Factory Reset

Back up the whole machine, then erase it cleanly.

This is the path to use before selling a Mac, handing it to someone else, or deliberately starting over. The backup here is full-machine first, selective exports second. The reset path follows current Apple-silicon guidance.

Short version: run a fresh Time Machine backup, verify it, then use Erase Assistant from System Settings.

Pre-Wipe Backup Stack

Use a full-system backup plus the app-state backups that matter to this setup.

1. Time Machine first

Use Time Machine as the safety net for the entire Mac. That is the backup Apple points to before erasing a machine.

2. Optional selective exports

Export the few awkward bits you would rather restore selectively. This does not require Kopia if Time Machine already covers the machine.

3. Export the awkward bits

Export Keyboard Maestro macros, keep Karabiner and Little Snitch exports close, and make sure Obsidian, Logseq, and MailMate state is where you expect it.

4. Sync the cloud tools

Confirm Vivaldi, VS Code, and any other account-backed tools have finished syncing before the wipe starts.

Time Machine Checklist

This is the fastest whole-machine backup path before a reset.

  1. Connect an external backup disk or mount the Time Machine network destination.
  2. Open Time Machine settings and add the backup disk if it is not already configured.
  3. Start a backup and wait for it to complete before you erase the Mac.
  4. Run tmutil latestbackup in Terminal to confirm the most recent backup exists.
  5. If the wipe is precautionary rather than urgent, spot-check that the latest backup contains the files you care about most.

Verify latest Time Machine backup

A quick CLI check before Erase Assistant.

tmutil latestbackup

Factory Reset On Apple Silicon

This is the normal path for a current MacBook Pro.

  1. Open System Settings.
  2. Go to General → Transfer or Reset.
  3. Choose Erase All Content and Settings.
  4. Enter the administrator password and review what will be removed.
  5. Continue through Erase Assistant and let the Mac reboot to the Hello screen.

Apple says Erase Assistant signs you out of Apple services, turns off Find My and Activation Lock, removes apps you installed, erases all volumes, and deletes all user accounts and their data.

If Erase Assistant Is Unavailable

This is the fallback path, not the normal one for Apple-silicon MacBook Pros.

Older Intel-only route

Apple documents a separate Recovery-based erase-and-reinstall flow for Intel Macs without the T2 chip. Keep it as a reference, but do not reach for it first on modern MacBook Pros.

Stay connected

If you do end up in Recovery, Apple calls out two basics: keep the Mac online and keep a laptop on power while reinstalling macOS.

After The Wipe

Choose the restore path based on whether you want a clean rebuild or a fast migration.

  • If the goal is a clean rebuild, set the Mac up as new and follow this site from the beginning.
  • If the goal is a faster return, use Migration Assistant to pull accounts, apps, files, and settings from a Time Machine backup.
  • Keep any app exports you made available even if you migrate, because selective restore is often cleaner than moving everything back.