What is the best way to factory reset a Mac?

[Sandra Howard]

I just purchased a new Mac and I’m planning to sell my old one. How can I reset it to factory defaults to make it ready for its next user?

[Emma Jansen]

There is no specific way to reset a Mac to factory settings. If you erase its hard drive and reinstall the operating system it should be good to go. Just remember to sign out of iCloud otherwise it will remain locked to your account.

[Nasir Malik]

It’s also recommended to reset the NVRAM. This clears some hardware and security settings that are otherwise not wiped by an OS reinstall.

[Rebecca Campbell]

You might want to unpair any bluetooth devices if you’re not selling them with the computer. I sold a laptop to a neighbor once and my headphones kept connecting to his device.

[Matt Collins]

If you haven’t transferred your files to your new Mac yet, you should know it’s possible to migrate your files to your new Mac without having to manually transfer them. This saves you a lot of headache.

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