How to Restore Your Mac to Factory Settings

What Restoring to Factory Settings Does

Restoring your Mac to factory settings erases everything on the drive — all files, programs, and settings — and reinstalls the operating system that came with the machine. This is different from a regular backup or restart. Once you start the process, the data is gone unless you have a separate backup stored elsewhere.

People restore a Mac when they plan to sell it, give it away, or fix serious software problems that won't go away any other way. It is also the nuclear option if malware or corruption has made the machine unreliable. Before you begin, back up anything you want to keep to an external drive or cloud storage.

Key Takeaways

Back up all your files to an external drive or cloud service before starting, because the restore process erases everything on your Mac.
You can erase and reinstall using Recovery Mode (built into your Mac) or by creating a bootable installer on a USB drive.
Recovery Mode is simpler for most people and does not require a second device, but a USB installer is faster if you are restoring multiple Macs or if Recovery Mode fails.
After the reinstall completes, your Mac will boot to the setup screen, and you can choose to restore from a backup or set it up as new.

Using Recovery Mode to Erase and Reinstall

Recovery Mode is the easiest path for most people. Shut down your Mac completely. Turn it back on and hold down Command + R as soon as you hear the startup sound or see the Apple logo. Keep holding until you see the macOS Utilities window. This loads a minimal operating system from a hidden partition on your drive.

From the Utilities window, click Disk Utility. Select your main drive (usually called Macintosh HD) from the list on the left. Click the Erase button at the top. Choose a name for the drive (you can keep the default), set the format to APFS (or Mac OS Extended if your Mac is very old), and click Erase. This wipes the drive completely.

When the erase finishes, close Disk Utility and return to the Utilities window. Click Reinstall macOS (or Reinstall OS X on older machines). Follow the prompts. The installer will read the operating system and install it on your now-empty drive. This can take 30 minutes to an hour depending on your internet speed and Mac model.

Creating a Bootable USB Installer

If Recovery Mode is not working or you want a faster reinstall, you can create a bootable USB drive on another Mac. You will need a USB drive with at least 16 GB of free space and access to a second Mac running the same or newer operating system.

On the second Mac, read the macOS installer from the App Store. Search for the version you want (Big Sur, Monterey, Ventura, Sonoma, or Sequoia depending on your Mac's age). Open the App Store, find the installer, and click Get. The installer will read to your Applications folder.

Plug in the USB drive. Open Terminal (in Applications > Utilities) and paste this command: sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ [VersionName].app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/[USBDriveName]. Replace [VersionName] with the actual name (like InstallMacOSSequoia) and [USBDriveName] with your USB drive's name. Press Enter and type your password when prompted. The process takes 5 to 15 minutes.

When it finishes, shut down the Mac you want to restore. Plug in the USB drive, turn the Mac back on, and hold down Option (Alt) when ready. Select the USB drive from the boot menu. The installer will launch, and you can then use Disk Utility to erase the drive and reinstall the operating system.

What Happens After the Reinstall

When the installation finishes, your Mac will restart and show the setup screen. You can choose to restore from a Time Machine backup (if you have one), migrate from another Mac, or set up as new. If you are selling or giving away the Mac, choose set up as new and then shut down without completing the setup — the next owner will see a fresh start screen.

If you are keeping the Mac, you can restore from your backup at this point. Time Machine backups restore everything: files, programs, settings, and user accounts. Restoring takes as long as the backup is large, usually 15 minutes to an hour.

Troubleshooting When Recovery Mode Will Not Start

If you hold Command + R and the Utilities window does not appear, try Command + Option + R instead. This loads the internet recovery version, which downloads the operating system from Apple's servers. It is slower but works when the local recovery partition is damaged.

If internet recovery also fails, your best option is the USB installer method. If you do not have access to another Mac, contact Apple Support or visit an Apple Store. They can create an installer for you or diagnose whether the drive itself has failed.

Erasing an External Drive or Secondary Partition

The same process works for external drives and secondary partitions. Plug in the external drive, open Disk Utility from Applications > Utilities, select the drive from the left sidebar, click Erase, choose a name and format, and click Erase. You do not need Recovery Mode for this — Disk Utility runs normally from your working Mac.

For a secondary partition on your main drive, the process is identical, but you cannot erase the partition your Mac is currently running from. You must boot from Recovery Mode or a USB installer first, then erase the partition you want to wipe.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I restore my Mac without losing my files?

No. Restoring to factory settings erases everything. Back up to an external drive or cloud storage first, then restore. After the reinstall completes, you can restore from that backup and get all your files back.

How long does the whole process take?

Erasing takes 5 to 10 minutes. Downloading and installing the operating system takes 30 minutes to an hour, depending on your internet speed and Mac model. Restoring from a backup afterward can add another 15 minutes to an hour.

What if my Mac will not boot into Recovery Mode?

Try Command + Option + R for internet recovery. If that fails, create a bootable USB installer on another Mac. If you have no access to another Mac, visit an Apple Store or contact Apple Support.

Do I need an internet connection?

Yes. Recovery Mode downloads the operating system from Apple's servers. If your internet is slow or unstable, a USB installer is faster and more reliable.

Will restoring fix viruses or malware?

Yes. Restoring erases everything on the drive, including any malware. After reinstalling, do not restore from your old backup if you suspect it contained malware — set up as new instead.

This guide is for general information only and is not medical, financial, legal, or other professional advice. For decisions specific to your situation, consult a qualified professional. See our Editorial Policy.