The terms that show up when verifying a Mac.
Plain-English definitions for the Activation Lock, MDM, Secure Enclave, and other technical terms a buyer or seller is likely to run into. Each entry has its own page with full context and links to related guides.
Activation Lock
An Apple security feature that ties a Mac to the original owner's Apple ID; if it isn't disabled before transfer, the new owner can't set up the device.
Apple Silicon
Apple's family of ARM-based processors for Macs, starting with the M1 in 2020; replaced Intel in the Mac lineup.
Battery cycle count
A counter that increments each time a laptop battery completes a full discharge-recharge equivalent; used as a proxy for battery health and remaining lifespan.
Case-swap fraud
A fraud pattern where a Mac chassis with a valid external serial is sold with swapped internal components, usually a stolen or downgraded logic-board.
Find My Mac
Apple's location-tracking service for Macs; enabling it automatically activates Activation Lock.
MDM enrollment
An administrative state that lets an organization remotely manage and lock a Mac; commonly missed in private resales and can render the device unusable to the new owner.
Secure Enclave
A separate security coprocessor inside Apple Silicon and T2-equipped Intel Macs; holds private keys, performs cryptographic operations, and is inaccessible from the main OS.
SSD wear
A measure of how much of a Mac's solid-state drive has been written to relative to its rated lifespan; high wear correlates with reduced reliability.
T2 Security Chip
A dedicated security and controller chip Apple shipped in Intel Macs from 2017 to 2020; it provides Secure Boot, encrypted storage, and a Secure Enclave.