Apple tree today released macOS 12 Monterey, and whenever a new operating organisation is released for the Mac, some users adopt to perform a make clean installation. This article explains how to perform what is finer a clean install of Monterey using a brand new option that's bachelor on Apple silicon-powered Macs and Intel Macs with a T2 security bit.

Monterey Mac as External Monitor Feature
Make clean installing macOS is oftentimes done to remove annoying quirks and strange behaviors that a Mac may have inherited over time, and can also help to reclaim disk space caused past junk files left by third-political party apps. However, even if neither of these issues have arisen for you lot, sometimes information technology's merely squeamish to start afresh for that "make new Mac" feeling and then drift your apps, documents, and information, either manually, or by migrating from a Time Machine backup.

Clean installing previous versions of macOS unremarkably involves creating a bootable copy of the macOS installer on a flash drive or USB stick and and then reformatting your bulldoze before installing the bootable copy on your Mac, or using macOS Recovery to reinstall the Mac operating organisation over an internet connection. In Monterey, however, a tertiary choice has come into play on newer Macs that offers a very elementary and straightforward way to erase your Mac without needing to reinstall the operating organisation.

Following in the footsteps of the iPhone and iPad, Apple tree silicon Macs and Intel Macs with a T2 security chip (2017-2020 models) now take an "Erase All Content and Settings" selection available in macOS Monterey. Considering storage is e'er encrypted on Mac systems with Apple silicon or the T2 bit, the system is instantly and securely "erased" by destroying the encryption keys.

erase Mac
Non only does this effectively erase all user data and user-installed apps from your Mac without reinstalling macOS, it as well signs out your Apple tree ID, removes your Bear upon ID fingerprints, purchases, and all Apple Wallet items, and turns off Discover My and Activation Lock, making it far easier to restore your Mac to similar-new factory settings.

This power means you tin can simply download and install ‌macOS Monterey‌ over your current macOS version when prompted, and then select the new erase part in Monterey, which volition erase your Mac and get out the core macOS arrangement intact. After erasing the Mac, it will display the Setup Banana and be set to be set similar new. You lot tin can then migrate your data manually or by using the Setup Assistant's migration option. The following walkthrough breaks downward the steps involved.

  1. Before y'all do anything else, dorsum up your data using Fourth dimension Automobile or your preferred fill-in method.
  2. In macOS, click the Apple () symbol in the menu bar and select System Preferences.
  3. Click Software Update in the preferences pane.
    macOS
  4. Permit Software Update to ping Apple'southward servers, then click Upgrade Now to download the Monterey installer when information technology appears. Yous can proceed to use your Mac while the installer is being downloaded. In one case the installer has downloaded, you'll receive a prompt. Click to install the new version of macOS and wait for the installation to complete.
    software update
  5. In one case your Mac has restarted into Monterey, click the Apple () symbol in the menu bar and select System Preferences....
  6. When the preferences pane appears, select Organisation Preferences -> Erase All Content and Settings from the menu bar.
    macOS
  7. Enter your admin password in the Erase Assistant dialog prompt and click OK.
  8. Annotation all the settings, information, media, and other items that volition be removed. Click Continue if you're sure.
    erase Mac
  9. Click to sign out of your ‌Apple ID‌, and so click Erase All Content & Settings in the prompt to confirm.
    erase mac
  10. Let the erase process to complete. Your Mac may restart more than one time during the process, later on which y'all may be prompted to activate your Mac over Wi-Fi.
  11. Once finished, you'll come across the "hello" message on your Mac's screen, indicating the Setup Banana is fix. Follow the onscreen instructions, and if desired, elect to migrate your information from a Time Machine backup when the option appears.
    hello Mac

That's all there is to it. Fifty-fifty if you're non clean installing Monterey today, the new option makes it far more convenient to restore your Mac to factory settings, whether you simply want to start afresh with your Mac in future or programme to sell or gift it to another person.

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