How to erase all content and settings on Mac: Complete guide

To erase all content and settings on a Mac, you can use Apple's Erase Assistant feature. For older Macs, there are still reliable methods to completely wipe your data.

Whether you're selling your Mac, giving it to someone else, or just want a fresh start, knowing how to properly erase your device is essential. I've helped dozens of friends and colleagues through this process, and I can tell you that Apple has made it much simpler in recent years.

Here's a summary of the main ways to erase your Mac, with detailed instructions following below:

Method	Best for	Time needed	Requirements
Erase Assistant	Newer Macs (2018+)	30-60 minutes	macOS Monterey or later, Apple T2 Security Chip or Apple silicon
Recovery Mode	Older Macs	1-2 hours	Any Mac, backup recommended
CleanMyMac	Selective file removal	5-15 minutes	CleanMyMac app
Manual reset	Pre-2018 Macs	2-3 hours	Technical knowledge, multiple steps

Or get CleanMyMac as a standalone app from $9.95 USD/month.

How to erase all content and settings on Mac

On macOS Monterey or later with compatible hardware, go to System Settings > General > Transfer or Reset > Erase All Content and Settings. 

For older Macs, use recovery mode or third-party tools like CleanMyMac.

For older Macs or those running earlier macOS versions, I recommend using CleanMyMac, a Mac cleaner and optimizer. Its My Clutter module removes unwanted files and folders without leaving a trace.

Here's how to erase all settings and content with CleanMyMac:

1. Open CleanMyMac.
2. Click the My Clutter module in the left sidebar > Scan.
3. Click Select Files to choose the files you want to erase.
4. Review all items and delete unwanted files.

I managed to delete over 12 GB of clutter on my Mac, but I also recommend running the Cleanup module, which removes system junkremoves system junk.

Use Erase Assistant to erase your Mac

Important: Before proceeding, check your macOS version by clicking the Apple menu > About This Mac. These instructions work for macOS Monterey through macOS Tahoe. For detailed version requirements, see Apple's compatibility guide.

The location of Erase Assistant varies slightly between macOS versions. I'll show you the steps for each.

Erase all content and settings on macOS Monterey

If you have older macOS versions, like Monterey and lower:

1. Go to the Apple menu and click System Preferences.
2. Click System Preferences in the menu bar.
3. Choose Erase All Content and Settings.
4. Enter your administrator password.
5. Sign out of your Apple ID when prompted.
6. Click Erase All Content & Settings.

The process takes about 30 to 60 minutes — times vary by hardware and storage size.

I set up a scheduled backup in Get Backup Pro the night before I ran Erase Assistant, just a selective backup of my work folder and Documents. The restore afterward took about ten minutes, which felt almost anticlimactic for how much I was dreading it.

Erase all content and settings on macOS Ventura and later

For macOS Ventura and later, the process is similar, but the location has changed:

1. Go to the Apple menu and click System Settings.
2. Click General in the sidebar > Transfer or Reset.
3. Click the Erase All Content and Settings button.
4. Enter your administrator password.
5. Optionally back up your Mac with Time Machine, or skip this step by clicking Continue.
6. Enter your Apple Account password to sign out.
7. Click Erase All Content & Settings to start the process.
8. Wait for the progress bar to complete.
9. Click Restart when prompted.

After the restart, your Mac will display the Setup Assistant just like when it was new.

What's the difference between factory reset and Erase All Content & Settings?

Factory reset and Erase All Content & Settings are two different things: 

• Erase All Content & Settings is essentially Apple's modern implementation of a factory reset. The main distinction from older methods is that it maintains your current macOS version rather than reverting to the original.
• Reset All Settings option only resets system settings, not your data. Don't confuse this with Erase All Content & Settings, which removes everything.

Here is a detailed comparison:

Feature	Factory reset	Erase All Content & Settings
What it does	Returns Mac to original factory state	Apple's official factory reset tool
Settings affected	All settings to defaults	All settings erased
Data removal	Complete data wipe	Complete data wipe
macOS version	May revert to original OS	Keeps current OS version
Availability	All Macs via recovery mode	2018+ Macs with Monterey or later

You can learn more about how to factory reset your Mac.

Erase All Content & Settings on macOS Big Sur and earlier

If you have a Mac from 2017 or older, the resetting process requires more technical steps. For Macs running macOS Big Sur or earlier, you have two options:

Option 1: Update to macOS Monterey or later (if compatible), then follow the Erase Assistant steps.

Option 2: Use recovery mode to manually erase and reinstall macOS. According to Apple's guide for older Macs, this involves:

1. Back up your important files.
2. Sign out of all Apple services.
3. Restart while holding Command + R.
4. Use Disk Utility to erase your drive.
5. Reinstall macOS from recovery mode.

This manual process takes longer but achieves the same result.

What does Erase Assistant do?

With the help of Erase Assistant, you can reset your Mac to factory settings and erase it before reinstalling macOS with a few clicks.

Here’s what you can do with the Erase Assistant:

• Sign you out of Apple services like iCloud
• Turn off Find My and Activation Lock, so the Mac you’re wiping is no longer associated with you
• Erase all content and settings, as well as any apps you have installed
• Erase all volumes (not just the one you’re using). If you installed Windows on your Mac using Boot Camp Assistant, the BOOTCAMP volume will also be erased. 
• Delete all user accounts and their data (not just your own user account).

Erase and reset your Mac safely

Now you know how to erase all content and settings on your Mac. The method depends on your hardware and macOS version.

Before erasing anything, always back up your essential data. I recommend using Time Machine or a dedicated backup solution. This ensures you can recover important files if needed.

Erasing your Mac is a fresh start — make sure your files are safe first. Get Backup Pro and CleanMyMac are both on Setapp. Back up what matters, clean what you don't need — free for 7 days. Get 270+ Apps Free. Or get CleanMyMac standalone from $9.95 USD/month.

FAQ

How do I completely wipe my Mac?

For newer Macs (2018 or later) running macOS Monterey through Tahoe, use Erase Assistant: System Settings > General > Transfer or Reset > Erase All Content and Settings. For older Macs, boot into recovery mode (Command + R at startup), use Disk Utility to erase the drive, then reinstall macOS. Alternatively, use the CleanMyMac tool (no matter the macOS version) to delete data on your Mac.

How do I wipe an older Mac before recycling?

Boot into recovery mode by restarting and holding Command + R. Open Disk Utility from the macOS Utilities window. Select your startup disk and click Erase. Choose APFS (Apple File System) or Mac OS Extended format. After erasing, reinstall macOS or leave it blank for recycling. Remember to deauthorize the Mac in iTunes and sign out of iCloud first.

What's the difference between factory reset and Erase All Content and Settings?

Erase All Content & Settings is Apple's modern factory reset tool introduced in macOS Monterey. It performs a complete factory reset while keeping your current macOS version. A traditional factory reset through recovery mode may revert to the original OS version. Both methods completely erase your data, but Erase All Content & Settings is faster and simpler on compatible Macs.