If you ever run into issues with your Mac, the easiest way to do a fresh installation of macOS is using the net recovery method. Simply did you know that you tin too create a bootable USB bulldoze to install macOS from if internet recovery isn't an selection? This will let you boot your Mac from a different source if information technology won't piece of work normally, and makes installs on multiple machines like shooting fish in a barrel.

Why Would Y'all Need to Install macOS From a USB?

Creating a bootable USB bulldoze and using information technology to reinstall macOS is a bit of a lengthier process compared to but updating macOS from the Software Update section of the System Preferences, but it has its benefits.

But creating a bootable USB disk allows you to install or update macOS on multiple systems without having to download the installer on each Mac. This can save quite a fleck of fourth dimension, considering the near recent versions of macOS have an installer size of 12GB.

You lot tin can too employ the built-in recovery tools that come with the macOS installer to troubleshoot and set different kinds of problems. These issues include when your Mac refuses to kicking or when y'all need to recover system files that seem to be lost.

Some other benefit of using a bootable disk for a macOS installation is that you tin can perform a make clean installation. A clean installation allows you to get rid of junk apps and files that may have accumulated over time. This almost always results in a Mac running faster after a clean install, since macOS has started over with a clean slate.

Step 1. Choose a USB Wink Drive for Installing macOS

USB wink drives are cheaper than ever, so you won't accept to spend much on this task. Still, make certain to buy a proper noun-make flash drive (similar SanDisk, Kingston, or PNY) from a reputable store. Stay away from inexpensive drives with suspiciously high storage on sites like eBay.

Those drives often take their firmware hacked to written report a false size to your operating system. Not only will the transfer speeds be painfully slow, but using them may besides event in loss of data or fifty-fifty a damaged USB port.

Fake USB Flash Drives on eBay

Also, check to see what ports you take on your Mac. Almost of Apple's current MacBook models exclusively offer USB-C ports. Fortunately, there are a lot of USB-C drives available, or you can utilize a USB-C to USB-A adapter.

It's all-time to get with a USB iii.0 bulldoze, with a minimum size of 16GB. The Samsung BAR Plus is a expert overall value for the money; we've also rounded up all the fastest USB three.0 drives you can buy for more options.

Footstep two. Format Your USB Flash Bulldoze

Y'all can only create a bootable installer for macOS on a Mac. If you lot're using a wink bulldoze that already has data on it, brand sure to back up any important files now, equally you're going to erase everything in a moment.

Open Finder. Then navigate to Applications > Utilities, and open Deejay Utility. You should come across your flash drive under the External section in the left pane. After selecting it, click on the Erase push button along the top. Cull a recognizable name (which you'll utilise afterwards), and make sure to choose Mac OS Extended (Journaled) for the format. Finally, click Erase.

macOS Disk Utility

Pace 3. Download the macOS Installer

Apple has changed the method for downloading versions of the operating organisation of macOS. While the installers were previously bachelor to download via the App Shop, newer versions (macOS Mojave and later) update the organisation from Arrangement Preferences.

To download the latest version of the macOS installer for installing on a USB, open up up the System Preferences and navigate to Software Update. Yous should see the option to download the installer here.

You can also utilize the App Store to open the System Preferences and download the update. Open the App Store and search for your version of macOS. Click on the View or Get button, which will open upward Organization Preferences to download the installer. If yous're on a version of macOS from before Mojave, yous can yet download the installer directly from the App Store.

macOS Bootable Disk Monterey

In the outcome that yous are already running the latest version of macOS, y'all might not see the option to download the installer in Arrangement Preferences. In that case, use the App Store method detailed above. This volition force Arrangement Preferences to download the installer, which you lot tin can and so apply to create the bootable disk.

In either instance, one time the installer downloads and opens, quit information technology without continuing the installation.

Pace 4. Create a Bootable USB Using Terminal

Terminal offers the easiest way to create your bootable USB bulldoze to install macOS. But replace the MyVolume portion of the commands below with the name y'all gave your drive in the Disk Utility stride higher up.

Take note that the commands differ slightly for creating bootable USBs for different versions of macOS. If you are going to create a bootable drive for macOS Monterey, utilize the control below every bit information technology is. Otherwise, replace Monterey with the macOS version name (for example Mojave).

To create a Monterey installer:

sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Monterey.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume

Re-create and paste the command you need higher up into your Concluding window and press the Return key. After entering your password, confirm you desire to erase the USB drive by typing Y followed by Return. Terminal will now erase and create your bootable USB drive, ready for you lot to boot from.

macOS Bootable Disk Terminal

Creating a Bootable Disk Using Software

If you adopt creating a bootable disk using the software method, you tin utilize third-party applications to do so. Diskmaker X was the famous go-to utility for creating bootable disks, but it doesn't support the latest versions of macOS (High Sierra onwards). Instead, y'all can utilize the free Install Disk Creator from MacDaddy for creating a bootable macOS installer.

Once you've downloaded the software, but open it up. The app should automatically observe the macOS installer in your Downloads folder. Simply select the USB bulldoze that you want to create a bootable disk on from the peak volume dropdown listing, and click on Create Installer.

How to Boot Your Mac From a USB Bulldoze

At present if you find yourself in a gluey situation where your Mac isn't booting, or yous desire to do a fresh installation of macOS, you have a solution. You can install macOS from your USB and non have to download the macOS installer again. This will come in handy for fixing the "macOS could not be installed" error.

Earlier you lot reinstall macOS on your Mac, make sure you've backed up all your important information! This is crucial when you do a fresh installation, as information technology will wipe your hard drive. You can use Time Machine to hands back up the data on your Mac.

In that location are ii dissimilar methods to boot your Mac from a bootable USB, depending on which processor your Mac has.

Intel Macs

Simply plug your created USB bulldoze into an open USB port on your Mac. Power on the system, or restart information technology if it's already on, and immediately press and hold the Pick key when information technology starts booting.

M1 or M2 Apple tree Silicon Macs

To boot an M1 or M2 Apple silicon Mac using a bootable USB deejay, power on the system or restart it if it's already on, and go on the Ability push pressed down.

You should now see an option to select your USB drive as a startup disk. After selecting it, your organization will kick off your USB drive and enter macOS Recovery with the macOS Monterey installer appearing on your screen. If you desire to erase your disk beginning, to practice a clean install, quit the installer and run Disk Utility from the Recovery menu. You tin can format the drive and so go back to the Recovery menu and install macOS Monterey.

Select startup Disk macOS

Some wireless keyboards may non piece of work at this indicate. If yous're having difficulty, plug in a wired keyboard instead. If you lot don't run across your USB drive as one of the startup options, try a unlike USB port.

What to Do if Your Mac Won't Boot Using a USB

In some cases, Intel Macs with a T2 bit (Intel Macs released later on 2018) may not allow y'all to kicking a macOS installer from an external drive. This is due to a setting in the Security Startup Utility that needs to be adjusted. This can be done by post-obit the steps explained below:

  1. Boot into macOS Recovery by pressing Cmd + R while you lot turn on the Mac.
  2. A list of users will announced. Select and log in to the administrator's account.
  3. When the Mac has booted upwardly, select the Utilities menu, and select Startup Security Utility.
  4. You may be asked to cosign again. Enter macOS countersign, choose an administrator business relationship, and enter the password.
  5. Once the app has launched, select the option to Allow booting from external media at the External Kick section at the lesser of the window.
  6. Quit the app and restart the Mac.

That's it! You lot should at present be able to normally boot from the external drive using the steps detailed above.

Using Your Bootable macOS USB

You tin create a fresh installation of macOS, restore from a Time Car fill-in, or access tools similar Disk Utility from the macOS Recovery screen. You tin also use your USB drive to upgrade macOS to the latest version. If you need to troubleshoot your Mac without a network connexion, this USB drive could be a lifesaver.