How to initialize a Mac properly

Do you want to sell your Mac or do you just want to initialize it to have a fresher system (read how to update a Mac) free of unnecessary files? Then this is the guide for you! In this article we will see how to initialize a Mac. The process is not like the one that is done for Windows so stick to the guide.

We don’t have to create any installation media or download the operating system manually.

So let’s go see how to initialize a Mac.

Log out of Apple services

Before initializing your Mac you must log out of Apple services.

Attention! This stage is only for those who want to sell their Mac. If you want to reinstall macos just to do a cleaning you can skip this stage.

Follow the steps below to log out of all Apple services on your Mac:

• Open iTunes, select Account from the menu and then click Permissions, and finally click Remove Permission;
• Quit iCloud. Go to System Preferences, click on Apple ID, disable Find My Mac, click on Overview and click on Quit;

If you have Filevault enabled turn it off by going to System Preferences/Security and Privacy/Filevault click on the padlock at the bottom left, enter your password and click on Disable Filevault…

Now you are ready to reinstall macOS.

Initialize a Mac

To initialize a Mac and then reinstall macOS is very simple and now we’ll see how to do it.

Before formatting your Mac I recommend taking a backup with Time Machine if you have important files that you are afraid of losing.

In fact with this guide you will go to completely initialize your Mac and then you will lose all the files on it.

Be very careful what you do. Tecnogalaxy does not take responsibility for any problems you may cause. If you’re not sure what you’re doing rely on a professional or follow the official Apple Guide.

Now we can finally initialize the Mac.

Restart the Mac if it was on and hold down the Command ⌘ and R keys simultaneously during power up.

If you are prompted for your account password, enter it and click Continue.

After a few seconds you should see the macOS Utility screen.

Before reinstalling macos you need to initialize the disk. Then click on Disk Utility and then click on Continue.

From the left menu of Disk Utility locates the Macintosh HD partition and click on the partition called Macintosh HD – Data. Click on – in the toolbar.

From the window that opens click Delete. DO NOT click Delete Group of Volumes.

Now select Macintosh HD and click Initialize.

In the window that opens enter the name you want to give to the disk. As a format select APFS if you have a system from High Sierra up or Mac OS extended (journaled) if you have an older version. The system will however show you the recommended setting.

To start the operation click on Initialize.

After initialization close Disk Utility and you will return to the main screen of macOS Utility.

Now you just have to reinstall macOS.

Reinstall macOS

From the main screen of macOS Utility select Reinstall macOS and click Continue.

Select the disk where you want to install macOS and the system download will start. The download time depends on the speed of your connection. During this waiting time do not stop the Mac and do not close it (if it is a Macbook).

After the operation of download and reinstallation of the system on your Mac will be shown the system configuration screen, just as if it were a new Mac.

If you need to sell your Mac simultaneously press the Command ⌘ and Q keys and turn off the Mac.

Otherwise complete the system configuration and you will have a Mac as new.

The guide is finished. You initialized your Mac correctly. As you could see it was not difficult.

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