Take These 8 Steps before You Donate, Resell or Give Away Your Macbook Pro

It can be tempting to get distracted by the excitement over your new Mac, but… Have you thought about how to properly deal with your old Macbook Pro?

Whether you’ve decided to kindly donate it to a charity, resell it on eBay, or simply give it as a gift to a friend or a family member, there are some additional steps you should take with your old Mac. We’ve outlined all the steps and tips here.

Step 1: Set up your new Mac first

You’ve spent several years working on the old Macbook. You have likely downloaded dozens of cool applications and, more importantly, you are used to all the settings either with the system or the applications. Setting up your new Mac with your old one handy would eliminate a lot of unnecessary headaches. For example, if you are not sure why the multi-touch trackpad doesn’t work that way you want, just open your old Mac and copy copy all the settings under “System Preferences” -> “Trackpad”.

Step 2: Backup and transfer important data in your old Macbook

In the digital age, data is irreplaceable. The last thing you want when you are looking on your new Macbook for some documents or photos is to find that they were stored on (and possibly wiped out of) your old Macbook. So go ahead and backup your data–if possible make multiple copies as you sure don’t want to risk losing the only one.

There are several backup options you can choose.

1. The simplest one is to rely on Time Machine–follow this article for step-by-step guide.
2. Another option is to transfer all the files and folders into an external hard drive. A hard drive copy has been proven to the safest way for preventing data loss.

Step 3: Deauthorize sensitive Apple accounts

If you used iTunes on your old Macbook, take a minute to deauthorize it. It’s not that the new owner might steal your music, but Apple has device limitations associated with your Apple ID and iTunes–maximum five computers and up to ten devices including iPads and iPhones. Learn how to deauthorize via this official Apple guide.

Meanwhile, if you used other Apple services like iCloud, iMessages, etc., it is recommended that you sign out of those on your old Macbook as well. For example, to sign out iCloud go to “System Preferences”, click “iCloud”, and click the “Sign Out” button on the bottom left corner.

Step 4: Erase Macintosh hard drive completely

You never know who will get your old Macbook, especially when you donate or sell it. Even trashed Mac files can be recovered, so you’ll want to permanently wipe Macbook drive clean–making data beyond recovery.

Some Apple Macbooks come with DVD disks, some not. Some may be equipped with an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), some with a SSD (Solid State Drive). Match your old Macbook’s configuration with the appropriate following solution.

If your Macbook originally came with a DVD disk (with OS X 10.6 or older), follow this guide. Otherwise, read this article. If your Macbook was installed with a SSD (rather than an HDD), refer to this link for how to securely erase a SSD clean.

Step 5: Reinstall OS X

Depending on the way you recycle your old Macbook, you may or may not need to reinstall the system. If you donate or give it away, people who’ll get the machine would probably expect to use it immediately, thus it’s good etiquette to re-install OS X. If you sell your old Macbook, it’s best not to reinstall because the buyer may have a personal preference as to which version, or prefer to install himself or herself. It’s best to secure the buyer first before going forward.

Usually the reinstallation process is included with step 4 when you finish wiping Macbook’s hard disk. You’ll be instructed to click an option “Reinstall OS X”. Install it following the instructions. If everything goes well, a new fresh copy of OS X will be downloaded and installed on your computer. When the installation is successful, you’ll be prompted to a screen to enter your Apple ID information. Stop here! That’s it.

Step 6: Clean it up

As a courtesy to the second-hand user, take a few minutes to clean up your Macbook Pro–with a cleaning kit if you have one. Try your best to remove any dust or dirt until it’s shiny again. Though only take a few minutes, this step could help boost resale value if you decide to sell it.

Step 7: Don’t forget to take pictures

If you want to sell it, on eBay for example, product photos can make or break the deal. That’s why it’s super important to go through the previous step first, then use your professional digital camera (don’t have one? ask a photographer-friend) to shoot several pictures.

Plus, those photos will recall your best memories of your old Macbook — as it’s accompanied and assisted you in many ways.

Step 8: Put it back to the box

If you can find the original Apple package, that’s even better. Put your old Macbook in and seal it. Give the receiver a surprise!

How do you like all the above steps? Do you find them helpful for when you decide to recycle your old Macbook Pro? You don’t have to follow each of the steps, but follow as many as you can. We would love to hear from you.

Image courtesy to Pedro Moura Pinheiro https://www.flickr.com/photos/pedromourapinheiro/5503731565/