You can choose whether you want the fastest erase or most secure erase under the Erase Free Space option.
When you erase a hard drive, you basically format NTFS on Mac and change the format to a compatible one like AFPS or Mac OS X Extended (Journaled).
Plus, you get to install the latest compatible macOS on your system. The main advantage of using this method is that you can wipe the drive securely and restore the original version of macOS from the internet. Now, you can set up Mac once again as you want.
We have gathered up a list of methods on how to reformat/format Mac without any hassle. Once you understand the difference, it will be easier to decide whether you prefer to reformat Mac or simple formatting. So, you only need to decide whether you want to use the drive for other data or simply want to free up space on the drive. It is considered a high-level formatting process.
As you reformat MacBook Pro or any other version, a partition map is created on the selected drive and an appropriate file system is applied that works with Mac such as OS X Extended (Journaled) file system. The process is accompanied by the deletion of data on the drive as the format changes, the files saved on the drive become irrelevant. The traces of the data are still left even after formatting.īut when you change a file format system of a drive, it is called reformatting. It doesn't overwrite the existing data or remove it completely. It is a low-level formatting process that only involves erasing the data on the system. Under normal situations, you only format Mac as the intention is to wipe away the data and files from Mac. When you are about to format a Mac hard drive, it is vital that you have a complete understanding of the Mac file system format too.