How to Fix the “Erase Assistant is Not Supported on This Mac” Error

  

Mark Regan
Published: February 26th, 2026 • 11 Min Read

If you are preparing to sell, give away, or trade in your old Mac, your first instinct is likely to wipe all your personal data. However, many users run into a highly frustrating roadblock: an error message stating Erase Assistant is not supported on this Mac. Whether you are trying to figure out how to factory reset MacBook Erase Assistant is not supported on this Mac, or you have a MacBook Pro and Erase Assistant is not supported on this MacBook pro 2017, then these problems can leave you confused and stuck.

If you are wondering what “Erase Assistant is not supported on this Mac” means and how to bypass it, then you have arrived at the right place. This comprehensive guide will explain exactly everything in detail, including why this happens, how to check your device compatibility, and provide every manual and automated method including a smart solution to securely fix Erase Assistant is not supported on this MacBook pro 2017 error.

What is the Erase Assistant?

Before we begin to fix the Erase Assistant is not supported on this Mac error, first lets understand what is Erase Assistant and How do you Erase Assistant on Mac?

The Erase Assistant application (officially called the “Erase All Content and Settings” feature) is built into the MacOS operating system (starting from version 12.0, released October 2022). The Erase Assistant application is similar to a factory-reset feature that are available on an iPhone/iPad. It helps to erase all of a user’s files, applications, settings, biometric data, and unlinking them from their Apple ID / Activation Lock.

The Erase Assistant is an excellent utility because it allows you to erase all your data without having to manually format your hard drive and completely reinstall the MacOS operating system. Therefore, the Erase Assistant gives your Mac a “like-new” appearance in just a few clicks.

Why Does It Say Erase Assistant is Not Supported on This Mac?

Learn the core reasons why does it say Erase Assistant is not supported on this Mac and causes hardware limitations.

The Erase Assistant is designed to wipe all cryptographic keys, essentially making all your data unreadable, quickly and securely, using the appropriate hardware security chips. The reason why you are getting an error saying “Erase Assistant is not supported on this Mac intel” or, in this specific case “Erase Assistant is not supported on this Mac 2017″, or even “Erase Assistant is not supported on this Mac MacBook pro 2017” is due to a lack of this hardware.

Here are the primary reasons you are seeing the error:

• Compatibility: The Erase Assistant will run on all Macs that have either the Apple silicon processor or an Apple T2 security chip. Most Macs built before 2018 lack the T2.
• Operating System Version: You need at least MacOS Monterey (12.0) to run the Erase Assistant
• Use Boot Camp: If you have installed Windows using Boot Camp, you won’t be able to run the Erase Assistant until the Windows partition has been removed using the Boot Camp Assistant.
• Volume Owner Requirement: When using Apple silicon Macs, if you don’t have permission to erase the disk from the current volume owner (the person who initiated the erasing process), you cannot erase the disk.
• Management via MDM: If your computer is managed through an MDM system by your school or employer and has a configuration profile that restricts the “Allow Erase All Data” function, you cannot use the Erase Assistant on your computer.

How to Check If Your Mac Supports Erase Assistant?

If your Erase Assistant is not supported on this Mac Sequoia, then it is important to first check if your Mac device supports Erase Assistant. Before performing MacBook Erase Assistant, make sure that your Mac meets these requirements to avoid MacBook Erase Assistant stuck:

1. To determine whether you have an Apple Silicon chip, do the following:

1. Click the Apple logo in the upper left corner of the screen.
2. Select About This Mac
3. If your chip is listed (example: Apple M1), then you have an Apple Silicon Mac and you can use Erase Assistant.

2. If you have a Mac with an Intel chip, check if you have an Apple T2 chip.

1. Hold down the Option Key while clicking the Apple Logo in the upper left corner of the screen.
2. Select System Information.
3. From the list of items in the left-hand column, select Controller or iBridge.
4. If you see “Apple T2 Security Chip” listed, then you have a Mac that supports Erase Assistant.

3. You must be running MacOS version Monterey, Ventura, Sonoma, or later.

Crucial Prerequisites Before You Start Resetting

Before we explore how to fix Erase Assistant is not supported on this Mac, you must prepare your computer. There is no undo button once a drive is finally wiped and your crucial data will be gone forever.

• Backup Your Data: Either use Time Machine to backup your complete computer data to an external hard drive or just copy your most important files and photos to a safe location.
• Sign-Out From All Apple Accounts: After you have successfully erased the drive, make sure to sign out from iCloud (if applicable) so that if you sell your computer to a new owner, they will not be subject to Activation Lock.

How to Fix “Erase Assistant is Not Supported on This Mac”? Simple Ways

If your hardware simply doesn’t support the tool, you might be asking: What to do if Erase Assistant is not supported on your Mac? or How to erase a MacBook without Erase Assistant?

Here is the complete step-by-step guide for Erase Assistant is not supported on this Mac how to reset and Erase Assistant is not supported on this Mac how to factory reset.

Fix 1: Update Your MacOS

If you have a compatible Mac (Apple Silicon or T2 chip) but have MacOS Big Sur, then you only have to update it. The easiest way is to go to System Preferences and select the Software Update option to get the latest version of MacOS. Also, even newer systems will most likely have bugs and issues, so if you receive the eErase Assistant is not supported on this Mac Sequoia error, try restarting the Machine or updating to the latest version.

Fix 2: MacOS Recovery Mode (The Best Manual Alternative)

This is the standard way to restore an Intel Mac to hopefully get back your data. Try this manual alternative to fix Erase Assistant is not supported on this Mac intel.

1. Enter Recovery Mode:
   • For Intel-based Mac systems, users need to restart then immediately press and hold Command + R until you see the Apple logo.
   • For Apple Silicon Mac systems, users simply needs to turn your Mac off then simply press and hold the power button until it says “Loading startup options.” Select “Options” and then “Continue”.
2. Open Disk Utility by selecting it from the MacOS Utilities menu and clicking Continue.
3. Click View from the menu at the top and select Show All Devices (this step is very important).
4. Select your top level internal drive (usually “Apple SSD” or “Macintosh HD”) and then click Erase, name it “Macintosh HD” (or whatever you choose), select APFS format and then erase the volume group, if available.
5. Quit Disk Utility so that you return back to the main menu of MacOS Utilities, select Reinstall MacOS and follow the prompts to do a clean installation of MacOS on the newly erased drive.

Fix 3: Delete Using Terminal in Recovery Mode

You can also delete the entire disk using Terminal command line tools, if Disk Utility displays error messages or keeps crashing.

1. Simply begin to Boot into Recovery Mode.
2. After that Click Utilities from the top menu bar and then Select Terminal.
3. The Type diskutil list to find your internal disk identifier (e.g. /dev/disk0 or /dev/disk2).
4. Now you have to type diskutil eraseDisk APFS “Macintosh HD” /dev/disk0 (make change on /dev/disk0, it must be your actual identifier). After you erase the disk >> quit Terminal and then select Reinstall MacOS.

Fix 4: Target Disk Mode (For Older Intel Macs)

If you cannot access Recovery Mode, use your other Mac to reformat the broken Mac by following these steps:

• Simply Connect your both Mac systems with a Thunderbolt or FireWire cable.
• After that Restart the broken Mac with the T key held down until the disk image appears on the screen.
• Open Disk Utilities on the working Mac, and locate the broken Mac from the list of external drives.
• At the end, Select the broken Mac, click Erase, to securely start formatting.

Fix 5: Reset NVRAM/PRAM and SMC

Sometimes, severe system issues can prevent a reset from working correctly. This can help you to Erase Assistant is not supported on this Mac error.

• To reset NVRAM: Shutdown your Mac, power it back on while holding Option + Command + P + R for about 20 seconds.
• SMC Reset: To reset your SMC, first, power off your Mac. Next, hold down Shift + Control + Option + Power for 15-20 seconds and then power on your Mac. (For Apple Silicon Macs, this gets done automatically during restart.)

Fix 6: Create a Bootable USB MacOS Installer

If your Mac has a corrupted recovery partition and you can’t recover it, erasing the entire Mac and reinstalling its OS from a USB boot drive will work. The first thing to do would be to install the latest version of MacOS and prepare the USB drive using Terminal commands (e.g., sudo /Applications/Install/MacOS\Ventura.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia –volume /Volumes/MyUSB) to create a bootable drive. During the boot up, hold down the Option key and then choose the USB drive from the startup screen. Using Disk Utility, create a new internal hard drive and then install MacOS from the USB drive.

Why the Software is Perfect Alternative

1. Works on All Devices: Even if there doesn’t are no T2 Security Chip or Apple Silicon, you can still use the software to fully and securely erase your data regardless of device configuration.
2. Military Grade Erasure: Many times when you sell your Mac and use standard formatting, remnants of your data still exist, and this can be found using recovery software. In addition to having the capability to overwrite data multiple times using advanced algorithms (this meets the international data erasure standard), this will ensure the permanent deletion of all of your personal documents, financial information, and browsing history.
3. User-Friendly Interface: The software to tackle Erase Assistant is not supported on this Mac error was created to allow users to specifically select what devices they would like the software to erase with just a few clicks from the easy to use GUI, vs. booting into hidden modes or using Terminal commands.
4. Saves Time: Manual troubleshooting can be time-consuming as well as ineffective. If you utilize the tool, you can launch the software and select the device you want wiped and it will make sure your device is in “pristine state” and ready for your next user.

By using the expert’s recommended tool, you will ensure that you have permanently deleted your personal data from your device even if Erase Assistant is not supported on this Mac, with minimum effort or through failed manual erasure.

Conclusion

Encountering the Erase Assistant is not supported on this Mac message can halt your plans to sell or trade in your device, but it is not a dead end. As we have covered, this error is simply Apple’s way of saying your older Intel hardware (like the MacBook pro 2017) lacks the specific security chip. By following this guide, you can successfully factory reset your Mac, ensuring your personal data remains private and your device is completely ready for its next owners required for an instant wipe.

Whether you choose to boot into MacOS Recovery Mode to manually use Disk Utility, leverage Target Disk Mode, or opt for the ultimate security and convenience of Software, you have all the tools you need to bypass this error.