It can be quite the frustrating experience when you end up losing all your important data on your Mac due to an unfortunate malfunction on your Mac. After all, nobody enjoys losing work on a project they spend countless hours on due to poor Mac functionality. You could have been working on a school project, a workflow presentation, a new song on a DAW software program or maybe even editing a video. Either way, when you lose that work to an unexpected Mac problem, eg. frozen screen or faulty data transfer, then it can be a real pain to deal with.

This is why utilising a reliable usb-c cable can spare you a lot of stress and inconvenience. These cables are recommended for many Mac users, as they can efficiently transfer high storage files and data at high speeds across multiple devices, without any issues or stalls. This means you won’t have to worry about corrupted data or frozen data transfers anymore. Additionally, if you use several external devices, then you should also invest in a Cable Organizer. The benefit of Lention’s organizers is that they all come made of a tough EVA material, which does well to absorb hard impacts. Also, they come with mesh pockets and elastic straps, allowing you to store multiple cables, external disk drives and accessories, even when on the move.

However, if the issue has already occurred and you can’t seem to be able to fix it, then you may be forced to reset your Mac. As such, we’re going to discuss some of the different ways in which you can do so without losing any valuable data in the process.

Does Resetting My Mac Help?

In most cases, whenever you experience a problem such as a frozen screen or unresponsive application, one of the best ways to fix the issue is to perform a soft reset. This can often also be a solution to get problematic apps and software to function properly after a new install or update to your Mac. Moreover, whenever your MacBook starts to behave abnormally or is performing slowly, a soft reset usually sorts out the problem. However, you can always opt for the more “serious” solution, which is to perform a factory reset of your entire Mac. The problem with this option is that if you do this wrong, it could turn out badly. This is because you can most assuredly end up losing all your Mac’s data in the process. It will remove all the data and files on your Mac and restore everything to how it was when you first bought it.

However, the benefit of using this method is that it can definitely improve the performance of your Mac. Moreover, it can effectively erase any files or programs that may be potentially slowing down your system. Additionally, in some cases you may want to perform a factory rest if you are selling or giving your Mac to someone else. This way you can ensure that they don’t end up having access to your personal data in the process.

How to Prevent A Loss Of Data

When it comes to a soft reset, this method is often preferred, as you can mitigate the risk of data loss in the process. As such, if your computer is not frozen, then you should simply save any active projects that you are working on. After which, close any open programs, then head to the Apple menu to restart your Mac. This is the most recommended method and it should hopefully solve the problem.

However, if that is not working or if the problem is very serious, then you performing a factory reset is the next option. However, you will have to follow some extra precautionary steps to ensure that you don’t lose any valuable data. After all, a factory reset will simply wipe your Mac clean of all files and data, so you will have to back-up any important data first before going through with it. You can perform a factory reset by following these steps below:

1. Backup Your Files

The first thing you need to do is back-up all your important data and information. This means duplicating of all the important files and documents. And transferring them onto another Mac or external device. In most cases, we recommend using a microsd to usb or sd card to usbc hub, for example. These devices will allow you to easily transfer any data onto an SD Card for portable and convenient access. If you don’t have one, then we suggest acquiring one from Lention, as their hubs also provide universal compatibility, fast data transfer, integrated charging, among many other features. If you do use an SD Card, then you will also need one of Lention Enclosure’s. These accessories will do well to cover and protect your SD Card from any external damage. Plus, they provide fast data transfers and universal compatibility for ease-of-use. Not to mention, they are very light and convenient for daily carrying.

You can then easily utilize the TimeMachine program and duplicate all your files to store in your SD Card or other external storage drive. This backup program also allows you to either duplicate specific files and documents on your Mac or simply back-up all the data on your device. However, there are also a number of third-party backup applications that can get the job done, as well.

2. Reset Your Mac

Once the backing up process is done, you can then proceed to perform the factory reset. However, it is often not that simple, as they are a few extra steps that you must take to perform it. You first need to log out of any applications that are in use, eg; iMessage and iCloud. You can then restart your Mac. Once the Mac boots up again, you will then need to press the Command + R keys. You will be directed to the Disk Utility section and you can reset your Mac from there. Also, remember that once you scrub all of your data, you will also have to reinstall the macOS.

3. Restore Data

Once the rest process is done, you can then simply restore all the backed up data from your external disk drive or SD Card. You simply have to plug it into your Mac, then head to Launchpad > Migration Assistant. From there, either select TimeMachine or your external storage disk and restore the backed up data.