Home > Questions

Can a MacBook Be Tracked by Former User After Factory Reset?

Hi, a question that I am probably asking a bit too late, but still, I'd rather have it cleared out. Mid-2021, I purchased a used 12-inch MacBook (my first Apple device and I do enjoy using it) that came to me wiped out (factory reset I believe, I do not know the exact term for it). When I turned it on, I had to create my own iCloud account, and only then could I start using it. My question is - is there any risk of the former owner still having visibility to any of my activity on the MacBook given that it was logged out before he sold it to me? Is there any way of checking what tracking activity may be happening, if any? Thanks in advance!

Best Answered by

iBoysoft author Jenny Zeng

Jenny Zeng

Answered on Friday, April 12, 2024

Yes, the former user can still track your Mac's location if you didn't sign into your iCloud account.

If the former user didn't strictly follow Apple's advice to sign out of iCloud and remove the device from Find My Mac, he or she could still locate your Mac from Find My Mac until you log into the Mac with your account. That's because the device is still associated with the former user's iCloud account even if it's not logged in.

So, the previous user can potentially erase your Mac remotely or lock you out. This is actually a feature for users to track and lock down a stolen device. Anyway, it's recommended to log into a second-hand Mac once you acquire it.

Also read:

How to Factory Reset M1 Mac (MacBook Air/Pro, Mac mini, iMac)

 

People Also Ask

How to factory reset 2017 Macbook Pro and wipe all data off?

Read this article to know how to completely factory reset a MacBook Pro 2017 and wipe off all data stored on it.

iBoysoft author Rivers WongRivers Wong

What disk block allocation scheme is used by APFS in macOS?

Check this post to know what disk block allocation scheme is used by APFS in macOS.

iBoysoft author Ciki LiuCiki Liu

How to fix the 'There's corruption that needs to be repaired' error?

This post tells how to fix the error message File system exit code is 8, File system verify or repair failed.:(-69845), and There's corruption that needs to be repaired.

iBoysoft author Eudora LiuEudora Liu

Why My SD Card Not Mounted On iMac?

It shows how to fix if your SD card not mounting on your Mac.

iBoysoft author Eudora LiuEudora Liu

How to fix the disk you attached was not readable by this computer?

Read to know how to fix the disk you attached was not readable by this computer.

iBoysoft author Anna YuanAnna Yuan

Fix 'Cannot copy files to external hard drive on M1 Mac'

Read this article to fix the 'The operation can't be completed because you don't have permission to access some of the items.' error when copying files from an external hard drive to M1 Mac.

iBoysoft author Rivers WongRivers Wong

Read More Questions

Read More Advice From iBoysoft's Computer Experts

what is RAM 

What is RAM & How to Check RAM Usage on Mac?

It tells what is RAM and what does RAM do. How to check RAM usage on Mac and how much RAM you will need are also mentioned.

Wiki Tips

Activity Monitorで高CPU使用率のremindd

MacでのReminddとは何か | Reminddの高いCPU使用量の修復方法

この記事では、アクティビティモニターのreminddプロセスとそのMacのCPUに過度に使用されている場合に試す5つの方法について説明します。

Mac上のスマートフォルダとは何か

Macでのスマートフォルダとは何か、作成方法と使い方

Macのスマートフォルダに関する概要。Macでのスマートフォルダとは何か、スマートフォルダの作成と使い方、およびMacのフォルダとの比較について。