How to Permanently Erase Data in macOS Big Sur?

Quick Navigation:

• Understanding Data Deletion
• Preparing for a permanent erase data
• Factory Reset Big Sure to Remove All User Data
• Erase Free Space of Mac to Wipe Removed Data Permanently
• Best Practices for Data Erasure
• To Summarize

For those who want to safely delete private data, free up disk space, or prepare a Mac to sell or donate, permanently erasing data on macOS Big Sur is necessary. Moving files to the Trash and then emptying them doesn't completely remove the data; the data stays on the disk until it is replaced.

This guide looks at several ways to permanently delete data on macOS Big Sur, such as removing all personal files by a factory reset, using third-party software and using advanced Terminal instructions to wipe removed data permanently.

These methods ensure no one can get your data back, protecting your privacy and safety. This guide shows you the steps you need to take to effectively erase data permanently on macOS Big Sur, no matter how experienced you are.

Understanding Data Deletion

It's important to know how data deletion works on macOS before looking at the methods:

• Trash Deletion: macOS removes the link to the file when you empty the Trash and move it there. The data itself, though, stays on the disk until new data overwrites it.
• Secure Erase: This means writing over the data more than once so it can't be recovered.
• FileVault Encryption: When you turn on FileVault, your whole drive is encrypted, so you can't get to your files without the encryption key.

If you want to make sure all personal files in macOS Big Sur will be removed and wiped permanently, you can follow this guide to accomplish the task completely.

Preparing for a permanent erase data

It would help if you did a few important things before factory restarting your macOS Big Sur. This will protect your data and ensure the rest of the process goes smoothly.

Backup Important Data

Making copies of your important files is the first and most important step. Losing important files like pictures, documents, or app data can be upsetting but can be avoided at all costs. To keep your things safe, use the following steps:

• Time Machine: The easiest way to back up your system is to use Apple's built-in backup service. To start the process, connect an external drive and choose it as your backup disk in Time Machine.

• Cloud Services: To keep your files safer, use cloud storage services like iCloud Drive, Dropbox, or Google Drive. These systems make it easy to store important files elsewhere.
• Clone the Mac: You can also use DoYourClone for Mac to create a full copy of your Mac before wiping data.

Sign Out of Apple Services

Sign out of all Apple services so that other people can't access your personal information or buy things with your Account:

• iCloud: Select your Apple ID from the list of settings in System Preferences and click "Sign Out" under your user account.

• iMessage: If you want to sign out of your iMessage account, go to Messages > Preferences in the Messages app and click on it.

Deauthorize iTunes (Music):

It's important to remove your computer's authorization from iTunes or Music, especially if you've reached the limit of devices that can use your Apple ID. To stop authorizing:

• On your Mac, open iTunes (or Music).
• Select Account > Authorizations > Deauthorize This Computer from the menu bar at the top of your screen.
• Enter your ID and password, then hit "Deauthorize."

If you follow these steps, your Big Sur data erasure will go as smoothly and safely as possible. It will give your Mac or its new owner a fresh start.

Factory Reset Big Sure to Remove All User Data

As it's impossible to wipe a Mac system drive directly, to ensure all the personal data will be wiped, first you can factory reset the macOS Big Sur. During the process, you can choose to format the drive in Recovery Mode to ensure all the files are removed. Then you can wipe the free space of drive to ensure all files will be wiped. Here you can do as follows to start a factory reset:

Step 1. Get into Recovery Mode

For Apple Silicon Mac: Press and hold on Power button until you will the boot drive screen, select Options and click Continue.

For Intel Mac: Start the Mac and press Command + R keys to get into Recovery Mode.

Step 2. Format the Mac drive with Disk Utility.

Click the Disk Utility option to open it from the macOS Recovery Utilities screen.

Here you can format the Mac drive. Select the drive and click Erase button and continue the formatting process.

Step 3. Reinstall macOS Big Sur.

Exit Disk Utility and go back to the macOS Recovery Utilities screen, choose Reinstall macOS Big Sur and follow the wizard to reinstall the system directly.

After the process is done, a new fresh copy of macOS Big Sure is installed and all the previous personal data, system settings, applications are removed or reset.

Erase Free Space of Mac to Wipe Removed Data Permanently

After a factory reset, all your personal data was removed. However, it's not enough if the Mac will be delivery to another hand. The removed data would be recovered with professional data recovery software, at least part of the data.

To ensure the data will not be recovered, it's necessary to wipe the removed data permanently. Here we will introduce 2 methods to wipe the deleted files on macOS Big Sur.

Use Mac data erasure software to wipe delete data permanently

One of the best ways to delete files on macOS Big Sur is to use DoYourData Super Eraser for Mac. In between 1 and 35 passes, it can help you safely and fully delete data on macOS Big Sur. The software can help you delete data from a portable hard drive, memory card, USB flash drive, digital camera, and other devices for good.

After a factory reset on macOS Big Sur, the software can help you wipe the removed files permanently to keep your privacy information safe. What's more, the software can also be used to shred individual files or folder, or wipe an entire drive to erase all data.

That is the guide you need if you only want to delete data already removed on MacOS Big Sur during factory reset.

Step 1: On your Mac, open DoYourData Super Eraser for Mac and choose the "Erase Free Space" data-erasing mode. Select the Mac drive form the device list and click "Wipe Now" button.

Step 2: Select a data erasure standard from the drop-down list. Different data erasure standards offer different security level. If you want to be more safe, you can select one with more passes, however it will take more time.

Step 3: Click the "Continue" button to eliminate all the free room on the hard drive. All data that is wiped will be gone for good. The data that is already on the hard drive will not be lost.

Wipe free space of Mac drive using Terminal commands

With the system built-in tool Terminal, you can also wipe the free space of the drive, making it impossible to return deleted files. Do these things:

1. Go to Applications > Utilities > Terminal.

2. Use the following command to list all the drives on the Mac:

diskutil list

Check the listed disks and locate the drive which you want to wipe data. Remember the disk number of the drive.

3. Wipe the free space of the drive with the following command.

diskutil secureErase freespace 4 /device/disk0

Ensure to include "freespace" in the command. With the parameter, it will only wipe the free space of the drive. Replace "/device/disk0" with the right number of your drive.

The number "4" is the erasure security level. You can replace it with a different option: 0, 1, 2, 3 depending on your need. If the Mac will be sold or donated, it's better to choose the most security level 4.

This process erases everything removed on your drive, so you can't get back things that you deleted from the drive.

Best Practices for Data Erasure

Use data recovery tools to ensure you have deleted your data for good.

• Use Encryption: To add security, encrypt private data before you delete it.
• Regularly Erase Free Space: Delete free room regularly to ensure that files can't be recovered.
• Update Software: For the newest security features, ensure your macOS and any other software you use is always up to date.

To Summarize

To protect your privacy and ensure private information can't be recovered, you must permanently delete MacOS Big Sur data. You can safely delete your files by emptying the Trash using Terminal commands, third-party data erasure software.

Following best practices, like confirming deletions and encrypting data, makes it even safer. These methods are reliable ways to ensure your data can't be recovered, giving you peace of mind when handling your digital footprint, whether you're making room on your hard drive, keeping personal information safe, or getting your Mac ready to sell.