How to Factory Reset the Apple MacBook Air (M4)

Factory reset the Apple MacBook Air (M4) by erasing the internal drive and reinstalling macOS via System Recovery.

Steps

1. 1

   Back up all important data using Time Machine or an external drive.

2. 2

   Sign out of iCloud: go to System Settings > [your name] > Sign Out.

3. 3

   Shut down your MacBook Air (M4).

4. 4

   Press and hold the Power button until "Loading startup options" appears on screen.

5. 5

   Click Options, then click Continue to enter macOS Recovery.

6. 6

   Select Disk Utility from the macOS Utilities menu and click Continue.

7. 7

   In Disk Utility, select Macintosh HD in the sidebar, then click Erase. Choose APFS as the format and click Erase Volume Group.

8. 8

   Close Disk Utility to return to the macOS Utilities menu.

9. 9

   Select Reinstall macOS and follow the on-screen prompts to install a fresh copy of macOS on your MacBook Air.

Last verified: April 8, 2026