How to Format a Macbook Pro

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Last Updated: August 7, 2022

Formatting your Macbook Pro involves reinstalling OS X, and can be useful when your computer runs slow or malfunctions due to the installation of adware or faulty software, you accidentally installed an outdated version of OS X incompatible with your Macbook, or you erased your startup disk. There are three ways to format your Macbook Pro: reinstalling OS X from Recovery, restoring OS X from a Time Machine backup, or erasing the drive and installing a clean version of OS X.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Reinstalling OS X from Recovery

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Press and hold the Command + R keys on your keyboard immediately after you hear the startup sound. This command will reinstall the version of OS X that was previously installed on your Macbook Pro.
- To install the version of OS X that was originally installed on your Macbook, press and hold the Command + Option + R keys instead.
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Your Macbook will prompt you to select an Internet connection.
Select the option to connect the Macbook to your Wi-Fi network, or connect the Macbook to your Internet router using an Ethernet cable. You must be connected to the Internet to reinstall OS X using Recovery.
”
Your Macbook will guide you through the installation process, and you’ll be prompted to choose the hard disk on which you want OS X installed. When complete, your Macbook Pro will be formatted and OS X will be installed as new.^{[1]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Restoring from a Time Machine Backup

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Your Macbook will prompt you to select an Internet connection.
Select the option to connect the Macbook to your Wi-Fi network, or connect the Macbook to your router using an Ethernet cable. You must be connected to the Internet to restore OS X using Time Machine. The Recovery menu will display on-screen after connecting to the Internet.
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Select “Restore from Time Machine Backup,” then click on “Continue.”
- This method only works if you previously backed up your system using Time Machine. If you have never created a backup using Time Machine, follow the steps outlined in Methods One or Three of this article to format your Macbook Pro and reinstall OS X.
Formatting your Macbook Pro using this method will reinstall OS X, as well as your personal files. For example, if you are formatting your Macbook to reverse the effects of a virus, select a Time Machine backup that was created before the virus was installed on your system.
When complete, your Macbook Pro will be formatted and OS X will be reinstalled along with your personal data.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Erasing the Drive and Installing OS X

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You will be prompted to choose an Internet connection type.
Select the option to connect the Macbook to your Wi-Fi network, or connect the Macbook to your router using an Ethernet cable. You must be connected to the Internet to reinstall OS X using this method. The Recovery menu will display on-screen after your Macbook is connected to the Internet.
” This will open the Disk Utility menu.
For most users, the name of the default startup disk is “Macintosh HD OS X.”
Your Macbook Pro will now erase your startup disk.
When complete, your Macbook Pro will be formatted and OS X will be installed as new.

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Question

Why do I get message it can't format hard drive it is I use when I try to format?

Community Answer

After you back up everything, you need shut down your computer. Straight after you press the power button (to power on laptop), hold down keys Command + R. This will make the computer boot up from the recovery partition. Select Disk Utility from the menu. Now you will be able to format the main partition. You will then have to install a new copy of Mac OS from the recovery menu to use your computer again.

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Can I install a new version of macOS after formatting my MacBook?

Matt Khoury

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You can reinstall macOS and maintain your files/settings, or you can reformat your HD and install a fresh copy of macOS.

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Tips

If you’re formatting the Macbook Pro to prepare the computer for a new owner, press the Command + Q keys at the Welcome screen after reinstalling OS X. This will shut down the computer without requiring you to complete the Setup Assistant When the new owner powers on the Macbook, the Setup Assistant will guide the owner through the setup process.^{[2]
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Format your Macbook Pro using any of the methods in this article if a flashing question mark displays on-screen after starting up your Mac. This means your Macbook is unable to locate its system software, and cannot start up without your attempting to recover or perform a clean install of OS X.^{[3]
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Use Method Three to format your Macbook Pro if you plan on transferring your computer to a new owner. This method will erase your built-in startup disk before reinstalling OS X, and prevent new owners from recovering and accessing your personal files.

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Warnings

Formatting your Macbook Pro will erase all personal contents from your computer. If possible, back up your Mac using an external hard drive or cloud storage system prior to formatting your disk to avoid personal data loss.

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