How to Create a Bootable MacOS USB Installer

How to Create a Bootable MacOS USB Installer

What is a Bootable MacOS USB Installer?

A bootable macOS USB installer is a USB drive that has been prepared with a copy of the macOS installation files, which allows you to install macOS on a Mac computer or perform maintenance tasks, such as repairing a damaged disk or reinstalling the operating system.

Creating a bootable macOS USB installer involves copying the macOS installation files onto a USB drive and configuring it to be bootable, meaning that it can be used to start up a Mac computer and perform various actions, such as installing macOS, running Disk Utility, or accessing the Terminal. 

Bootable USB installers are particularly useful when installing macOS on a new or reformatted hard drive, or when troubleshooting issues with an existing macOS installation.

See also: How to Open Bin File on iPhone

What you need to Create a Bootable USB for Mac

To create a bootable USB for Mac, you will need the following:

1. A USB drive: You will need a USB drive with a capacity of at least 8 GB to store the macOS installer and make it bootable.

2. A macOS installer: You can download the macOS installer from the App Store on your Mac. The installer is usually saved in the Applications folder, and its name will include the version number of macOS you want to install.

3. A Mac computer: You will need a Mac computer to download the macOS installer and create the bootable USB. It is important to make sure that the Mac meets the system requirements for the version of macOS you want to install.

4. Administrator access: You will need administrator access to your Mac to create a bootable USB.

5. Disk Utility: Disk Utility is a built-in utility on your Mac that allows you to format and partition the USB drive.

6. Terminal: Terminal is a built-in command-line interface on your Mac that allows you to create a bootable USB drive. You will need to use Terminal to run a command that creates the bootable USB.

Once you have all of these items, you can follow the steps to create a bootable USB for your Mac. Keep in mind that creating a bootable USB can be a complex process, and it is important to follow the steps listed below carefully to avoid damaging your USB drive or Mac computer.

See also: How to Install a Mac OS on a PC

10 Steps on How to Create a Bootable MacOS USB Installer

Here are the steps to create a bootable macOS USB installer:

Step 1: Download the macOS installation file from the App Store. This will download the installer to your Applications folder.

Step 2: Insert a USB drive into your Mac. It should have at least 8 GB of storage space.

Step 3: Open Disk Utility. You can find it in the Utilities folder in Applications or by searching for it in Spotlight.

Step 4: Select the USB drive from the list on the left-hand side of the Disk Utility window.

Step 5: Click on the “Erase” button at the top of the window. Give the USB drive a name, select “Mac OS Extended (Journaled)” as the format, and click “Erase”.

Step 6: Once the USB drive has been formatted, close Disk Utility.

Step 7: Open Terminal. You can find it in the Utilities folder in Applications or by searching for it in Spotlight.

Step 8: Type the following command into Terminal:

sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ [Name of macOS Version].app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia –volume /Volumes/[Name of USB Drive] — /Applications/Install\ macOS\ [Name of macOS Version].app

Replace [Name of macOS Version] with the name of the macOS version you downloaded (e.g., “Monterey”), and replace [Name of USB Drive] with the name you gave your USB drive in Disk Utility.

Step 9: Press Enter. You will be prompted to enter your administrator password.

Step 10: Terminal will then create the bootable macOS USB installer. This process can take several minutes.

Once the process is complete, you will have a bootable macOS USB installer that you can use to install macOS on your Mac or another compatible Mac.

See also: How to Open Zip File on Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android

Originally posted on March 4, 2023 @ 10:19 pm

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