Prepping Your Mac or Laptop Before Trade-In
4 min read · Updated on June 16, 2026
A laptop is worth way more than a phone at trade-in. But if it stays locked to your account or your old company, it becomes unsellable, and so we can't buy it. Here's how to set it free cleanly in 20 minutes, so we can buy it back from you without a hitch.
Why a locked computer can't be bought back
A laptop still tied to your Apple ID or Microsoft account is, for us, a brick. On a Mac, Find My pairs the machine to your account through a security chip: as long as that link exists, there's no reinstalling the system or reselling it. On a PC, a forgotten BIOS password or a still-active Microsoft account blocks access and refurbishing. The result: we can neither wipe your data nor guarantee the device for the next buyer.
We also carry a legal and moral responsibility: we don't buy a device we can't reset cleanly. That's why a computer that isn't signed out gets sent back or refused every time. The good news: you can sort it all out yourself, for free, before shipping. Follow the steps below depending on your machine, and keep your laptop powered on and charged during the process.
On a Mac: sign out of your account and Find My
1. Back up first (Time Machine or a copy of your files). 2. Turn off Find My: System Settings, click your name, then iCloud, and disable Find My Mac (your Apple password is required). 3. Still in your account, click Sign Out at the bottom. 4. Remember to sign out of Messages and iTunes/Apple Music too.
Then reset: on recent Macs (Apple Silicon or T2 chip), go to System Settings, General, Transfer or Reset, Erase All Content and Settings. This option wipes your data AND removes the activation lock. On an older Mac, restart in Recovery mode (Cmd + R), erase the disk via Disk Utility, then reinstall macOS. Leave the computer on the first-startup screen: don't create a new account.
On a Windows PC: Microsoft account, BitLocker and reset
1. Back up your files. 2. Grab your BitLocker key if encryption is on: in your Microsoft account online, under Devices, note the key, or turn off BitLocker from the Control Panel. Without that key, a reset can stall. 3. Disconnect your Microsoft account: Settings, Accounts, Your info, switch to a local account.
4. Reset: Settings, System, Recovery, Reset this PC, Remove everything. Choose Clean data for a thorough wipe. 5. The PC restarts on the initial setup screen: stop there. If you no longer have access to Windows, restart from the recovery environment (Shift + Restart).
Removing an MDM / company profile and the firmware/BIOS password
If your laptop comes from an employer or a school, it may be enrolled in an MDM or carry a company profile. On a Mac: System Settings, Privacy & Security, Device Management. On Windows: Accounts, Access work or school. Removing it isn't your job: only the owning IT department can unenroll the device. Contact them before any trade-in, otherwise the computer relocks itself.
On the firmware side, a password can block startup. On a Mac, disable it in Recovery mode via Utilities, Startup Security Utility. On a PC, enter the BIOS/UEFI (Del, F2, F10 or Esc) and clear the Supervisor / Power-On Password. A forgotten firmware password often makes the device unrecoverable: handle it while you still have access to the machine.
Checklist before shipping
Before you pack it up, check: Apple/Microsoft account signed out, Find My disabled, MDM/company profile removed, firmware/BIOS password cleared, data wiped and system reinstalled, computer on the first-startup screen. Remove your peripherals and any stickers.
Once these boxes are ticked, we can inspect, confirm the grade and trigger your payment within 48 hours. Your price is locked for 14 days, round-trip shipping is on us, and if anything snags, we'll get back to you before sending the device back. Unlock everything upfront to skip the round trip and get your money faster.