The right way to create a bootable USB macOS installer: Step-by-step information

Having the ability to create a bootable USB installer for macOS is a helpful ability for any Mac person. Whether or not you’re performing a clear set up, establishing a number of Macs, recovering a system that gained’t boot, or just need a dependable offline installer, a bootable USB drive offers you much more management than counting on macOS Restoration alone.

Whereas it’s simpler to create bootable installers than it was previously because of the Terminal command createinstallmedia, however the course of isn’t apparent – and differs relying on whether or not you’ve utilizing an Intel Mac or a Mac with Apple silicon. You’ll want the correct macOS installer, a USB drive that’s sufficiently big and some Terminal instructions that it’s good to sort precisely proper.

On this information, we’ll stroll you thru making a bootable macOS USB installer, overlaying the newest variations of macOS in addition to older ones. We’ll clarify what you want earlier than you start, how the method is completely different for Intel and Apple silicon Macs and learn how to use your installer as soon as it’s prepared. By the tip, you’ll have a reusable macOS installer that may prevent time, bandwidth and frustration – and it would even save your Mac when nothing else will.

If you wish to learn the way to make a bootable set up of the newest macOS beta, macOS Tahoe, macOS Sequoia, macOS Sonoma, macOS Ventura, macOS Monterey, Large Sur, Catalina, Mojave, or an older model of Mac OS X or macOS, you’ve come to the correct place.

Why create a bootable USB mac installer

Making a bootable USB macOS installer is a flexible software for troubleshooting, system upkeep, and managing a number of computer systems.

There are a number of particular situations the place a bootable USB is superior to plain software program updates or built-in Restoration modes:

• Clear Installations and Troubleshooting: A bootable drive lets you wipe a Mac’s inner storage and set up a contemporary copy of the working system. That is typically one of the simplest ways to repair persistent software program points, take away potential viruses, or put together a machine for a brand new proprietor. See: The right way to do a clear set up of macOS
• Putting in on A number of Macs: As a substitute of downloading the multi-gigabyte installer (which could be 16GB or extra) on each particular person machine, you’ll be able to obtain it as soon as and use the USB to replace a number of Macs shortly.
• Putting in on a separate quantity: You can even use your bootable installer to set up macOS on a separate quantity of your arduous drive.
• Putting in the newest macOS beta
• Downgrading macOS: If a brand new replace like macOS Tahoe causes points, a bootable installer is the first technique for rolling again to a earlier model like macOS Sequoia or Sonoma. See: The right way to become old variations of macOS.
• Unsupported {Hardware}: For customers with older Intel-based Macs that Apple now not formally helps, a bootable USB is required to make use of instruments just like the OpenCore Legacy Patcher to put in newer variations of macOS.
• Emergency Entry: In case your Mac can’t entry Restoration mode.

1.

Get the macOS installer recordsdata

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The way you get the set up recordsdata will depend upon the model you need the installer for. Beneath we’ll have a look at learn how to get numerous macOS installers. If it’s an older model you’re after, we’ve got a devoted article about The right way to obtain previous Mac OS X and macOS variations.

• Warning: Obtain the set up recordsdata, however be sure you cease earlier than the precise set up begins. When the set up begins the recordsdata will probably be disposed of, so it’s good to step in beforehand!

The place to get macOS Tahoe installer: macOS Tahoe could be downloaded on suitable Macs by way of the Software program Replace mechanism inside macOS. Navigate to the Apple menu > System Settings > Common > Software program Replace. Your Mac will verify for the newest model, and you’ll click on Improve Now to start the obtain.

The place to get the macOS beta: To get the newest beta recordsdata it’s good to first register for the Apple’s official developer or public beta packages. You possibly can then obtain the newest beta from Software program Replace, as described above. See: Newest macOS beta particulars and learn how to get it.

The place to get macOS Sequoia installer: macOS Sequoia could be discovered on the Mac App Retailer.

The place to get different macOS installers: You possibly can obtain the installers from these Mac App Retailer hyperlinks. Be sure to use Safari and shut the Mac App Retailer earlier than clicking on the hyperlink or it could not work. In case your Mac is just too new it might not be suitable with these older variations.

As soon as the set up recordsdata are downloaded it is possible for you to to search out them within the Purposes folder through the Finder. Now you may have the set up recordsdata, we are able to transfer on to the method of creating the bootable installer.

Making a bootable set up of macOS requires a single command in Terminal (this has been the case since Mavericks arrived in 2013). The createinstallmedia command makes it attainable to create a bootable copy of an installer on any drive that’s linked to your Mac. You’ll discover all of the createinstallmedia instructions under.

• Warning: The createinstallmedia command erases something in your exterior disk although, so be certain there’s nothing on it that you simply want.

2.

Join and put together the drive

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1. Plug in an exterior drive with a minimum of 32GB house (advisable for newer macOS variations).
2. Open Disk Utility (press Command + spacebar and begin to sort Disk Utility).
3. Click on View and choose Present All Units.
4. From the sidebar, choose the basis drive

3.

Erase and format the drive

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1. Click on Erase.
2. Set the next choices:
3. Identify: MyVolume (You possibly can select one other identify, however you’ll want to make use of it precisely later.)
4. Format: macOS Large Sur or later: APFS (In macOS Catalina or earlier use Mac OS Prolonged (Journaled))
5. Scheme: GUID Partition Map
6. Click on Erase.
7. Watch for Disk Utility to complete, then click on Accomplished.

4.

Create the bootable installer

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1. Open Terminal (Command + Area → sort Terminal).
2. Enter the createinstallmedia command for the model of macOS you’re putting in. (You’ll find the one for the macOS model you need listed under).
3. Press Return.
4. Enter your person password when prompted (you gained’t see characters seem).
5. If requested to permit entry to the detachable drive, click on OK.
6. When warned that the drive will probably be erased, sort Y and press Return.

5.

Watch for the method to finish

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Terminal will erase the drive, then copy the installer recordsdata. This will likely take a number of minutes.

When completed, you’ll see: “Copy full. Accomplished.”

Your bootable installer is now prepared.

The right way to boot from the installer

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Now you may have the installer on the exterior drive you should utilize that to put in copies of macOS on a number of Macs (so long as the Macs are supported by that model).

• Observe: With M-series Macs the way in which you boot from the installer is completely different to older Intel-based Macs.

Apple silicon Macs (M-series)

1. Shut down the Mac.
2. Press and maintain the facility button till Startup Choices seems.
3. Choose the macOS installer and click on Proceed.

Intel Macs

1. Choose the macOS installer from the boot menu.
2. Shut down the Mac.
3. Flip it on and instantly maintain the Choice (or Alt) key.

The model of macOS on the bootable drive ought to begin to set up in your Mac now. (If you wish to do a clear set up, which implies wiping your Mac first, observe the directions in The right way to do a clear set up on a Mac.

Ultimately, the Mac ought to restart. Wait whereas the replace takes place after which take pleasure in your newly up to date working system.

You can even run the Mac working system straight from an exterior drive reasonably than your built-in startup disk, that is helpful if you’re testing new variations of macOS. The method is completely different to the one described above although, and we cowl it right here: Examine The right way to run macOS on an exterior arduous drive right here.

Observe that older variations of macOS used “applicationpath” whereas newer ones don’t – for those who use the command you’ll get an error (we’ve got the code for the all variations of macOS and Mac OS X under).

The createinstallmedia command will probably be barely completely different relying on which model of macOS you’re wanting to make use of.

Observe MyVolume might have a unique identify for you, for instance it is perhaps USB or Untitled. Verify in Disk Utilities, it’s the identify of the exterior disk you’re utilizing.

• WARNING: We now have heard of individuals copying and pasting within the -- just for them to alter to a – in Terminal, so watch out of that. There ought to be two dashes!

Tahoe

sudo /Purposes/Set up macOS Tahoe.app/Contents/Sources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume

Sequoia

sudo /Purposes/Set up macOS Sequoia.app/Contents/Sources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume

Sequoia beta

sudo /Purposes/Set up macOS Sequoia beta.app/Contents/Sources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume --nointeraction

Sonoma

sudo /Purposes/Set up macOS Sonoma.app/Contents/Sources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume

Ventura

sudo /Purposes/Set up macOS Ventura.app/Contents/Sources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume

Monterey

sudo /Purposes/Set up macOS Monterey.app/Contents/Sources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume

Large Sur

sudo /Purposes/Set up macOS Large Sur.app/Contents/Sources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume

Catalina

sudo /Purposes/Set up macOS Catalina.app/Contents/Sources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume

Mojave

sudo /Purposes/Set up macOS Mojave.app/Contents/Sources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume

Excessive Sierra

sudo /Purposes/Set up macOS Excessive Sierra.app/Contents/Sources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume

Sierra

sudo /Purposes/Set up macOS Sierra.app/Contents/Sources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume --applicationpath /Purposes/Set up/ macOS/ Sierra.app

El Capitan

sudo /Purposes/Set up OS X El Capitan.app/Contents/Sources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume --applicationpath /Purposes/Set up OS X El Capitan.app

Yosemite

sudo /Purposes/Set up OS X Yosemite.app/Contents/Sources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume --applicationpath /Purposes/Set up OS X Yosemite.app