Is it safe to trade in my MacBook Pro laptop?
I am contemplating whether it is safe to trade in a laptop with Apple. I know that nothing is ever truly deleted once you format your laptop/device, and I have very sensitive info (bank details/crypto wallet etc) that I can't risk exposing.
How safe is it to trade in a laptop with Apple?
Solution 1:
If you haven't already done so, use FileVault to encrypt the internal drive. This may take some time to finish. Also do a TimeMachine backup to preserve your data and use to re-create your account(s) on the new trade-up.
When you're ready to trade, boot into macOS Recovery mode and erase the internal drive Intel | Silicon in Disk Utility. Doing this will destroy the encryption key created by FileVault, and the data is supposedly garbled and unsalvageable.
Lastly, reinstall the version of macOS offered in the Restore dialog.
The MBP is ready to hand over.
This is a helpful overview at Apple Support which I'm shamelessly copy/pasting below:
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What to do before you sell, give away, or trade in your Mac
Back up your data, then restore to factory settings by turning off certain features and services, erasing your Mac, and reinstalling macOS.
Moving to a new Mac?
Before taking these steps, you can use Migration Assistant to move your files from the old Mac to your new Mac.
1> Create a backup
Make sure that you have a current backup of your important files. Learn how to back up your Mac.
2> Sign out of iTunes in macOS Mojave or earlier
If you're using macOS Mojave or earlier, open iTunes. From the menu bar at the top of the screen or iTunes window, choose Account > Authorizations > Deauthorize This Computer. Then enter your Apple ID and password and click Deauthorize.
3> Sign out of iCloud
If you're using macOS Catalina or later, choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click Apple ID. Select Overview in the sidebar, then click Sign Out.
If you're using macOS Mojave or earlier, choose Apple menu > System Preferences, click iCloud, then click Sign Out.
You will be asked whether to keep a copy of your iCloud data on this Mac. You can click Keep a Copy, because you're erasing your Mac later. Your iCloud data remains in iCloud and on any other devices that are signed in to iCloud with your Apple ID.
4> Sign out of iMessage
If you're using OS X Mountain Lion or later, open the Messages app, then choose Messages > Preferences from the menu bar. Click iMessage, then click Sign Out.
5> Reset NVRAM
Shut down your Mac, then turn it on and immediately press and hold these four keys together: Option, Command, P, and R. Release the keys after about 20 seconds. This clears user settings from memory and restores certain security features that might have been altered.
Optional: Unpair Bluetooth devices that you’re keeping
If your Mac is paired with a Bluetooth keyboard, mouse, trackpad, or other Bluetooth device that you plan to keep, you can unpair it. This optional step prevents accidental input when the Mac and device have separate owners but remain in Bluetooth range of each other.
If you're unpairing Bluetooth input devices from a desktop computer such as an iMac, Mac mini, or Mac Pro, you must plug in a USB keyboard and mouse to complete the remaining steps in this article.
To unpair a Bluetooth device, choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click Bluetooth. Move your pointer over the device that you want to unpair, then click the remove (x) button next to the device name.
Erase your hard drive and reinstall macOS
The best way to restore your Mac to factory settings is to erase your hard drive and reinstall macOS.
After macOS installation is complete, the Mac restarts to a setup assistant that asks you to choose a country or region. To leave the Mac in an out-of-box state, don't continue setup. Instead, press Command-Q to shut down the Mac. When the new owner turns on the Mac, the setup assistant guides them through the setup process.
Solution 2:
First, deleted data on an SSD is much more difficult to recover than deleted data on a mechanical hard drive.
Second: if you really value the security of your data, you should have FileVault on.
Any non-current Mac that goes to Apple for trade-in will have its components sent to recycling. Apple doesn't sell second-hand Macs.
A returned current model might possibly get sold as "refurbished" (I don't know Apple's criteria for refurb) but there will be a lengthy process to check that the product is good for sale 'as new', and the disk will certainly be wiped. If someone bought a Refurb with someone's old data on it, it would be in all the papers.
Solution 3:
Yes it is very safe with little effort.
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201065
I would enable file vault and when it’s finished do an Internet recovery to erase the entire container and give it back with a blank OS at the setup screen, no passwords. Do steps 1-6 after enabling file vault. Maybe encrypt your backup drive too for extra security going forward. Then step 7 securely erases all.
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204837
In general, you can’t guarantee all data is safe unless you encrypt the drive with FileVault before you copy any sensitive data.
In practice, enabling FileVault later is so good, that you may not be able to measure the extra risk unless the FBI or NSA or someone funded with millions of dollars of budget want your data.