What are the steps to perform a hard reset on a MacBook Pro M4

1. Back Up Your Data: Before proceeding, ensure you have backed up any important files. You can use Time Machine or iCloud for this purpose. It's crucial to save your data because the reset process will erase everything on the Mac.

2. Deauthorize Accounts: Sign out of your Apple ID and other accounts to prevent issues later. This includes iCloud, iMessage, and FaceTime. Go to System Preferences > Apple ID > Overview > Sign Out for iCloud, and do the same for iMessage and FaceTime in their respective preferences.

3. Shut Down Your Mac: Click the Apple menu at the top-left corner of the screen and select "Shut Down" to turn off your Mac completely.

4. Enter Recovery Mode:
- Press and hold the power button until you see the startup options screen.
- Click on "Options" and then "Continue" to enter macOS Recovery Mode[1][4].

5. Erase the Hard Drive:
- In macOS Recovery, select "Disk Utility" from the options.
- On the left side of Disk Utility, select the startup disk (usually labeled "Macintosh HD").
- Click the "Erase" button at the top of the window.
- Choose the following options:
- Format: APFS (for modern macOS versions).
- Scheme: GUID Partition Map.
- Click "Erase" to begin the process. This will completely wipe all the data on the disk[1][3].

6. Reinstall macOS:
- In macOS Recovery, select "Reinstall macOS" from the options and click "Continue".
- Choose the disk you just erased (usually "Macintosh HD").
- Follow the on-screen instructions to begin the installation. Your Mac will need an active internet connection to download macOS[1][3].

7. Complete the Setup Process:
- After macOS has been successfully installed, your Mac will boot to the Welcome screen.
- You'll be asked to configure the following:
- Select your country or region.
- Set up your Wi-Fi connection.
- Sign in with your Apple ID (optional).
- Restore from a Backup (if you made a backup).
- Set up a user account and password[1].

Alternatively, if you're using macOS Monterey or later, you can use the "Erase All Content and Settings" feature from System Settings:
- Click the Apple menu, choose "System Settings".
- Go to "General" > "Transfer and Reset".
- Click "Erase All Content and Settings".
- Follow the on-screen instructions to erase everything from the M4 Mac[1].

**Note: Before performing a hard reset, ensure you have backed up all important data, as this process will erase everything on the Mac.