Can a MacBook Be Tracked After Factory Reset

What does factory reset on Mac do?

A factory reset restores your Mac to its original state, almost like new, by erasing all your data, settings, customizations, accounts, apps, and more in preparation to sell, gift, or trade in your Mac. You can achieve this using Erase Assistant, Mac’s built-in tool, which removes your personal information and reinstalls the operating system, restoring your Mac to default settings.  

So what does a factory reset remove?

• Personal information: Consider every file on your Mac. A factory reset gets rid of every single one of them—including the ones hidden in the nooks and crannies, like installation and app files you’ve long forgotten about or didn’t even know existed. No photo, video,  project, document, or download gets left behind, which is why it’s crucial to save a backup of your files before a factory reset.
• User accounts: Resetting your MacBook automatically signs you out of all accounts, including iCloud, Apple ID, and any third-party apps and services. This protects your data and sensitive information, and prevents the next owner from accessing your subscriptions and purchases.
• Settings: All your personalized preferences and customizations are set to default during a factory reset—including your screen saver, wallpaper, shortcuts, system configurations, and accessibility options, which leaves your Mac as if it’s fresh out of the box.
• Apps: Every single application you’ve installed is completely removed when you restore your Mac to factory settings, along with its data or preferences, blocking you, as the new user, from accessing your license or software details.
• Fingerprints: Expect all the Touch ID fingerprints you’ve saved for unlocking your Mac or authorizing purchases to be permanently deleted. This is another security measure that helps keep your biometric data safe from unauthorized use.

A note from our experts: 

 

Did you know that almost 94 million data records were leaked in data breaches globally in the second quarter of 2025? Unfortunately, leaked data often ends up for sale on the dark web, which places the people associated with it at risk. And that risk increases when your Mac is lost or stolen. For this reason, we recommend using MacKeeper’s ID Theft Guard. It prevents data breaches on a Mac after a factory reset and helps you stay in control of your data and privacy by looking for breaches around the clock and notifying you if your data is leaked in a breach. This helps you to quickly secure your accounts.

 

Here’s how to use MacKeeper’s ID Theft Guard to keep your data safe:

1. Download and install MacKeeper on your MacBook Pro or MacBook Air.
2. Select ID Theft Guard > Open.
3. Enter your email address and press Start Scan.
4. Review any threats the tool finds and follow the prompts to secure your email.

Wondering if someone is tampering with your lost MacBook? Consider checking if your Mac is being remotely accessed.

Can you track a stolen or lost MacBook after a reset?

One of the benefits of using Apple’s ecosystem is the ability to track your devices using your Apple ID. You can track your device’s location as long as Find My is activated and your computer remains online. Unfortunately, you can’t track a MacBook that’s been wiped or factory reset, as that means the user has logged out of your Apple ID, deactivating the Find My service. If you suspect your laptop was stolen, your best bet is reporting it to the police, although that won’t guarantee that it will be found. You can also try to find out if someone is spying on your Mac.

1. Was Find My Mac enabled before it was lost?

If you enabled Find My Mac before your MacBook was lost or stolen, there’s still a chance you can get it back before anyone resets it. Use another Apple device, like your iPhone, to locate the missing laptop on a map. Once you’re in its vicinity, simply ping it and follow the sound. If you still can’t find it, then get directions, mark it as lost, or reset your MacBook to keep your data safe. If a thief resets it before you track its location, the chances of you finding it are very slim.

2. Is the Mac still associated with your iCloud account?

Yes, it is. The Apple account screen shows you a list of devices you’re signed in to with your iCloud account. Use it to see if you’re still signed in to your Mac, which will indicate if someone has accessed or reset your iCloud account on your Mac.

Here’s how to check your device status on your iPhone:

1. Open the Settings app and click on your name at the top of the screen.
2. Check the device list toward the bottom of the screen. If your MacBook appears here, it has either not been found or the person who has it hasn’t signed out of your Apple account, which means you can possibly track its location if Find My Mac is enabled.

3. What happens if Activation Lock is active?

Activation Lock is a Mac feature that helps keep your Mac secure by preventing others from accessing it when it’s lost or stolen. It can also improve your chances of recovering your missing MacBook. That’s because it “locks” or protects your device by asking for your Apple Account password or device passcode before disabling the Find My feature, erasing your Mac, or reactivating and using your Mac. It works even if you erase your Mac remotely, as long as Find My stays on, and you remember your Apple Account email address or phone number and password.

4. Can a Mac be tracked if it’s erased and unlinked from iCloud?

No, a Mac can’t be tracked using the Find My feature if it’s been erased and unlinked from iCloud. Signing out of iCloud and erasing a Mac removes all data, making it impossible to locate. Even though Activation Lock prevents a thief from using the device without your iCloud login information, once the device has been erased, Find My cannot locate it physically.

What you can do if your Mac is stolen and reset  

Though recovery may be difficult, here’s what you can do if your Mac is stolen and reset:

• Mark it as stolen in Find My: Sign in to iCloud.com/find on another device, like your iPhone or iPad, sign in with your Apple ID, and mark your Mac as stolen. We do this to lock the computer remotely, display a custom message, and help track its location if it comes online.
• Protect your accounts: We immediately change the passwords for all accounts we’ve used on our Macs, starting with Apple ID, email, banking apps, and social media logins. Then, we keep monitoring our accounts closely for any suspicious activity—tools like MacKeeper’s ID Theft Guard help by alerting us if our email appears in a data breach.
• Report it to the police: If you still have your Mac’s proof of purchase and serial number, file a report with your local police station to create an official record of the theft. You could endanger yourself if you attempt to recover the device on your own, so let the police take care of it.
• Contact Apple Support: Notify Apple Support about the theft and provide them with your Mac’s serial number. In addition to offering you more assistance, they might mark your gadget as stolen in their database, which can help if it turns up at some point.

If you bought a used MacBook: How to protect your privacy and prevent tracking

Apart from losing a Mac, owning a pre-owned one can also put your privacy at risk if the previous owner is tracking it. Make sure Find My Mac and iCloud are disabled and verify that the device was properly erased. Don’t forget to check for Activation Lock status. These macOS security features can help keep you safe.

1. Make sure Find My Mac and iCloud are disabled

Before using your pre-owned MacBook, make sure you verify that the previous owner signed out of their iCloud account. If not, they could track your location using the laptop, and Activation Lock will remain in place.

Here’s how we check if the Mac is still linked to an iCloud account and if “Find My Mac” is active.

1. Check if a name appears in System Preferences/Settings. If it does, and you haven’t set up your Apple ID account, it means the previous owner hasn’t signed out of their iCloud account.
2. Click on Apple ID > iCloud > Find My Mac. If the setting is enabled, the previous owner can track you using the MacBook.

2. Verify that the device was properly erased

To see if your Mac is properly erased, switch it on and look for the Hello screen that always appears when you turn on a Mac for the very first time or after implementing a software update.  If you don’t see the greeting screen, chances are the previous owner didn’t fully reset your Mac, and some of their user data or settings might still be present. In that case, make sure you factory reset it yourself, taking care to erase all current content and settings, so you can start afresh.

3. Check for Activation Lock status

When using a pre-loved Mac for the first time, you want to ensure that Activation Lock is disabled, so you won’t have issues erasing and reactivating your Mac. If Activation Lock is on, you also won’t be able to disable Find My and prevent the previous owner from tracking you. Activation Lock remains enabled as long as Find My is also enabled.

Follow our steps in the Make sure Find My Mac and iCloud are disabled section to see if Activation Lock is on.

4. Check for the firmware password and what it means

To check for a firmware password on an Intel Mac, restart the device and hold down the Option key. If you see a padlock icon, it means the Mac has a firmware password set and the computer still has restrictions linked to the previous owner. In this case, that owner is the only person who can remove the password.

A friendly warning from us: Please note that Apple Silicon Macs (M1, M2, etc.) don’t have a firmware password—they have FileVault instead.

5. Make sure there are no old user profiles on the Mac

We always make sure we check for old user profiles on a pre-owned Mac, as some users can forget to erase all content and settings before letting go of a device.

To check for old user profiles on a Mac:

1. Open System Settings (or System Preferences) and select Users & Groups.
2. Click the lock icon to make changes and look for other users.

6. Contact Apple Support if Activation Lock or iCloud is still active

If your Mac is still linked to someone else's Apple ID or Activation Lock is enabled, it’s best to contact Apple Support. Make sure you have proof of purchase to confirm you own the device. Remember that this is the only legal way to remove Activation Lock if you can’t locate the previous owner.

Is tracking possible after factory resetting a Mac?

There’s still a chance you can find your Mac if Find My Mac is activated and your computer is still online. But you can’t track it if it’s been wiped or factory reset, as that deactivates the Find My service. If you suspect your laptop was stolen, report it to the police or contact Apple Support. Don’t forget to have proof of ownership ready, such as your original purchase receipt or the device’s serial number. These details not only help verify ownership but also increase the likelihood of recovery should your Mac be located by the authorities or Apple.

Our team also advises you to proactively protect your data in case of loss or theft. MacKeeper’s ID Theft Guard monitors your email address and notifies you if it’s included in a data leak, helping you secure it quickly to prevent further consequences. It’s come in handy for us over the years, helping us to quickly secure compromised emails and avoid further privacy risks.