MacFormat UK – June 2019

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Wipe your Mac APPLE SKILLS

JUNE 2019 | MACFORMAT | 45

3

Sign out of Messages

In this app, go to Messages > Preferences.

Click the iMessage tab in the new window, then

click the Sign Out button to ensure this Mac

stops getting messages that are pushed by

Apple’s server to your Apple ID.

4

Unpair Bluetooth devices

If you’re passing on the keyboard and

mouse/trackpad, leave those paired for the

next owner. In Bluetooth prefs, select other

devices you want to unpair in turn, clicking on

each one’s X so the Mac forgets them.

5

Erase internal storage

In Recovery (bit.ly/mfrcvry), open Disk

Utility and choose View > Show All Devices.

Select the internal drive and click Erase. If it’s

a hard disk or Fusion Drive, click Security

Options and select a suitable erasure level.

6

Install macOS

Still in Recovery, you should now install

macOS onto the erased internal storage.

By entering Recovery using ç+R, the option

to install macOS should give you the same

version you’ve just been running.

7

Quit the Setup Assistant

Wait for the macOS installer to finish up.

When it reaches the Welcome screen, press

ç+Q and click Shut Down. When the Mac’s

new owner starts it up, they’ll get to set it up

as if it were fresh from the factory.

8

Remove from your account

Keep a note of the Mac’s serial number.

Once your Mac has gone, if you have an iOS

device, open Settings > [your name] and locate

that Mac in the list of products. Check it’s the

right one, then tap ‘Remove from Account’.

Genius tip!

Potentially Increase

your MacBook’s sale

value by advertising its

battery cycles (if low).

Look in  > About This

Mac > System Report >

Hardware > Power.

Genius tip

Disk Utility doesn’t

erase SSDs to sanitise

sensitive data. Turn on

FileVault encryption, let

it complete, then erase

the drive in Disk Utility.

CONTINUED... Reset your Mac