

Never buy a Mac that still has “Find My Mac” enabled. If they cannot complete this, it could mean that the Mac has been stolen. The seller will need to enter their Apple ID password to remove the feature. The seller can remove this feature under System Preferences > Apple ID then by clicking iCloud in the sidebar and unchecking “Find My Mac” from the list. It will need to be removed before the sale is made. This means that macOS Activation Lock is likely still enabled.Īctivation Lock is designed to stop someone from using a Mac that has been stolen or lost. If you see a login window, be aware that the Mac is still likely linked to the old owner. If the Mac boots you’re either going to see “Hello” to indicate that macOS has been reinstalled, or you’ll see a login window with the account holder’s name. Is the Mac Still Linked to the Old Owner? You don’t necessarily need to hear the “Mac noise” when turning the computer on, since Apple dropped that from many of the machines made in the past ten years (though it’s back in the Apple Silicon models). If the machine powers on but shows an error or won’t boot fully into macOS, that could indicate a hardware problem. Walk away if the seller insists that “the battery is dead” and won’t show the machine booting. You might see a log-on screen or the “Hello” splash that appears when macOS is freshly installed. You should see a startup screen followed by macOS. It seems like an obvious point, but the Mac should at the very least boot. RELATED: How to See What Something Is Worth Using eBay Does the Mac Boot? If you’re buying a desktop Mac your options for an inspection are a bit more limited, but you should still satisfy the basic criteria. You should have time to inspect the computer thoroughly before you buy it. You should either meet at the seller’s house or in a public place where you can’t be taken advantage of. Most would insist on a test drive at the very least, even with the seller in the passenger seat. You probably wouldn’t buy a car without an opportunity to see under the bonnet and kick the tires first.
