How to Reformat a Laptop (with Pictures)

2025 Author: Jason Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2025-01-09 16:15

Step 1. Connect the laptop to a power source

Since formatting a laptop can take a long time, you need to make sure the laptop battery doesn't run out during the process.

• Step 2. Open the Windows settings menu (“Settings”)

  You can access it by clicking on the Windows “Start” menu and selecting the gear icon (“ Settings ). You can also press the shortcut key Win+I to open the settings menu.

  

  Step 3. Click Update & security

  This option is indicated by the icon of two curved arrows in the bottom row of the menu.

  

  Step 4. Click the Recovery tab on the left pane

  Recovery options will be expanded in the right pane.

  

  Step 5. Click the Get started button

  It's under the "Reset This PC" section, at the top of the right pane.

  

  Step 6. Click Remove everything

  This option is the second option. This option serves to delete all data from the laptop's hard drive.

  

  Step 7. Click Change settings

  In this option, you can instruct Windows to clean the drive (“clean the drive”), and this option is the same as the command to reformat (“reformatting”).

  

  Step 8. Slide the “Data erasure” switch to the on or “On” position

  

  As long as the switch is in the active position, you can reformat the drive.

  

  Step 9. Click the Confirm button

  It's at the bottom of the window.

  

  Step 10. Follow the on-screen instructions to reformat the computer

  The next steps will ask you to confirm your decision to reformat the computer. Just confirm the choice if you don't mind losing all personal data. Once the reformat is complete, the computer will restart and you will be asked to set up the computer as it was when you purchased a new computer.

  Method 2 of 2: On MacOS

  

  Step 1. Connect the laptop to a power source

  Since formatting a laptop can take a long time, you need to make sure the laptop battery doesn't run out during the process.

  • Step 2. Unauthorize Mac computer on iTunes (for MacOS Mojave and earlier)

    If you are using MacOS Catalina or later, you can skip this step. If your laptop is running MacOS Mojave (10.14.6) or earlier, follow these steps before continuing:

    • open iTunes.
    • Click the menu " Account " and select " Authorizations ”.
    • Click " Deauthorize This Computer ”, then confirm the Apple ID and password.

    

    Step 3. Sign out of your Apple ID

    Regardless of which MacOS version you're using, you'll need to sign out of your iCloud account before you can reformat your laptop:

    • Click the Apple menu and select “ System Preferences ”.
    • Click " Apple ID ” (Catalina or later version) or “ iCloud ” (Mojave or earlier version).
    • If you are using MacOS Mojave or an earlier version, click “ Overview ” on the sidebar.
    • Click " Sign Out ”.

    

    Step 4. Sign out of your iMessage account

    In addition to iCloud, you'll also need to sign out of your account in the Messages app. Here's how:

    • Open the app Messages.
    • Click the menu " Messages " and select " Preferences ”.
    • Click " iMessage " and select " Sign Out ”.

    

    Step 5. Determine the type of laptop processor

    The steps for reformatting the laptop will depend on whether the laptop uses Apple silicon or an Intel processor. Here's how to check the processor type:

    • Click the Apple menu and select “ About this Mac ”.
    • Check for lines starting with " Chip " and ending with the chip name (eg Apple M1). If you see the writing, the laptop uses Apple's silicon processor.
    • If you don't see the " Chip " line, but do find a line that starts with " Processor " and includes the name of the Intel processor, the laptop has an Intel processor.

    

    Step 6. Turn off the laptop

    Since you need to access recovery mode, start by shutting down the computer. Click the Apple menu and select “ Shut Down ”.

    

    Step 7. Enter recovery mode

    Follow these steps according to the laptop processor type:

    • Apple Silicone:

      Press and hold the power button until you see the hard drive icon with a gear. Click the gear icon, select Continue ”, and sign in to your Apple ID if prompted.

    • Intel:

      Press the power button once, then press and hold the “ Command ” + “ R ” until you see the Apple logo. If prompted to sign in to your account, follow the on-screen instructions.

    

    Step 8. Select "Disk Utility" and click Continue

    In this segment, you can reformat your MacBook.

    

    Step 9. Select the Macintosh HD drive

    This drive is under the "Internal" section of the left pane.

    • If you have already changed the name of the drive, click the drive with the name you specified.

    • If your laptop uses an Apple silicon processor and you've used Disk Utility to add volumes to your drive, you'll see other volumes under the "Internal" section (other than Macintosh HD). You will need to delete each volume before continuing. Select a volume and click the minus sign to delete it.

      Skip the volume deletion process at this stage if the laptop uses an Intel processor. You can do that later

    

    Step 10. Click the Erase button

    It's at the top of the window.

    

    Step 11. Select a format option

    The recommended file system type is selected from the " Format " menu and usually the selected option is "APFS". If you need to format it to another type of file system, you can select it from the menu.

    

    Step 12. Click the Erase Volume Group button

    The laptop will start reformatting.

    • If the laptop uses an Apple silicon processor, click “ Erase Mac and Restart " to continue.
    • If the laptop uses an Intel processor, you will be given the opportunity to delete other volumes after deleting the “Macintosh HD” volume. If there are other volumes remaining, select the volume and click the minus sign on the toolbar to delete it.

    

    Step 13. Reinstall MacOS

    After the laptop is reformatted, the hard drive will be empty. If you want to reinstall MacOS, follow these steps:

    • Apple Silicone:

      When the laptop restarts, select preferences and follow the on-screen instructions to connect the laptop to a WiFi network for activation. After that, click " Exit to Recovery Utilities ", choose " Reinstall macOS, and click " Continue ” to start the installation of the operating system.

    • Intel:

      Close Disk Utility, then select " Reinstall macOS ” on the menu. Click " Continue ” and follow the on-screen instructions to install the operating system.