How To Reset Your macOS El Capitan

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Are you using macOS El Capitan and need to reset it? You’re not alone. Apple recently ended support for the 10.11 operating system, but many users are still running it on their Macs. Resetting El Capitan is a relatively easy process, so don’t worry if you are feeling a bit intimidated by the task.

To get started, make sure your Mac is completely shut down. Then turn it back on and press and hold Command. + Option + P + R until your Mac restarts (this should take about 20 seconds). This will reset the NVRAM (non-volatile random access memory) on your computer, which will help with any software issues you may be experiencing.

Next, open System Preferences from the Apple menu. in the top left corner of your screen. Click Erase All Content and Settings. Enter your password when prompted to do so and then click Erase to confirm the action. This will erase all of the data on your computer, including any files or applications that you have installed since purchasing your Mac.

Finally, you will need to reinstall any applications or files that were lost during the reset process. To do this, go to the App Store or any other online source where you can purchase or download software for your Mac. When installing new programs or applications onto your El Capitan system, be sure to follow all instructions carefully and always use caution when downloading material from unknown sources.

With these steps complete, you should now have a fully functional version of El Capitan running on your computer once again! Hopefully, this guide has been helpful in getting your machine back up and running smoothly – good luck!

Factory Resetting a Mac with El Capitan Operating System

In order to factory reset your Mac running El Capitan, you will need to open the System Preferences. To do this, go to the menu bar at the top of your screen and click on System Preferences. Once you are in the System Preferences window, select Erase All Content and Settings. You will be asked to enter your password in order to proceed with the reset. After entering your password, follow the instructions on the screen to complete the reset process. Please note that a factory reset will erase all data from your computer, so make sure you have backed up any important files before proceeding.

Resetting a Mac to Factory Settings

To reset your Mac back to its factory settings, first, open the System Settings by selecting? Apple menu in the corner of your screen. Then click General in the sidebar and select Transfer or Reset on the right. Lastly, click Erase All Content and Settings. This will erase all data from your computer and restore it to its original factory settings. Please note that this process cannot be reversed, so make sure you have a backup of any important files before proceeding.

Resetting a Mac

The command to reset a Mac is Command? + Option + P + R. To use this command, you will need to shut down your Mac and then turn it back on. Once the machine is powered up, press and hold the specified keys for around 20 seconds. During this time, your Mac should restart and reset itself to its factory settings.

Completely Wiping a MacBook

To completely wipe your MacBook, you’ll need to use the Erase All Contents and Settings feature. Begin by opening System Preferences, then click General in the sidebar. From there, click Transfer or Reset on the right, then click Erase All Contents and Settings. You’ll be prompted to enter your administrator information and click Unlock in the Erase Assistant. This will bring up a list of items that will be removed in addition to your content and settings. Make sure you review these items before continuing. Once you’re ready, confirm the erasing process by clicking the Erase Now button at the bottom of the window. Your MacBook will now begin erasing all content and settings, so make sure all important data is backed up before proceeding!

how to reset el capitan
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Does a Factory Reset Delete Everything on a Mac?

Yes, a factory reset will delete everything on your Mac computer. This includes not only your personal files and data but also any applications you have installed and changes you have made to the computer’s settings. Once you reset your Mac to its factory settings, it will be as if you just opened it out of the box for the first time. It is important to note that backing up your data before initiating a factory reset is always recommended, so you can restore any files or settings that are important to you afterward.

Resetting a Mac to Factory Settings Without System Preferences

You can reset your Mac to factory settings without using System Preferences by booting into macOS Recovery. To do this, first power down your Mac if it’s on. Then press and hold the power button to turn it on, and continue to hold it until you see the startup options. Choose macOS Recovery from the list of options that appears. Once in macOS Recovery, select Reinstall macOS from the Utilities window. Follow the prompts to complete the reinstall process and reset your Mac back to its original factory settings.

How to Hard Reset a Mac Using Keyboard Shortcuts

To hard reset your Mac, press and hold down the Command (?) and Control (Ctrl) keys, along with the power button or the ? Touch the ID? / Eject button (depending on the Mac model). Keep them held down until your Mac’s screen goes blank and it restarts. This will completely reset your Mac to its factory settings.

Factory Resetting a 2009 IMAC

To factory reset your 2009 iMac, first turn off your iMac and then press and hold down the Command and R keys together on your keyboard. You will hear a Mac tone indicating a reboot and the macOS Utilities screen will appear. Click Disk Utility, select your Mac’s system drive (usually named Macintosh HD), then click Erase. Choose the format type as Mac OS Extended (Journaled) and name it Macintosh HD. After that, click Erase at the bottom to begin the process of erasing your disk. Once it is done, you can quit Disk Utility. Finally, click Reinstall macOS in the utility window to install a fresh copy of macOS onto your iMac.

Conclusion

Overall, macOS 10.11 El Capitan is no longer supported by Apple and SCS Computing Facilities (SCSCF) will be ending support for this version of macOS on October 31, 2019. To upgrade to a newer version of the OS, users should shut down their Mac, turn it back on, and press and hold Command. + Option + P + R for about 20 seconds until it restarts. Upgrading to a more recent version of macOS ensures that users can take advantage of the latest features, security updates, and other improvements.

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James Walker

James Walker has a deep passion for technology and is our in-house enthusiastic editor. He graduated from the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, and loves to test the latest gadgets and play with older software (something we’re still trying to figure out about himself). Hailing from Iowa, United States, James loves cats and is an avid hiker in his free time.