How to Factory Reset iMac

There are 2 methods to factory reset an iMac. Erase All Content and Settings for Apple silicon iMacs (M1, M3 and M4) and the 2 Intel models with a T2 chip or Disk Utility in Recovery Mode for Intel iMacs from 2019 and earlier. Both methods erase all personal data before you sell, trade in, or troubleshoot the computer.

Which Factory Reset Method Does Your iMac Use?

Your iMac model determines the correct factory reset method. According to Apple Support, Erase All Content and Settings works only on Macs with Apple silicon or the Apple T2 Security Chip running macOS Monterey 12 or later. Check your chip under Apple menu > About This Mac.

What to Do Before You Factory Reset Your iMac

Complete these 4 preparation steps before erasing your iMac:

1. Back up your data with Time Machine. Connect an external drive, then open Time Machine from System Settings (or System Preferences on older macOS versions) and run a full backup.

2. Sign out of iCloud. Go to System Settings > [your name] > Sign Out. On macOS Big Sur or earlier also sign out of iMessage under Messages > Preferences > iMessage.

3. Unpair Bluetooth accessories, such as the Magic Keyboard, Magic Mouse and Magic Trackpad, if the iMac goes to a new owner.

4. Note your macOS version under Apple menu > About This Mac to pick the correct method below.

How to Factory Reset an Apple Silicon or T2 iMac

Erase All Content and Settings resets an Apple silicon or T2 iMac in 6 steps and keeps macOS installed:

1. Open the Apple menu and choose System Settings (System Preferences on macOS Monterey).

2. Click General > Transfer or Reset > Erase All Content and Settings. On Monterey, choose Erase All Content and Settings from the System Preferences menu in the menu bar.

3. Enter your administrator password to open Erase Assistant.

4. Review the summary and click Continue.Erase Assistant signs you out of iCloud, turns off Find My, and disables Activation Lock automatically.

5. Confirm with Erase All Content & Settings. The iMac restarts, possibly more than once, and may ask to activate over Wi-Fi.

6. At the “hello” screen, press and hold the power button to shut down, if the iMac goes to a new owner.

Storage on Apple silicon and T2 iMacs is encrypted by default. So this method destroys the encryption keys; the erased data is unrecoverable, according to Apple.

How to Factory Reset an Intel iMac with Disk Utility

Intel iMacs from 2019 and earlier require Recovery Mode and Disk Utility, which takes 30–60 minutes including the macOS reinstall:

1. Sign out of iCloud and iMessage using the preparation steps above.

2. Shut down the iMac, turn it on and immediately hold Command (⌘) + R until the Apple logo appears.

3. Select Disk Utility and click Continue.

4. Choose Macintosh HD in the sidebar and click Erase.

5. Set the format to APFS for macOS High Sierra 10.13 or later or Mac OS Extended (Journaled) for older versions then confirm.

6. Quit Disk Utility, select Reinstall macOS and follow the prompts over a stable internet connection.

7. At the setup assistant, press Command-Q to shut down and leave the iMac in an out-of-box state.

8. Reset the NVRAM if the iMac is changing owners: restart and hold Option + Command + P + R for about 20 seconds. Apple recommends this step to clear stored user settings on Intel Macs.

How to Factory Reset an iMac Without a Password

Recovery Mode erases an iMac without the login password: hold Command + R at startup on Intel models or press and hold the power button until “Loading startup options” appears on Apple silicon models. Then erase the disk in Disk Utility and reinstall macOS. One limit applies: erasing the disk does not remove Activation Lock. The iMac stays linked to the previous Apple ID until the owner signs out of iCloud or removes the device at icloud.com/find.

Selling Your iMac After the Factory Reset

A factory reset makes an iMac ready to sell. It removes 3 things at once: your personal data, your Apple ID and Activation Lock.A reset iMac also gets paid faster. At WeBuyBackElectronics, an iMac that arrives with Find My still turned on adds 4-5 business days to payment.Because only the seller can remove Activation Lock.

You can sell used iMac models from 2011 through M4 for cash with free shipping. Current payouts are listed in how much can I sell my iMac for.

FAQ

Is there a reset button on an iMac?

No physical reset button exists on any iMac model. A factory reset runs through Erase All Content and Settings in System Settings. Or through Disk Utility in Recovery Mode on older Intel models.

How long does it take to factory reset an iMac? 

Erase All Content and Settings finishes in under 15 minutes on Apple silicon and T2 iMacs. The Disk Utility method takes 30–60 minutes because macOS downloads and reinstalls from Apple’s servers.

Does a factory reset remove Activation Lock? 

Erase All Content and Settings turns off Activation Lock automatically. Erasing with Disk Utility does not sign out of iCloud before erasing or removing the iMac at icloud.com/find afterward.

Can I factory reset an iMac without the password?

 Yes. Recovery Mode and Disk Utility erase the drive without the login password on both Intel and Apple silicon iMacs. Activation Lock still requires the linked Apple ID to be signed out.

How do I factory reset a 2011 iMac? 

Hold Command + R at startup, open Disk Utility, erase the startup disk using Mac OS Extended (Journaled), then choose Reinstall macOS. The 2011 iMac supports up to macOS High Sierra 10.13.

Does a factory reset delete macOS? 

Erase All Content and Settings keeps the installed macOS in place. The Disk Utility method removes the operating system, which is why Reinstall macOS follows the erase step.