macOS Monterey "Hello" startup screen

macOS Monterey adds the ability to factory reset your Mac in just a few clicks without restarting in recovery manner. This is perfect if you're selling or giving away your laptop, but it but works on Apple's contempo machines.

Apple Silicon or a T2 Scrap Required

The feature is express to nigh Mac computers released afterward 2022 which contain the T2 security flake, and newer machines that use ARM-based Apple Silicon fries similar the M1, M1 Pro, and M1 Max.

Apple tree Silicon Mac models include:

  • 2020 M1 MacBook Air
  • 2020 M1 Mac Mini
  • 2021 24-inch iMac
  • 2020 13-inch M1 MacBook Pro
  • 2021 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro

Intel Mac models with a T2 chip include:

  • MacBook Air (2018 and newer)
  • MacBook Pro (2018 and newer)
  • Mac mini (2018 and newer)
  • iMac Pro (2017)

You can find out which Mac you have by clicking on the Apple logo in the acme-left corner and clicking "About This Mac". If you accept an Intel Mac y'all tin click on "Arrangement Report" followed by "Controller" or "Span" to see if there's a T2 chip inside.

You'll also need to update your Mac to macOS Monterey or newer.

RELATED: How to Update Your Mac and Keep Apps Up to Date

How to Erase Your Mac and Reinstall macOS Quickly

Before you brainstorm, make certain you have backed up your Mac using Time Machine or some other backup solution of your choice.

This procedure will completely erase your Mac then that all of your personal files, preferences, and software are removed. You'll need a user account with administrator privileges, and all other user accounts will be removed at the same fourth dimension.

To get started, launch Arrangement Preferences.

macOS Monterey System Preferences

At the top of the screen in the menu bar, click on Organisation Preferences > Erase All Content and Settings.

System Preferences menu bar options

Enter the password you use to unlock your Mac.

macOS Erase Assistant authentication prompt

macOS will provide a summary of everything that will be removed from your Mac if y'all cull to proceed.

Summary of items to be removed from your Mac

Now enter your Apple ID password to sign out of your Apple tree ID and disable Find My Mac.

Remove Apple ID from Mac

You will exist prompted 1 concluding time if yous wish to proceed. Click "Erase All Content & Settings" to confirm.

Confirm "Erase All Content & Settings" to reinstall macOS

Your Mac will begin the process, during which time it may restart multiple times. Let the process complete until you run into the familiar "How-do-you-do" message that greeted you when yous first turned your Mac on.

You tin can at present sell or give your Mac away, or begin the procedure of migrating data back from your Time Machine backup. You can also choose to set the Mac upwardly as a "new" computer.

RELATED: How to Sell Your Laptop, Telephone, or Tablet for Top Dollar

Older Mac Models Must Use Recovery Mode

If yous take an older Mac that lacks the T2 chip (many of which won't exist officially supported in macOS Monterey), you lot'll accept to do this the sometime-fashioned way instead past restarting your Mac in recovery way.

You can besides create a bootable USB drive with a version of macOS (or OS Ten) that is supported on your machine and reinstall the operating system that fashion instead.

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