Resetting MacBook to factory settings: options and instructions. How to reset a MacBook to factory settings How to completely erase a MacBook

Sometimes the operating system of the MacBook Pro or MacBook Air has problems. The same thing often happens with software. In both situations, it becomes necessary to return the original settings. In general, Mac OS is stable, but even it is not immune to troubles. Anything can happen.

In the situation with MacBooks, resetting to factory settings implies a complete reinstallation of the system. In this case, all data will be erased. The device will become empty, as if you just purchased it. Therefore, before performing a full reset, a backup is required. It is advisable to save a copy on a separate medium. The operation itself is simple, but you will need a stable network connection. How to reset your MacBook to factory settings - see this instruction.

Most experienced iOS device owners probably create copies regularly. But if you have forgotten about this important procedure, start it immediately. Only after completion can you click on the reset element.

Why is backup so important? Yes, simply because if you do not save a copy of all the data that is important to you, then you will not be able to return it in the future. That is, you will lose your data irretrievably.

The Apple company recommends first checking for updates, and then updating and connecting the device to a PC/laptop to create a copy manually. Or you can do it even simpler - log into the “cloud”, and the service itself will do its job.

How to reinstall Mac OS

Before performing a factory reset, you need to make sure that the network is connected. The MacBook also needs to be connected to the network. The further algorithm of actions will be as follows:

• We send the device to reboot.
• In the process, hold down the set of elements Cmnd+R.
• We are waiting for the recovery mode operating system to download.
• Select the disk utility partition in the utilities window.
• Select the boot disk and go to the additional erase partition.
• From the selected disk, select the operating system and confirm its erasure.
• Once formatting is complete, return to the utilities section.
• Select the option to reinstall the operating system.

Then the operating system will be downloaded fully automatically via the network. After this, following the instructions on the display, you can install the operating system again. This operation will not require much time. The main thing is to monitor the stability of the network connection. A sudden rupture may occur due to the end of the battery charge, which will lead to trouble.

It would be good to take care of creating a bootable flash drive ahead of time. Or a disk - if it came with the original package. And to create a backup from the hard drive, you can use external software.

Factory Reset: Steps

Sometimes problems with device “braking” are easily solved by resetting the system settings and eliminating errors. Typically, this method is suitable if there are problems with the system download speed. If this method turns out to be useful, then resetting the settings to the original ones will not be necessary. Of course, you need to know how to do it - just in case.

So, to reset we perform the following steps:

• Turn off the MacBook.
• We press the set of elements Cmnd+Opt+P+R (including the battery).
• We hold all this until the moment when the switching sounds play twice.
• We check the download speed and system settings.

That's all. But if the problem is not resolved, try resetting to the original settings.

To log in to your PC, you will need password characters. It may also be requested when installing some software. And these symbols are generated during the initial setup of the PC. Also, a password can be generated when adding a new account. However, the situation when the owner of an iOS device does not remember the password characters and log into the system is quite common.

If this happens to you, try getting your password back via:

• Recovery procedure via ID.
• Using a boot disk.
• Reset via recovery mode.

And the very first thing you should do in such an unpleasant situation is to refer to the hint about the set password characters. Maybe you can return it yourself? For this purpose, deliberately incorrect characters are entered three times, and then a hint written down by the owner of the MacBook (or other Apple device) will pop up on the display.

Working with Apple ID

How the operation of resetting password characters via ID is performed is described in detail on the company’s technical support resource. On operating systems from version 10 and older, the system is tied to an ID, so at the PC setup step it is better to check the box next to the password reset section using your ID.

You need to enter the wrong password characters three times. Afterwards, the system will prompt you to perform a recovery (a hint will also pop up). You will need to agree, enter the ID and click on the password reset section. A new set of keys will be generated, but the old one will not disappear. But if you ever remember your previous password, you can use it without any problems.

Using a loading element

To change password characters via the boot disk, you will need access to it. Modern lines of MacBooks are not equipped with these in principle. So this method is only for those owners of Apple laptops who had a disk and have not gone anywhere. You can prepare a bootable USB flash drive in advance in case of any troubles during cleaning.

You can reset your password this way through the following steps:

• Insert the disk.
• When loading the PC, hold down the “C” element.
• We are waiting for the installer to appear.
• Open the utilities section.
• Select “Password Reset”.
• We stop at the disk with the system and user profile on which we want to perform a reset.
• Enter “resetpassword”.
• Click on “Enter”.
• Enter new password characters.

Now you can safely reboot the device and generate new password characters.

We turn to the recovery mode of the MacBook

The procedure for resetting MacBook password characters using recovery mode will not require binding to an ID or installation disk. The algorithm of actions will be as follows:

• During the reboot process, hold down the Command + R set of elements.
• Expect a transition to recovery mode.
• Select bootloader language.
• Go to the terminal section using the utilities panel.
• Driving (double) new characters into the pop-up window.
• Confirmation of character change.

In some cases, due to glitches in the operating system or problems with applications, it may be necessary to return the MacBook to factory settings. Mac OS is a fairly stable system, but it is not completely immune from problems.

In the case of a MacBook, a factory reset is a complete reinstallation of the system. All data will be deleted, the system will be clean, as if you just bought this laptop and are setting it up again. Therefore, it is first necessary to transfer important data to some separate media. The process itself is simple, but it will require a stable Internet connection.

How to reinstall Mac OS

Before you start resetting the settings, you need to make sure that the Internet is connected. The MacBook should also be connected to the network. Further:

1. Reboot your MacBook.
2. During the new boot process, press Cmnd+R.
3. Wait until the operating system loads recovery mode.
4. In the "Utilities" window, select "disk utility".
5. Select the boot disk and go to the additional menu “erase”.
6. From the selected boot disk, select the operating system and click on “erase”.
7. After completely formatting the disk, return to the utilities menu.
8. Select "reinstall OS".

Next, the system will automatically download the operating system via the Internet. You can then reinstall your system by following the on-screen prompts. This procedure will not take you much time, the main thing is to make sure that the laptop is connected to the network - a sudden shutdown due to the battery running out can lead to unpleasant consequences.

You can also create a bootable USB flash drive in advance and reinstall the system from it. Or use the boot disk if it was included in the basic package. And you can use additional applications to back up data from your hard drive.

Resetting system settings

In some cases, a quick reset of system settings can help solve problems with system performance and error correction. It usually helps when there are some problems with the system boot speed. If this method helps, you will only need theoretical knowledge of how to reset a MacBook to factory settings in case of serious system errors.

1. Turn off your MacBook.
2. Press the combination Cmnd+Opt+P+R together with the power button.
3. Hold the combination until the power-up sound plays twice.
4. Check loading speed and system settings.

If the problem persists, try resetting your MacBook completely to factory settings.

Or you just decided to sell it, the surest option is to roll back to the basic settings. Problems with glitches usually avoid problems with MacBooks, but there are many who want to buy them second-hand. Therefore, it would be a good idea to clear all data from your laptop before selling it.

When you sell your MacBook, you can reset it to factory settings.

Factory reset - deleting all data from the device that was not there when it was purchased. In other words, we simply remove everything unnecessary from the computer and the software takes on the form it had when the device was first assembled. The ability to reset settings is available today on almost all gadgets, including the MacBook.

How to rollback on Mac

Preliminary steps

Before resetting all settings and cleaning up your MacBook, there are a few steps you need to take to ensure that you and the next owner don't have any problems using your laptop.

Cleaning your computer

Now you can proceed to restore your MacBook to factory settings.

Backup

It would be useful to take care of backup - data backup. It is unlikely that you will be able to transfer all the settings and information from your MacBook to the cloud. There are two special utilities for saving them: Time Machine and Migration Assistant.

Time Machine is an application that backups all user information and places it on an external hard drive, server or Time Capsule. You can then return your personal settings to your new MacBook or iMac.

Migration Assistant performs similar functions - as its name suggests, it helps you move. The way it is. Using this utility, it will be easy to transfer all data to a new computer if you have not yet sold your old MacBook.

Sometimes situations occur on Mac computers when some kind of failure occurs and the MacBook or iMac, or the peripherals connected to it, do not work properly. In such cases, the first thing you need to do is reset the NVRAM and PRAM settings, as well as the parameters of the SMC system management controller. Quite often, the possible problem will disappear immediately after the reset.

Resetting NVRAM and PRAM

If you have problems with the operation of the system or devices connected to your Mac, then one way to solve the problem is to reset the computer's memory (NVRAM and PRAM), which is stored on the hard drive and is not erased when turned off. This memory stores settings such as boot disk data, virtual memory, monitor and speaker settings, system fonts, and other settings. To reset NVRAM and PRAM:

Step 1 Turn your Mac off and on again

Step 2 Press and hold the ⌥Option(Alt) + ⌘Cmd + P + R keys on your keyboard

Step 3 After some time, the image on the computer screen will go dark and you may think that the Mac has restarted

• For Mac models released before mid-2016: You'll hear the startup sound again, and then you can release the keys
• For Mac computer models released since late 2016, the keys can be released after a few seconds after rebooting

Note! If your Mac has a firmware password set, using hotkeys will not reset and your computer may start in macOS recovery mode. To reset NVRAM memory settings, you will need to first remove the firmware password

After booting your Mac, configure the reset settings: sound volume level, screen resolution, boot disk, if you have multiple systems or disks installed, you may also have to reset the time zone.

Resetting the SMC Controller

If you notice problems related to computer power, entering and exiting sleep mode, battery charging and temperature of the MacBook or other problems related to power, as well as the operation of the light sensor and keyboard backlight, then in this case the solution is to reset the parameters and settings of the controller SMC.

MacBook, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro

Step 1 Turn off your laptop and plug it in using a MagSafe or USB-C power adapter

Step 2 Hold down the ⇧Shift + ⌃Ctrl + ⌥Option(Alt) keys and, without releasing them, press the power button

Step 3 Release the keys and press the Power button again to turn on the laptop

iMac, Mac mini, Mac Pro

Step 1 Turn off your Mac and unplug the power cord

Step 2 Wait 15 seconds and plug the power cable back in

Step 3 Wait 5 seconds and then press the Power button to turn on the computer