Wipe Device for macOS

What

Use Wipe Device... to send Apple's Erase Device MDM command to a managed Mac. On macOS 12 and later, supported Apple silicon and T2 Macs use Erase All Content and Settings (EACS) when preflight checks pass. If EACS cannot run, the Mac follows the selected obliteration fallback behavior.

When/Why

Use this command when a managed Mac needs to be erased for redeployment, recovery, or retirement. Older Macs and macOS 11.x behavior use obliteration, which removes critical files and data and leaves the Mac needing a reinstall or recovery workflow.

How

Record the Find My Mac PIN before sending a Wipe or Lock command. FileWave does not record this PIN in the logs, and you may need it for recovery.

Upon receiving this command, the device performs preflight checks to determine if the device is in a state that allows EACS.

Choose the device's obliteration fallback behavior before sending the command:

Do Not Obliterate:

• If EACS preflight fails, the device responds to the server with an Error status and doesn’t attempt to erase itself.
• If EACS preflight succeeds but EACS fails, then the device doesn’t attempt to erase itself.

Obliterate With Warning

• If EACS preflight fails, the device responds with an Acknowledged status and then attempts to erase itself.
• If EACS preflight succeeds but EACS fails, then the device attempts to erase itself.

Default

• If EACS preflight fails, the device responds to the server with an Error status and then attempts to erase itself.
• If EACS preflight succeeds but EACS fails, then the device attempts to erase itself.

The Remote Wipe dialog lets you choose this behavior before sending the command:

Related Content

• Wipe Device
• Apple Developer - EraseDeviceCommand