How To Factory Reset a Mac and PC

How To Factory Reset a Mac

1. Make sure you've backed up all of your important data in a cloud service. Log out of all services that you use.
2. Make sure your computer is plugged in for the duration of the reset.
3. Restart in Recovery Mode: When the computer shuts off and powers back on, hold Command + R until you see the Apple logo.
4. You won't see your usual login page, anymore, but instead will see a "macOS Utilities" window.
1. Choose disk utility > continue.
2. Choose the correct startup disc and select erase.
3. Choose MacOS Extended (Journaled) as the format.
4. Click erase
5. Wait until the process finishes, then go to the Disk Utility menu > quit.
5. If you like, reinstall MacOS.

How To Factory Reset a PC

1. Repeat steps 1-3 as listed above.
2. Navigate to Settings > Update & Security > Recovery. You should see a title that says "Reset this PC." Click Get Started.
3. You can either select Keep my files or Remove everything. The former resets your options to default and removes uninstalled apps, like browsers, but keeps your data intact. The latter, as its name suggests, will delete your files. In either case, back up your files in case something goes awry.
4. Use the Fresh Start option in Windows 10: Settings > Update & Security > Recovery page, Then, click the link text "Learn how to start fresh with a clean installation of Windows at the bottom. That opens a Windows Defender Security Center window to the Fresh Start option. Click Get started.