There are a few reasons why you might want to reinstall macOS ( or even Mac OS X ) . Perhaps your Mac is working erratically and you remember that a clean install of the operating system might fix the issue .
or else , you might be design on selling your Mac , or passing it on to a fellow member of the kinsperson ( in which case , you postulate to pass over it first andreturn your Mac to factory options ) .
It is even possible to reinstall the version of the macOS that your Mac ship with – which might enable you to revert to an quondam version of the operating system if the tardy version is upsetting you .
Whatever your cause to reinstall macOS , we will show you one of the simple way to do so below .
Our method involvesusing the Recovery partitionvia which you could reinstall the latest edition of the macOS you install on your Mac . Because macOS is normally establish via Software Update ( or previously the Mac App Store ) there are no physical installation disks , therefore Apple has made it potential to establish the operating system over the internet using the Recovery HD .
An alternative alternative would be tocreate a bootable macOS install on an international drive . If your Mac does n’t boot in Recovery mode , read this : Mac ca n’t get at Recovery mode .
You might also find this utile : How to do a clean install of macOS using a bootable drive .
How to reinstall macOS via Recovery
Back up your Mac
Foundry
You do n’t have to pass over you Mac , but if you are endeavor to fix a job , or you are intending to pass on , or sell , the Mac , then you will necessitate to wipe your Mac as part of this process . If that ’s the case you should back up your authoritative documents first .
How you do this will look on whether you want to recover your Mac into the same version of the Mac operating system , or if you were hoping to do aclean installand set forth again from scratch . For example , if you need torevert to an older version of macOSyou do n’t desire to back up using Time Machine . For more advice read : How to back up a MacandBest Mac back up software .
notice , if you tend to useiCloud Driveto sync all your Documents and Desktop in the swarm you may feel you do n’t ask a backup , but verify that everything is in iCloud before you delete !
Erase your drive (M1 and M2-series Macs)
If you are planning to betray or drop dead on your Mac , or you require to do a white install of macOS to solve issues with your Mac , you will want to erase your hard drive before reinstalling the operating arrangement . ( If you do n’t require to erase your data jump this step ) .
If you are running macOS Monterey or a late variation of macOS on a Mac with an M - series chip , or an Intel - powered Mac with a T2 chip ( some Macs since 2018 ) , there is a very simple way to score out your Mac that does n’t require you to use Recovery style and Disk Utilities . If you have an Intel Mac you will involve to work through the measure below to erase your phonograph recording before you could begin .
We detail how to score out your Mac using this method in a separate clause , but here is a summary :
In Ventura or by and by :
In Monterey :
The ease of the process is the same :
If you have already erased your Mac the next step will show you how to enter Recovery mode .
Enter Recovery mode
The process forentering Recovery modedepends on the Mac you are using .
On a Mac with an Intel processor you need to press and hold the Command and R buttons during pop out up until you hear the startup chime and see either a spinning globe or Apple logo .
On a Mac that use Apple ’s own processors , such as the M1 or M2 buffalo chip , you record Recovery mode by pressing and holding the power button while your Mac bulge out up and continue to press and hold the release until you see a inauguration options windowpane come out with an Options icon . Then select Options and tick Continue .
A macOS Utilities window will open , like the one above , on which you will see the options to Restore From Time Machine Backup , Reinstall macOS [ version ] , Safari ( or Get helper Online in older versions ) and Disk Utility . Your next step depends on whether you call for to pass over the Mac before reinstall the operating organization . If you want to pass over your disc snap Disk Utility ( otherwise you could decamp the next dance step ) .
Erase your hard drive (Intel Macs without T2 chip)
If you have a Mac with an Intel central processor that does n’t also have a T2 chip and you want to delete the datum on your Mac ’s voiceless private road you need to practice Disk Utility accessed via Recovery mode ( you have to get at the drive via Recovery because it ’s not possible to delete the drive when you are access it ) .
Reinstall macOS
How to reinstall an older version of macOS
If you desire to revert to an quondam version of macOS , perhaps because you are n’t bully on the new rendering you have installed there are a few ways to reinstall an older version . We cover them on an individual basis here : How to set up older versions of macOS or OS X.
How to connect to the internet in macOS Recovery mode
recuperation mood should now be connect to the internet and be able-bodied to download the macOS installation software .
If you are using Internet convalescence you ’ll want to be using a connection with WEP or WPA security . This should n’t be an yield as most family Wi - Fi web do , but if you ’re on a proxy web or PPPoE then you will have problem .
