How to Factory Reset macOS Sierra (macOS 10.12)?

Quick Navigation:

• Why You May Need to Factory Reset macOS Sierra
• Step 1: Back Up Your Data
• Step 2: Sign Out of Apple Services
• Step 3: Erase macOS Sierra
• Step 4: Reinstall macOS Sierra
• Step 5: Securely Wipe Data (Optional)
• Conclusion

Factory resetting a Mac running macOS Sierra (macOS 10.12) is a useful solution when you want to refresh your system, fix deep-rooted issues, or prepare the machine for sale or transfer. The process wipes all personal data, apps, and settings from the system, restoring it to its original, out-of-the-box state. However, performing a factory reset involves several key steps, and it is crucial to follow them carefully to avoid complications. In this article, we will walk you through everything you need to know, from backing up data, to reinstalling macOS Sierra and securely wiping data.

Why You May Need to Factory Reset macOS Sierra

There are several reasons why a user might need to factory reset their Mac:

1. 💵 Preparing for Sale or Transfer: If you're selling your Mac or giving it away, a factory reset ensures that your data and personal information are wiped clean.
2. 🚀 Performance Issues: Over time, your Mac might become sluggish due to cluttered files, software issues, or bugs. A factory reset can help restore its performance.
3. 👨‍🔧 Software Troubleshooting: Sometimes, persistent software glitches, unresolvable errors, or conflicts with applications require a complete reset to eliminate the problem.
4. ♻️ Fresh Start: Users who want a clean, uncluttered system might choose to reset their Mac to start fresh with only essential applications.

Step 1: Back Up Your Data

Regardless of the reason, factory resetting is a critical step in giving your Mac a new lease on life. However, first things first. Let us create a secure backup.

One of the most critical steps before resetting your Mac is to back up all your important files. Since the reset process will erase everything on your system, a backup ensures that you don't lose crucial files like documents, photos, music, and app data.

Using Time Machine for Backup

Apple's built-in backup solution, Time Machine, is one of the easiest and most reliable methods to back up your Mac. It automatically keeps a copy of all your data and makes it simple to restore once you've completed the factory reset.

Here's how to set it up:

1. Link your Mac to an external hard disk. Using a disk that has enough space for your complete system is advised.
2. Select Time Machine by opening System Preferences from the Apple menu.

3. Select your external hard drive by clicking on Select Backup Disk.

4. Press the "On" button on the Time Machine switch.

5. To start the backup procedure, select Back Up Now.

Once the backup is complete, you'll have peace of mind knowing that your data is safe and can be restored after the reset.

Also, you can create a complete and bootable clone for your macOS Sierra before a factory reset. If there are issues happen during the factory reset process, you can quickly boot from the external cloned drive and continue working.

Manual Backup (Optional)

Alternatively, if you prefer a more manual approach or don't want to back up the entire system, you can manually copy specific files to an external drive or cloud storage (like iCloud, Google Drive, or Dropbox). Ensure you back up the following:

• Documents: Files in your Documents folder.
• Photos & Videos: Check your Photos app or manually transfer pictures to an external drive.
• Music: If you have locally stored music, back it up or rely on services like Apple Music.
• Applications and Data: If you rely on specific applications, ensure that any associated data is saved.

Step 2: Sign Out of Apple Services

It is crucial to sign out of various Apple services before resetting your Mac, especially if you plan to sell or give it away. Signing out ensures that your Apple ID is not linked to the device anymore.

iCloud

1. Access the System Preferences menu by going to the Apple menu and choosing "System Preferences."
2. iCloud Sign Out: Select "iCloud," then select "Sign Out." This will prompt you to remove iCloud data from your Mac. Select the option to keep a copy, as the data will be erased when the reset is performed.

iTunes

1. Open iTunes: Launch iTunes from the Applications folder.
2. Deauthorize the Computer: In the menu bar at the top of the screen, select "Account" > "Authorizations" > "Deauthorize This Computer." You will be prompted to enter your Apple ID and password.

iMessage

1. Open the Messages App: Launch the Messages app from the dock or Applications folder.
2. To exit iMessage, choose "Messages" > "Preferences" > "Accounts" from the menu bar. After choosing your iMessage account, click "Sign Out."

Signing out of these services ensures that your Apple ID is not linked to the computer after the reset.

Step 3: Erase macOS Sierra

Now that your data is backed up and you've signed out of Apple services, you can proceed with erasing macOS Sierra. To do this, you'll need to restart your Mac in Recovery Mode.

Entering Recovery Mode

1. Restart your Mac by clicking the Apple logo in the upper-left corner and choosing "Restart."
2. Press and hold the Command and R keys at the same time) until the Mac restarts. Hold down the keys until you see the spinning globe or Apple logo, which indicates that Recovery Mode is being booted up on the computer.

Erasing the Startup Disk

Once in Recovery Mode, you will need to erase your Mac's startup disk:

1. Choose "Disk Utility" from the macOS Utilities menu and click "Continue."

2. Choose the starting disk (sometimes referred to as "Macintosh HD") from the Disk Utility sidebar.
3. Select "Erase" from the menu. Select GUID Partition Map as the scheme and Mac OS Extended (Journaled) as the format in the dialog box. The disk will be completely erased after the erase procedure has been verified.

At this stage, the internal hard drive will be completely erased, and the next step is to reinstall macOS Sierra.

Step 4: Reinstall macOS Sierra

After erasing the disk, you will need to reinstall macOS Sierra. This is done through the Recovery Mode interface.

1. Click the red close button in the upper-left corner of Disk Utility to end the disk erasure process.
2. Choose "Reinstall macOS" from the macOS Utilities menu, then click "Continue."

3. You'll receive guidance on how to do a macOS Sierra reinstallation. Due to the fact that macOS will be downloaded from Apple's servers, make sure your Mac is online.
4. When prompted, select the startup disk (the one you just erased) as the destination for macOS Sierra.

5. The installation process can take a while, depending on your internet speed. Once it is complete, your Mac will restart and boot up as if it were brand new.

You can now set up your Mac as new or restore your data from the backup you created earlier using Time Machine.

Restoring Data Using Time Machine Backup (Optional)

If you will continue using the Mac after a factory reset, you may need to choose to restore your files after the reset, Time Machine makes the process simple:

1. Connect the drive that contains your Time Machine backup to your Mac.
2. During the macOS setup, you will be prompted to transfer information. Select the option to transfer data from a Time Machine backup.

3. Follow the on-screen instructions to choose your Time Machine backup from the external drive.

4. You can choose to restore everything or only specific files, apps, and settings.

5. Once the transfer is complete, your Mac will restart, and your data will be restored.

Step 5: Securely Wipe Data (Optional)

If you plan to sell or give away your Mac, You don't need to restore your data or configure the settings. After factory reset, you can simply finish the reinstalling process. However, it's a good idea to add an extra layer of security by wiping the personal data after resetting it.

Why it's necessary to wipe the data after factory reset macOS Sierra (macOS 10.12)? Actually, even after a factory reset, the removed personal files on the Mac can still be recovered by professional data recovery software. To avoid data breach or keep privacy safe, it's important to erase the data and ensure the private information will not be recovered.

DoYourData Super Eraser for mac is a stand out tool that can wipe data permanently on your drive, making the wiped data inaccessible in any way. While this step is optional, it is a good precautionary measure if privacy is a concern.

After a factory reset for macOS Sierra on your Mac, you can then use the software to wipe the free space of the Mac drive to ensure the removed personal files will not be recovered in any way. Here is how to do that:

Step 1. Run the software from launchpad and change to Wipe Free Space mode. Choose your Mac internal drive and click Wipe Now button.

Step 2. You need to select a security level to erase the data. If you have a higher security level requirement, you can choose a standard with more passes.

Step 3. After confirming the data erasure standard, click Continue button, the software will then start the data wiping process.

Once the process is done, the free space of the drive is wiped totally. And then the removed data on the free space is overwritten and will not be recovered with any data recovery methods. Now your can remove the data wiping software, turn off the Mac and get it ready for sell.

Conclusion

Factory resetting macOS Sierra (macOS 10.12) is a straightforward process, but it's important to follow the steps carefully to ensure that you don't lose data or forget to sign out of essential services. Backing up your data with Time Machine ensures that you can easily restore your files after the reset, while signing out of iCloud, iTunes, and iMessage protects your privacy. Erasing the startup disk and reinstalling macOS Sierra will restore your Mac to its original factory settings, and optionally erasing drive data with DoYourData Super Eraser for Mac can provide extra peace of mind if you will sell the Mac.