Selling or Giving Away Your Computer? How to Wipe It Safely
Upgrading to a new computer? Before you sell, donate, recycle or hand down the old one, make sure none of your personal data goes with it. Dragging files to the Recycle Bin isn't enough. Deleted files can often be recovered. Here's how to do it properly.
Step 1: Back up everything
Once you wipe the computer, your files are gone for good. Before you start:
• Copy documents, photos, videos and music to your new computer, an external drive or cloud storage.
• Don't forget the Desktop and Downloads folders, browser bookmarks and saved passwords (if you're not using a password manager that syncs).
• Check the backup by opening a few files from it.
• Don't forget the Desktop and Downloads folders, browser bookmarks and saved passwords (if you're not using a password manager that syncs).
• Check the backup by opening a few files from it.
Step 2: Sign out of your accounts
Some services tie your account to the device itself:
• Mac: sign out of your Apple Account (System Settings → your name → Sign Out). This also turns off Find My. If Find My stays on, the next owner can't set up the Mac.
• Apple Music / iTunes: deauthorize the computer (in the Music app: Account → Authorizations → Deauthorize This Computer).
• Microsoft 365, Adobe and other paid software: sign out or deactivate the licence so you can use it on your new computer.
• Browsers: sign out of Chrome, Edge or Firefox sync.
• Mac: unpair Bluetooth keyboards, mice and trackpads you're keeping.
• Apple Music / iTunes: deauthorize the computer (in the Music app: Account → Authorizations → Deauthorize This Computer).
• Microsoft 365, Adobe and other paid software: sign out or deactivate the licence so you can use it on your new computer.
• Browsers: sign out of Chrome, Edge or Firefox sync.
• Mac: unpair Bluetooth keyboards, mice and trackpads you're keeping.
Step 3: Erase the computer
Windows 10 and 11
1. Go to Settings → System → Recovery (on Windows 10: Update & Security → Recovery).
2. Next to Reset this PC, click Reset PC.
3. Choose Remove everything.
4. Under Change settings, turn on Clean data. This takes longer, but makes your files much harder to recover.
5. Follow the prompts. It can take an hour or more.
2. Next to Reset this PC, click Reset PC.
3. Choose Remove everything.
4. Under Change settings, turn on Clean data. This takes longer, but makes your files much harder to recover.
5. Follow the prompts. It can take an hour or more.
Mac (recent models)
On Macs with Apple silicon, or Intel Macs with the T2 security chip, running macOS Monterey or later:
1. Go to System Settings → General → Transfer or Reset.
2. Click Erase All Content and Settings.
3. Follow the prompts.
2. Click Erase All Content and Settings.
3. Follow the prompts.
This securely erases your data and settings while leaving macOS installed for the next owner.
Older Macs
Older Intel Macs need to be erased from macOS Recovery using Disk Utility, followed by reinstalling macOS. Apple's support site has step-by-step instructions for your model.
Step 4: Remove it from your account lists
The computer may still be listed on your accounts:
• Microsoft: sign in at account.microsoft.com/devices and remove it.
• Apple: at account.apple.com, go to Devices and remove it.
• Google: check myaccount.google.com → Security → Your devices.
• Apple: at account.apple.com, go to Devices and remove it.
• Google: check myaccount.google.com → Security → Your devices.
What about really old computers?
If the computer is too old or broken to reset, the safest option is to remove the hard drive before recycling it, and either keep it as a spare external drive or have it destroyed. Many computer recycling services offer certified data destruction.
The bottom line
Back up, sign out of your accounts (especially Find My on a Mac), use the built-in reset with Clean data or Erase All Content and Settings, then remove the device from your online accounts. The new owner gets a fresh computer, and your data stays yours.
