No doubt, MacBooks are really great and reliable, but things can go wrong with all types of digital devices. It really doesn’t mean that the only option left will be to throw your device. If you are facing a problem with your MacBook Air, try a factory reset before you opt to buy a new one. Resetting the MacBook will clean your device and will reinstall the new and clean version of the Mac operating system in a few simple steps.
The MacBook Air does have a factory reset option that will help you prepare your device for the new user or in case you are selling the device, you will be able to clear all your personal or confidential data from the MacBook Air so that your data don’t go in the hands of the buyer.
This article will guide you on how to reset your MacBook to renew its versions or to factory reset it to clear all the data from the device. The instructions provided below will work on most of the macOS especially. Don’t worry if your macOS is different from our instruction because there will only be a change in interface or icons, other than that the method will be the same.
How to Factory Reset a MacBook Air?
To factory reset your MacBook Air, you are first required to be in the Recovery Mode. To get into the recovery mode, press Command + R when restarting or turning your device ON. Let the keys be pressed until the Apple logo appears on your MacBook’s screen.
Just after the startup is completed, it will open a window titled Utilities with all the options to reset, restore, or reinstall the macOS on your MacBook Air. To start the process of factory reset:
- Click on the last option in the Utilities Window titled Disk Utility and then click Continue to move forward
- Go to the View section and select Show All Devices from its drop-down menu to see all your storage drives
- Now click on the Erase button after selecting the hard drive you want to get erased
- A format field will appear on the screen, select the macOS Extended (Journaled) if you are using a macOS version older than macOS Sierra and go for the APFS option if you are using the latest version.
- After selecting the options, click on the Erase button on the window
Wait until the process is completed and then begin the next steps to reinstall the new macOS onto your device to get started.
- Click on the second option from the Utilities window titled Reinstall macOS and click Next.
- The device will display you the instructions, just follow them and you will get the job done.
Customize the new macOS according to your requirements but if you are going to sell your MacBook Air then just stop the process by pressing Command + Q and shut down the device after the installation is completed. MacBook will ask again for customization whenever the device will be turned ON.
How to Reset a MacBook Air?
Resetting the MacBook Air is the process to Sign Out from the three iServices on your device. The iServices include the iMessages, iTunes, and iCloud.
Signing Out of iMessages on MacBook Air
- Start by pressing Command + Space Bar then type the word Messages and press Enter to move to the next step.
- Go to the Preferences and click on the iMessages option to sign out
- Now just click on the Sign Out button and you will be signed out from your iMessages
Signing Out of iTunes on MacBook Air
- Open the iTunes and click on the Account tab from the menu bar
- From the drop-down menu, click on the Authorizations and select the Deauthorize this Computer from the list
- Enter your Apple ID and Password in the empty fields and just click on the Deauthorize button or press Enter
Signing Out of iCloud on MacBook Air
- Click the Apple Icon on your MacBook Air’s display screen and go to the System Preferences
- From System Preferences click the iCloud option and hit the Sign Out button to get the job done.
How to Reset a MacBook Air without a Password?
- Start with the same process used for Factory Reset by pressing Command + R
- Select the fourth option Disk Utility option from utilities and go to the left side of the screen towards the Internal section.
- In the section titled Internal, there will be two options with the same title, click on the bold one
- A dialogue box will open that has one input and 2 drop-down menu fields.
- Enter the title of the hard drive, select the macOS Extended (Journaled) or APFS, and then finally select GUID Partition Map in the last drop-down menu
- Once you have chosen all the options, just click on the Erase button
- Now follow the procedure described earlier to reinstall the macOS.
How to Reset the MacBook Air’s Password?
- Start with the same procedure through Disk Utility to Continue and then…
- Click on the Utilities Terminal, type reset password, and then click on the Return button
- Now go to the hard drive, choose your User Account, and create a new password and hint for your MacBook Air.
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FAQs:
Can MacBook Air be affected by viruses or malware?
MacBooks are well known for their immunity against viruses. They are far more secure as compared to the Windows operating system, but there are still minor chances that the MacBook can get affected by viruses.
I forgot the password. Can I open the MacBook without data loss?
You can access your Mac without any loss of data. Just follow the steps for resetting the password through Disk Utilities and you can easily create a new password.
The Bottom Line:
By following the above-mentioned steps, we hope that you will get the job done and will have the fully functioning new version of the macOS after completing your reset process. Make sure that you create a backup before a factory reset to protect your important data for the future because resetting the device will clear your data permanently and there is no “Undo” option for you.