Your laptop or Chromebook may need to be factory reset for a few reasons. For starters, if your laptop is a bit older, it may help you get more out of it by removing unnecessary old data. However, whether you are providing old technology to someone new or acquiring used technology that hasn’t been erased, you should also do a factory reset. By doing this, any applications, files, folders, and private data that are unnecessary to share with the next user are deleted. It’s a useful step in the overall process of getting your PC ready for a gift.
Whether it’s a Chromebook, MacBook, or Windows laptop, the general procedures for updating a laptop are the same: save your previous data, delete any personal information, and then do a factory reset. Depending on the kind of laptop you’re working with, the exact step-by-step process varies. Everything you need to know and do before giving your laptop a second chance at life is listed below.
I usually put the actual cleaning of the laptop for last (why clean your fingerprints twice?), but if it has been collecting dust in the garage, behind a bed, or in the back of a closet for a few years, you may want to start there. A can of compressed air and some disinfectant or alcohol wipes are the essential tools needed for a thorough laptop cleaning. If at all feasible, take away your laptop’s bottom cover with a screwdriver for a somewhat deeper clean. This will allow you to gently blow out any dust that has gathered on the fans and vents.
You may also clean the power adapter and any other accessories after cleaning the laptop. Additionally, it’s a good idea to make that the power adapter is still functional. Learn how to make your laptop look its best with our comprehensive tutorial if you’re still unsure where to begin.
Giving a used MacBook as a gift
Guidelines for wiping off Macintosh HD
You must save any data you want to save before you even consider doing a factory reset on your MacBook. If you used Apple’s Migration Assistant to move data from this old MacBook to a new one, you may have already completed this at some time. If not, it’s time to connect an external disk and make a backup using MacOS’s Time Machine feature. Additionally, you may backup your data to your iCloud account.
Log out of everything.
Prior to deleting the data on your MacBook, you should also log out of all accounts. Start with iMessage, iCloud, and Find My Mac. Next, search for specific software accounts that you may need to deregister. You should also log out of any browsers you use except Safari, including Chrome or Firefox. Basically, you should log out if it contains personal account information. (Here’s how to locate MacOS account settings.)
Prior to a factory reset, you need complete the following two things: Reset the NVRAM and unpair any Bluetooth devices, especially if the MacBook is being given as a gift to a member of your family. The latter is RAM that stores necessary MacBook settings before MacOS loads. To reset the NVRAM upon startup, press and hold Option-Command-P-R.
On a Mac, do a factory reset.
You’re prepared to put your MacBook back in its original condition if you’ve completed the aforementioned steps. To enter Recovery Mode on an Intel-based Mac, restart the computer and press and hold Command-R. (However, MacBooks with the company’s M-series CPUs have a different way of accessing Recovery Mode.)
See also: How to Reset the Factory Settings on a MacBook
You will see a window with MacOS utilities once you are in Recovery Mode. To delete your drive, use the Disk Utility. After it’s finished, you may reinstall MacOS. Once the reinstallation process is complete, the Setup Assistant will appear. You may then either set it up for the receiver or stop and shut it off.
Giving a secondhand laptop running Windows
Options for PC resets
As with giving a MacBook as a gift, begin by moving any crucial data and folders from your previous laptop to an external drive or cloud storage. In the latter case, choose the external drive under Settings > Update & Security > Backup > Add a disk. Next, choose Backup Now.
Close all of your applications.
Many premium programs need you to log in using either a product key, an account, or both. If at all feasible, deregister software licenses and log out of all accounts before wiping away the storage on your laptop. Make sure to keep track of those product keys in case you need them to re-register software on a different laptop. Additionally, sign out of any browsers you use except Edge, such Chrome or Firefox. Basically, log out if it contains personal account information.
A Windows laptop’s factory reset
Are you prepared to reinstall Windows and clear the drive? Navigate to System > Recovery under Settings. The message “Reset this PC” will appear at the top of the window. In the window that displays, click Get Started and choose Remove Everything. From there, you have the option to download Windows from the cloud or reinstall it locally. Windows then removes any data, settings, and applications from the disk. The laptop will boot into setup assistance mode after it’s finished. Then, for a novel experience, you can pause and shut it down or conduct some setup, which is a lovely touch, particularly if it’s going to a family member so they can use it immediately.
Remove the connection from your Microsoft account.
Removing the laptop from a Microsoft account is the final thing you should do if you signed in with that account. Click the Devices tab at the top of the page after logging into your account on a different computer. On the device list, locate the laptop you want to give as a gift. At the bottom of the listing, you’ll see the option to remove the item. You’re done when you click it.
Giving a used Chromebook as a gift
The CX9400 Asus Chromebook
The simplest to update are Chromebooks. Their cloud-based architecture is the primary reason behind this. Additionally, Google makes it very simple to delete your data, safely clear your internal storage, and unlink the Chromebook from your Google account.
First, look at the AUE.
Check the Chromebook’s auto-update expiry date before you even think of giving it as a gift. Google only provides a limited amount of support for Chrome OS and browser features on non-Google devices. Every gadget has an AUE date, or the day it stops getting updates. Older models could take a year or two to attain its AUE, whereas current models get upgrades for eight years.
Finding your model on Google’s AUE list can help you determine when your Chromebook will no longer get updates. You may also find the AUE in the settings of your Chromebook. Here’s how to locate the AUE on your Chromebook and on Google.
A Chromebook’s factory reset
Google’s Chromebook factory reset tool is called Powerwash. Running Powerwash will safely clean the system and restart the Chromebook once you have backed up any folders or data on the internal storage. It will be just as the day you unpacked it when it resumes.
It usually takes less than a minute to finish the Powerwash itself. You can access the function by simply searching for “powerwash” in the Chromebook’s settings, but here’s all the information you need to know about the process.
The Chromebook should be deleted from your Google account.
You have deleted your account from the Chromebook, but you haven’t deleted your account from the Chromebook. Go to the Security settings after logging into your Google account. You can also choose Manage your Google Account from the drop-down menu by clicking on your account avatar if you’re using the Chrome browser.
Scroll down to the “Your devices” box in the Security section, which contains a list of every device linked to your account. Click Manage Devices at the bottom of the box, locate the Chromebook you want to give as a gift, and choose Sign Out.
After cleaning the Chromebook’s exterior and collecting any accessories, it’s ready to be given to the recipient.