Erase a device in Find My on Mac (2024)

FAQs

Erase a device in Find My on Mac? ›

Use Erase All Content and Settings to quickly and securely erase all settings, data, and apps, while maintaining the operating system currently installed.

Use Erase All Content and Settings to quickly and securely erase all settings, data, and apps, while maintaining the operating system currently installed.

In Find Devices on iCloud.com, select the device in the All Devices list on the left. If you've already selected a device, you can click All Devices to return to the list and select a new device. Click Remove This Device. Activation Lock is removed immediately, and the device is removed from Find My after 30 days.

Go to the Find My app on your Mac. on the map. Click Erase This Device.

All of your personal content and settings are deleted. Activation Lock remains on to protect your device. To turn it off, remove the device from Find My. If you erase a device that had iOS 15, iPadOS 15, or later installed, you can use Find My to locate or play a sound on the device.

When the erase process is complete, click Done, then choose Disk Utility > Quit Disk Utility. In the Recovery app window, click Reinstall macOS [name], then click Continue. Follow the onscreen instructions.

Before you spend big on a new Mac, though, try a factory reset, which wipes your computer and reinstalls a clean version of macOS. A factory reset is also the best way to prepare your old computer for a new owner to make sure no leftover data falls into the wrong hands.

Yes. Formatting your hard disk and performing a fresh installation of macOS will delete all the apps (both Apple and 3rd party) which are installed on top of fresh install of macOS.

When you remove a device from Apple ID does it delete everything? ›

Removing a device from your Apple account and signing out does not remove all your data or information. If you intend to sell your device, be sure to perform a factory reset.

macOS 13 or later: Choose Apple menu > System Settings, click [your name] at the top of the sidebar, click iCloud, click Find My Mac, then click Turn Off next to Find My Mac. macOS 12 or earlier: Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, click Apple ID, click iCloud, then deselect Find My Mac.

Go to the Find My app on your Mac. Click Devices, then select the device you want to remove. on the map, then click Remove This Device. The device is removed after 30 days.

If you don't think you can recover your missing Mac, you can erase it remotely. This deletes all of your data from your Mac and prevents anyone else from accessing that information.

Erase your Mac

Shut down your Mac. Start up from macOS Recovery, then use Disk Utility to erase your Mac. For details about both of these actions, follow these steps: Use Disk Utility to erase an Intel-based Mac. When done, quit Disk Utility but don't restart your Mac.

Open Disk Utility application from the Utility Folder in the Applications folder or select it from the list when booting from the Recovery Disk. Select the disk or partition to erase, and then click Erase. Specify a format, and enter a name for the disk. Click Erase.