macOS Monterey includes Erase All Content and Settings, a way to quickly and securely erase all of your settings, data, and apps, while maintaining the operating system currently installed. If your Mac includes this feature when using macOS Monterey, use it instead of other utilities to erase your Mac.
On a Mac with Apple silicon or an Intel-based Mac with the Apple T2 Security Chip, use Erase Assistant to reset your Mac to factory settings before you trade it in or sell it. You can also use Erase Assistant to erase your Mac before reinstalling macOS. Erase Assistant removes your content and settings, and any apps that you installed.
Mac computers that have the Apple T2 Security Chip integrate security into both software and hardware to provide encrypted-storage capabilities. Data on the built-in, solid-state drive (SSD) is encrypted using a hardware-accelerated AES engine built into the T2 chip. This encryption is performed with 256-bit keys tied to a unique identifier within the T2 chip.
About encrypted storage on your new Mac
The advanced encryption technology integrated into the T2 chip provides line-speed encryption, but it also means that if the portion of the T2 chip containing your encryption keys becomes damaged, you might need to restore the content of your drive from a backup. This content includes system files, apps, accounts, preferences, music, photos, movies, and documents.
Though the SSD in computers that have the Apple T2 Security Chip is encrypted, you should turn on FileVault so that your Mac requires a password to decrypt your data.
Mac models with the Apple T2 Security Chip
These Mac computers have the Apple T2 Security Chip:
iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, 2020)
iMac Pro
Mac Pro (2019)
Mac Pro (Rack, 2019)
Mac mini (2018)
MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020)
MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2019)
MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2018)
MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2020, Two Thunderbolt 3 ports)
MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2020, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports)
MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019)
MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2019, Two Thunderbolt 3 ports)
MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2019)
MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2019, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports)
MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2018)
MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2018, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports)
You can also use System Information to learn whether your Mac has this chip:
Press and hold the Option key while choosing Apple menu > System Information.
In the sidebar, select either Controller or iBridge, depending on the version of macOS in use.
If you see "Apple T2 chip" on the right, your Mac has the Apple T2 Security Chip.
