My mom recently purchased a MacBook Air from Staples, and I noticed something odd while setting it up. It didn't go through the standard initial setup screens you typically see with a new Mac. Instead, I found some personal information on the device, including a name and an address from Brazil, which I had to replace with my mom's info, including changing the country to Canada. I'm concerned that this means the laptop might not be brand new. My mom insists she bought it new, but I'm wondering if she was sold a previously owned device. Also, the iMessage defaulted to the Brazilian country code, preventing her from sending messages, and I'm struggling to change that setting. I tried reaching out to Apple Support but kept getting disconnected. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
3 Answers
If there was personal data on the laptop when you got it, then it's likely not brand new. Sounds like it might have been returned without being reset. You could check its history using some software or ask Apple Support, but if you're unsure, returning it and asking for a new one might be a good move. If that's too much effort, just reset it to factory settings and start fresh.
Just a bit of a story—once bought PCs from a store that had similar setups, so it’s possible Staples did something similar with the MacBooks. They might've set them up for demos or returns and just forgot to wipe them. Just do a factory reset, and it should be as good as new!
I think I'll go for the reset, thanks for the heads-up!
Did it come in a sealed box like a new one, or was it opened? If the box was open, it could have been a customer return. If I were you, I’d recommend doing a factory reset to ensure everything's fresh. Just follow a guide on resetting Macs; it's pretty straightforward!
I bought mine new too and it was fine! Resetting sounds like the best fix.
Got it, thanks! Just worried I should've taken a screenshot of the original setup.