Hello! I just did the "Erase all content and settings" on my MacBook air 2018, but its been almost 24 hours and its still not erased? How long does it usually take? I'm planning to give this mac to someone.
MacBook Air 13″, macOS 13.3
Typically, the "Erase all content and settings" process on a MacBook Air should not take 24 hours. It usually completes within a few hours, depending on the storage capacity and the amount of data on the device. However, there can be various factors that might affect the duration of the process.
If the process is taking significantly longer than expected, there are a few steps you can try to resolve the issue:
1. Power off your MacBook Air: Hold down the power button until the device shuts down completely.
2. Restart the MacBook Air: Press the power button to turn it back on.
3. Check the progress: After restarting, check if the erasing process has resumed. If not, proceed to the next step.
4. Use macOS Recovery: Restart your MacBook Air and hold down the Command (⌘) + R keys simultaneously until you see the Apple logo or a spinning globe. This will boot your Mac into macOS Recovery mode.
5. Disk Utility: Once in macOS Recovery mode, select "Disk Utility" and choose your startup disk. Click on the "Erase" tab and format the disk again. This should ensure that all data is erased properly.
6. Reinstall macOS: After formatting the disk, go back to the macOS Utilities window and select "Reinstall macOS" to reinstall a fresh copy of the operating system. This will ensure that your MacBook Air is ready for the new user.
By following these steps, you should be able to resolve any issues and complete the erasing process. Further, as you are planning to give this Mac machine to someone & you want to be sure about erasing your data, then I would suggest you opt for a data erasure tool such as BitRaser File Eraser. The tool is specialized in securely erasing data from any storage device, beyond the scope of recovery. It means once you erase your Mac using a data erasure tool, your data is permanently wiped from the drive & it cannot be recovered using any data recovery tool.
[Link Edited by Moderator]
Typically, the "Erase all content and settings" process on a MacBook Air should not take 24 hours. It usually completes within a few hours, depending on the storage capacity and the amount of data on the device. However, there can be various factors that might affect the duration of the process.
If the process is taking significantly longer than expected, there are a few steps you can try to resolve the issue:
1. Power off your MacBook Air: Hold down the power button until the device shuts down completely.
2. Restart the MacBook Air: Press the power button to turn it back on.
3. Check the progress: After restarting, check if the erasing process has resumed. If not, proceed to the next step.
4. Use macOS Recovery: Restart your MacBook Air and hold down the Command (⌘) + R keys simultaneously until you see the Apple logo or a spinning globe. This will boot your Mac into macOS Recovery mode.
5. Disk Utility: Once in macOS Recovery mode, select "Disk Utility" and choose your startup disk. Click on the "Erase" tab and format the disk again. This should ensure that all data is erased properly.
6. Reinstall macOS: After formatting the disk, go back to the macOS Utilities window and select "Reinstall macOS" to reinstall a fresh copy of the operating system. This will ensure that your MacBook Air is ready for the new user.
By following these steps, you should be able to resolve any issues and complete the erasing process. Further, as you are planning to give this Mac machine to someone & you want to be sure about erasing your data, then I would suggest you opt for a data erasure tool such as BitRaser File Eraser. The tool is specialized in securely erasing data from any storage device, beyond the scope of recovery. It means once you erase your Mac using a data erasure tool, your data is permanently wiped from the drive & it cannot be recovered using any data recovery tool.
[Link Edited by Moderator]
FYI, here is an Apple article with instructions for preparing a Mac to be sold or given away:
What to do before you sell, give away, or trade in your Mac - Apple Support
There are multiple steps involving disassociating your AppleID & accounts from the Mac prior to erasing & reinstalling macOS.
Erasing Macbook Air 2018
