Apple Computer, Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) has introduced a new feature that will automatically erase a computer’s hard drive from your Mac or iPhone if you do not have the software for doing so.
Apple has long been known for offering an easy way to restore files from your computer to your device, so the feature was hardly a surprise.
However, the feature, known as Computer Erase, is now available on all Macs and iPhones, and it works by default, meaning you can’t opt out.
“With the Computer Eraser feature, if a hard drive has been erased from your Apple Mac or iOS device, then you can quickly recover it to your Mac, iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, or Mac Pro,” Apple said in a blog post announcing the feature.
The company also said it was adding the feature to its software for Macs, but not all users will have access to it.
Apple said that the feature will be available to users who are signed into the software from Apple, Apple TV, and Mac OS X 10.11.4, as well as Mac Pro users, who can’t disable the feature from the Macs or iPhones they own.
Apple users who do not want to manually erase a hard disk from their Mac or iPhones will still be able to access the feature via the Software Update feature in the OS X menu.
The feature will also be available on Windows, but only for those who do have access through an authorized Apple reseller.
Apple is offering the Computer Delete feature for free on all Apple-owned products, but it is not available on iPads, iPhones, Mac Pro computers, or other devices that use Apple hardware.
It also does not appear to be available for older Macs that have been certified as having Intel Core processors.
The feature will require an authorized Mac reseller to enable, and the company is encouraging customers to visit the Mac Repair website to check if their Mac has the feature enabled.
Apple’s Computer Erasing feature does not require you to use the Apple TV or other Apple devices, and you can disable it by clicking on the Mac, which will then appear in the list of available programs on your Mac.
You can then click the Delete button to erase the hard drive, which may take a few seconds.