, restart your MacBook and hold down the Command and S keys until the Terminal appears. Then, type in the following command:
/sbin/fsck -fy
Press Enter and then type in the following command:
/sbin/mount -uw /
Press Enter and then type in the following command:
rm /var/db/.AppleSetupDone
Press Enter and then type in the following command:
shutdown -h now
This will reset your MacBook to its factory settings.
No matter which method you use, resetting your MacBook will erase all of its content. So, be sure to back up your data before you reset your password.