Getting Rid of an Old Mac? Here are Some things to Know Before Trading It in

by | Oct 24, 2019 | backup, Desktop, iCloud, iMac, iMac Pro, iMessage, iTunes, Mac, Mac Pro, MacBook, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, macfusion, macOS

Are you finally ready to upgrade to that new Mac you’ve had your eye on!? We are happy to take your Mac for a trade in, but before doing so, here’s how you can get your computer ready for it’s new life.

1. Back It Up 

Before anything else, you should ALWAYS back up your data on the old Mac to an external hard drive. To do so, start by clicking the Time Machine icon in the menu bar and choose Back Up Now. This keeps your data secure and limits the possiblility of any data that could have been corrupted in the transferring of data.

2. Deauthorize iTunes and Other Apps

It’s not too common for apps to have licensing schemes that are tied to your Mac hardware. If you have any such as Adobe Creative Cloud or Microsoft Office. If you have any be sure to deauthorize those.

In addition, iTunes is the one app that most people will need to deauthorize. Since iTunes allows up to 5 computers to be associated with your Apple ID.

To deauthorize, open iTunes and choose Account > Authorizations > Deauthorize This Computer and enter your Apple ID credentials when prompted.

3. Sign Out of iCloud

This is another important step, since disconnecting your iCloud account will prevent your Mac from synchronizing your iCloud data between the two Mac computers.

To do this, open System Preferences > iCloud, and click the Sign Out button.

4. Sign Out of iMessage* 

 

Similar to iCloud, you should sign out of your iMessage account to avoid the next user from having access to your messages. To do this, open Messages and choose Messages > Preferences > Accounts. Select your iMessage account and click sign out.
5. Unpair Any Bluetooth Devices*
If you are not planning on keeping your bluetooth accessories from your Mac, such as keyboards, mouse, trackpad, etc. then this step is not necessary.

To unpair, choose the Apple Menu > System Preferences, then select Bluetooth. Move the cursor on the device you want to unpair, then click the remove (x) button next to the devices name.

*Steps 4 and 5 are optional if you are planning on erasing your Mac. 

6. Erase Drive to Reinstall macOS
The most important step is erasing the Mac drive. You certainly wouldn’t want the next user to have access to all of your photos, documents, emails, etc.

To start, select the Apple icon at the top left of the screen and click Restart. While the Mac is restarting, hold down Command-R to open macOS Utilities.

Select Disk Utility, then click Continue. In Disk Utility, select the internal drive and then click Erase in the toolbar at the top. Enter a new name for the Mac, and make sure the Scheme is set to GUID Partition Map. Click the erase button once finished and quit Disk Utility when done.

Now your Mac is ready for its new owner and can be reinstalled with a new macOS!

Ready to trade it in?