How to wipe data from ssd

Make sure to select the whole physical SSD instead of a volume. Within Disk Utility you may need to click "View" and select "Show All Devices" so that the physical drive appears on the left pane of Disk Utility. With macOS 10.15+ there are multiple APFS volumes so you may only be erasing the macOS system volume and not the data volume containing your home user folders. Did you have TRIM enabled?

What is the exact model of your Mac, and the make & model of the SSD? If erasing the whole physical SSD does not work, then there may be a way to securely erase the SSD by utilizing the SSD's built-in hardware secure erase feature (depends on the model of the SSD and the Mac). If you have a compatible Mac & SSD, then I can provide instructions for utilizing a Linux boot disk and utility. You can get the exact model of the Mac by entering your serial number here:

Check Your Service and Support Coverage - Apple Support

Not if the Erasure is done correctly.

A SSD drive, even if taken to a Professional Date Recovery Company will inform the Client before engaging their services, SSD Drives if erased correctly, it will be almost impossible the salvage any meaningful data from the drive.

Have read elsewhere , where Erasing the Whole and Entire Drive with Disk Utilities will wrote a zero ( 0) to reach cell on the SSD. Thereby making any meaningful data recovery next to impossible.

If the User ( you ) and determined to Wipe the drive and then Test.

You are welcome to try using this method to Wipe the Entire Drive to Nothing, nada, zero

Scorched Earth Method 

This method will WIPE ALL Data and there is No Recovery - Period.

To perform this action will require booting from a Bootable Installer. 

The Bootable Installer can Only be performed on an Apple Computer 

This will have to be performed from a Qualifying Computer to run the version of macOS to be made on the Bootable Installer.

Example ONLY : Bootable Installer of Big Sur would have to be done on a computer that Qualifies to run Big Sur.

Notation: If the computer being used to perform this action is Too New or Too Old to qualify to run the version of macOS - this computer can not be used.

Alternative is, to gain access to a Qualifying Apple Computer from a family member, friend or associate.

Once that is done read on for preparing the Destination computer  >> Only works on Intel Based Apple Computers.

Extra Special Notation regarding the Touch ID equipped Apple Computer.

About Startup Security Utility and Must Enable from Recovery Mode the ability to boot from External Drive Before Attempting 

1 - Shutdown computer and disconnect all external drive Except the newly created Bootable Installer.

2- Restart and immediately hold the OPTION key until the Startup Manager appears and choose the USB Drive. 

3 - It will present options >> Disk Utilities >> View >> View ALL attached Drives. 

4 - Choose the Upper Most Drive ( not the volumes indented and list below ).

5 - The drive normally is called Apple Media or Apple SSD - that is the drive to Erase and format as APFS with the GUID Partition Map. This applies to macOS 10.14 Mojave and above. 

5A - Formatting for macOS 10.13 High Sierra and below requires HFS Journaled with the GUID Partition Map

6 - Once that is done >> backup out of Disk Utilities and choose install macOS. 

7 - Follow the prompts and it may automatically reboot several time. 

8 - Upon a final reboot - Setup Assist will present with the newer version of macOS.

__Matthew_ wrote:

I think, but I was not able to test it, that best practice would be normal erase, bootable installer, and maybe the FileVault encryption before erasing the SSD.

That is always a good option. Really should be used on all laptops (even a good idea on Desktops as well) to protect your computer & personal data.

Another attempt could have been the TRIM enabled, but I've seen from my SSD it was not available (and I'm not sure how I could have enabled it).

Just for completion for anyone else in a similar situation, TRIM can be enabled by running the following command from the Terminal app:

Use this command when booted from a macOS installer (Recovery Mode or USB installer which has a "#" sign for the command prompt):

trimforce  enable

Use this when booted from a full macOS installation which has either a "$" or "%" for the command prompt:

sudo  trimforce  enable

This latter command will prompt for an admin password. Nothing will appear on the screen while typing the password. Press the "Return" key to submit the password.

have you read

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

Writing zeroes to the whole SSD will add unnecessary wear to the SSD due to how SSDs work. Plus it doesn't always work like you think it will, again due to how SSDs work. I guess adding extra wear to the SSD is Ok if you are not keeping the SSD as that will be someone else's problem.

If erasing the whole physical drive did not remove the data, then enabling TRIM and erasing the whole drive should have done the trick without adding excess wear to the SSD (at least in theory since I'm not sure how a Mac handles the TRIM setting with third party SSDs when booted to a macOS installer).

FYI, that SSD can be removed and installed into an external enclosure to be used with other computers.

After doing a little research, I discovered this info on the Backblaze website. They specialize in data storage and backup.

A Step by Step Guide to How to Wipe a Mac Clean - Backblaze

Of particular interest is the section near the end that describes using Terminal commands to secure erase an SSD with multiple passes. Published August, 2021.

Additional perhaps useful from another similar question

How do I set security options to Zero Out… - Apple Community

User wrote " I'm trying to prepare the mac to sell it, but erasing the ssd and installing from scratch the OS is not enough. With the "clean" mac I'm able to recover with a freemium and simple software (restoreit) tons of personal data of the previous installation."

A - Sorry, but that expressly indicates the Drive was erased and yet the user was able to use Third Party Software to retrieve

" tons of personal data "

A - It would therefore be reasonable to conclude otherwise , the drive correctly Erased and formatted. The Option to do a 7 pass erasure is totally unnecessary for reasons also already explained.

If one is so very concerned about Lifting Erased Data from an Erased Drive - time allowing from your end - follow the suggested Total Erasure and reinstall the OS.

Though, attempting to lift the previous data will require setting up the computer again with a User Account and reinstalling the Lifting Software to attempt to retrieve the data.

Kind of defeats to intended end purpose though.

User wrote " I'm trying to prepare the mac to sell it, but erasing the ssd and installing from scratch the OS is not enough. With the "clean" mac I'm able to recover with a freemium and simple software (restoreit) tons of personal data of the previous installation."

Good luck D. I. Johnson