These are the main steps to wiping your data from the computer. Primary Steps to Wiping a Macintosh Hard Drive Running Catalina I made a few updates where relevant based on those experiences, including a computer with a 3rd-party SSD installed. Quick Add: I tested 2 other computers running Mojave and Sierra, since originally writing these steps. If you need to do this for a computer running Catalina, maybe my experience will help fill in some blanks. So for my own reference, let me talk you through my experience. Maybe because the instructions are split across 3 different web pages, I got confused and missed a step, wasted time, and finally ended up calling into their help desk.

What to do before you sell, give away, or trade in your Mac

Apple has 3 articles outlined on their site on how to do this. This was too much for me to deal with in those 14-days, so I decided to return the computers and keep exploring my options.īefore returning them to Apple, I needed to wipe the drive clean. Due to changes in the operating system, an insignificant number of fonts, files, and several programs I use a few times a year were not recognized and couldn’t be opened. These computers were running Catalina which I was unfamiliar with. But, they weren’t my first Apple machines.

If it was my first Apple computer I’d probably go ahead and buy them. Both of them were seriously impressive machines.

(Such high prices!)ĭuring this search, I decided to take advantage of Apple’s 14-day trial period and test out a few of Apple’s newest MacBook Pros. I’ve been driving myself insane over the past few weeks months shopping for a new computer.

Wipe macbook pro hard drive