How to make USB bootable drive on Mac: Easy tutorial
Creating a bootable macOS USB drive: Your ultimate backup and reinstall solution
A bootable USB drive containing macOS installation files is invaluable for reinstalling macOS, troubleshooting system issues, or installing macOS on multiple Macs. This guide details why you need one and how to create it.
The Importance of a Backup Plan
Before proceeding, ensure your data is safe. Consider using backup solutions like Setapp to protect your files, manage external drives, and more.
Try Setapp Free
Understanding Bootable USB Drives
A bootable USB drive (or external hard drive) holds a macOS installer, allowing you to boot your Mac from it independently of your main system. For simplicity, we'll refer to all external drives as USB drives.
Creating Your Bootable USB: What You Need
- A USB drive (flash drive or external hard drive) with at least 14GB of free space, formatted as Mac OS Extended.
- macOS installer files (download instructions below).
Downloading macOS Installer Files
Caution: Download the installer, but do not begin the installation process on your Mac. Terminate it immediately after download.
Newer macOS versions (High Sierra to Monterey) are downloaded as applications from the App Store. Ensure your Mac meets the macOS version's system requirements and runs macOS Sierra 10.12.5 or later. Download the appropriate installer:
- macOS Monterey installer
- macOS Big Sur installer
- macOS Catalina installer
- macOS Mojave installer
- macOS High Sierra installer
For older versions (like OS X El Capitan), download the DMG file using Safari. This DMG contains the installer application.
Creating the Bootable USB: Two Methods
Method 1: One-Click Solution with Disk Drill
Connect your USB drive, open Disk Drill (available with Setapp), and follow these steps:
- Select 'macOS Installer' in the sidebar.
- Follow the on-screen instructions or watch the quick how-to video.
- Select the macOS installer file (or upload it manually).
- Choose your USB drive as the destination.
- Click 'Create macOS Installer'.
This method avoids Terminal commands, minimizing the risk of errors. Disk Drill also offers data backup, recovery, and cloning capabilities.
Method 2: Using Terminal
If you don't have Disk Drill, use Terminal:
-
Connect the USB drive.
-
Open Terminal.
-
Execute the appropriate command based on your macOS version (replace 'MyVolume' with your USB drive's name if it's different):
- Monterey:
sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Monterey.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume - Big Sur:
sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Big\ Sur.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume - Catalina:
sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Catalina.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume - Mojave:
sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Mojave.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume - High Sierra:
sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ High\ Sierra.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume - Sierra:
sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Sierra.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume --applicationpath /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Sierra.app - El Capitan:
sudo /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ El\ Capitan.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume --applicationpath /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ El\ Capitan.app
The command copies the macOS installer from your Applications folder to the USB drive.
- Monterey:
-
Press 'Return' or 'Enter'.
-
Enter your administrator password.
-
Type 'y' to confirm erasing the USB drive.
Once complete, Terminal will display the installer's volume name. Eject the USB drive.
Booting from Your USB Drive
After creating the bootable drive, you can use it to boot your Mac and install a fresh copy of macOS. Only install on supported hardware.
M1 Macs:
- Connect the USB drive.
- Turn on your Mac while holding the power button.
- Select the bootable installer from the startup options and click 'Continue'.
- Follow the on-screen instructions.
Intel Macs:
- Connect the USB drive.
- Hold down the Option key while turning on your Mac.
- Select the bootable installer and press 'Return'.
- Choose 'Install macOS' in the Utilities window.
- Follow the on-screen instructions.
Essential: Back Up Your Data!
Before booting from the USB, back up your important files. Consider using Get Backup Pro (available with Setapp) for comprehensive backups with compression, scheduling, and cross-computer recovery capabilities.
To optimize your system before installation, use CleanMyMac X (also available with Setapp) to remove junk files and free up disk space.
Setapp: Your Essential Tool for macOS Installation
A bootable macOS USB drive is a crucial part of any Mac user's toolkit. Combined with backup and cleanup utilities like those offered by Setapp, you're prepared for any eventuality. Start your free seven-day Setapp trial today!
The above is the detailed content of How to make USB bootable drive on Mac: Easy tutorial. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!
Hot AI Tools
Undresser.AI Undress
AI-powered app for creating realistic nude photos
AI Clothes Remover
Online AI tool for removing clothes from photos.
Undress AI Tool
Undress images for free
Clothoff.io
AI clothes remover
Video Face Swap
Swap faces in any video effortlessly with our completely free AI face swap tool!
Hot Article
Hot Tools
Notepad++7.3.1
Easy-to-use and free code editor
SublimeText3 Chinese version
Chinese version, very easy to use
Zend Studio 13.0.1
Powerful PHP integrated development environment
Dreamweaver CS6
Visual web development tools
SublimeText3 Mac version
God-level code editing software (SublimeText3)
Hot Topics
Spotify on Apple Watch: How to use it in 2025
Apr 04, 2025 am 09:55 AM
With the support of Apple devices' interconnected ecosystem, managing and synchronizing your Apple devices has become a breeze. Unlock Mac with Apple Watch? Simple! (If you haven't set this unlocking method yet, you should really try it, it's very time-saving). Can you pay with Apple Watch without using iPhone? Apple can handle it easily! Today we will focus on how to download the Spotify playlist to an Apple Watch and play without an iPhone. Spoiler: This is possible. How to use Spotify on Apple Watch: A quick overview Let's dive into the key issues and their solutions directly. If this form helps you, that would be great! If you
Floating screen recording: how to capture a specific app window on a Mac
Mar 28, 2025 am 09:16 AM
Mac Screen Recording: Easily capture windows, areas and drop-down menus The screenshot tool (Command Shift 5) that comes with Mac systems can record full screen or selected areas, but cannot record specific application windows separately. At this time, more powerful tools are needed to complete the task. This article will introduce several ways to help you record your Mac windows as easily as a professional. Record the application window separately Record a single window to avoid cluttered desktop backgrounds and create more professional and prominent images and videos. Here are some excellent screen recording applications: Function comparison Gifox CleanShot X Dropshare Record a specific window ✓ ✓ ✓
Email is not syncing? How to refresh the Mail app on Mac
Apr 04, 2025 am 09:45 AM
Mac mail synchronization failed? Quick solution! Many Mac users rely on the included Mail app because it is simple and convenient. But even reliable software can have problems. One of the most common problems is that Mail cannot be synced, resulting in recent emails not being displayed. This article will guide you through email synchronization issues and provide some practical tips to prevent such issues. How to refresh the Mail app on your Mac Operation steps Click the envelope icon Open the Mail app > View > Show Tab Bar > Click the Envelope icon to refresh. Use shortcut keys or menu options Press Shift Command N. Or open the Mail app
How to get rid of 'Your screen is being observed' error
Apr 05, 2025 am 10:19 AM
When you see the message "Your screen is being monitored", the first thing you think of is someone hacking into your computer. But that's not always the case. Let's try to find out if there are any issues that need you to worry about. Protect your Mac With Setapp, you don't need to worry about choosing a tool to protect your computer. You can quickly form your own suite of privacy and security software on Setapp. Free Trial Security Test What does "Your screen is being monitored" mean? There are many reasons why there is a Mac lock screen message that appears with “Your screen is being monitored”. You are sharing the screen with others You are recording the screen You are using AirPlay You are using some apps that try to access your screen Your computer is infected with evil
How to show only active apps in Dock on Mac
Apr 09, 2025 am 11:44 AM
Mac Dockbar Optimization Guide: Show only running applications The dock bar of your Mac is the core of the system, from which you can launch Finder, Trash, recently used apps, active apps, and bookmark apps, and even add folders such as Document and Downloads. By default, the Mac dock bar will display more than a dozen Apple-owned applications. Most users will add more applications, but rarely delete any applications, resulting in the dock bar being cluttered and difficult to use effectively. This article will introduce several ways to help you organize and clean up your Mac dock bar in just a few minutes. Method 1: Manually organize the dock bar You can manually remove unused applications and keep only commonly used applications. Remove the application: Right-click on the application
