How to Create a Bootable Installer for macOS?

Are you running into issues with your mac system? The easy way to fresh install your macOS is by creating a bootable installer. It allows your macOS to boot from a different source rather than your system’s hard drive. Let us peek into the process of creating a bootable installer for macOS.

Create a Bootable Installer for macOS

What is a Bootable Installer?

A bootable installer is generally an external, portable device, more specifically, a USB drive, that contains all the necessary installation files and drivers to install an operating system.

There are many benefits to creating a bootable installer for macOS, though it is a lengthy process. They are as follows:

• Install and update macOS on multiple MacBooks without having to download the installer on each system.
• Saves a lot of time, as the recent macOS versions have installers of the size 12GB.
• A clean installation of macOS on your system and get rid of junk files and apps.

What Do You Need to Create a Bootable Installer?

To create a bootable installer, you need the two following things:

• A USB flash drive of size at least 14 GB to 16 GB. As most Mac systems have USB-C ports, make sure to choose the USB-C flash drive.
• The installation file of the macOS version you want to install. To get the installation files, either take it from Software Update from System Preferences or the Mac App Store.

How to Create a Bootable USB using Terminal?

Follow the below step-by-step guide:

• Plug in a USB flash drive into your Mac system.
• Open Terminal either by using the Spotlight search and entering Terminal or going to Applications → Utilities → Terminal.
• Now, you need to type or paste one of the following commands in the Terminal based on your version of macOS.

Ventura

sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Ventura.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia - volume /Volumes/MyUSBDrive

Monterey

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

Big Sur

sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Big\ Sur.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia - volume /Volumes/MyUSBDrive

Catalina

sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Catalina.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia - volume /Volumes/MyUSBDrive

Mojave

sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Mojave.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia - volume /Volumes/MyUSBDrive

High Sierra

sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ High\ Sierra.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia - volume /Volumes/MyUSBDrive

El Capitan

sudo /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ El\ Capitan.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia - volume /Volumes/MyUSBDrive - applicationpath /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ El\ Capitan.app

Here, MyUSBDrive is the name of the USB flash drive. Make sure to replace MyUSBDrive with the name of your USB flash drive or any other volume. In addition, the aforementioned commands assume that MyUSBDrive is in your Applications folder.

• After you type the command, hit Return.
• Enter your administrator password and press Return.
• Next, enter Y to confirm that you want to erase the volume and hit Return.
• After erasing the volume, you get a message stating Terminal would like to access files on the removable volume. Hit OK, and the process of copy proceeds.
• Once the process completes, the name of the volume will change to the name of the installer you downloaded.
• Finally, you can quit the terminal and eject the volume.

How to Use the Bootable Installer?

Now you have created a bootable installer and want to use it on Mac with either Apple Silicon or Intel processor. Here are the steps to follow.

Apple Silicon

• Take the bootable installer and plug it into your Mac connected to the internet. Make sure that Mac is compatible with the version of macOS you are going to install.
• When you turn on your Mac, press the power button until a window displaying the startup options appears. This window will display all bootable volumes.
• Choose the volume that contains the created bootable installer and click ‘Continue.’
• You will see the macOS installer. Follow the given installation process, and you will have the intended macOS version installed on your Mac.

Intel Processor

• Plug the bootable installer into a Mac that is connected to the internet and is compatible with the macOS version that you are installing.
• Next, turn your Mac on and immediately press the Option (Alt) key until the dark screen displays the bootable volumes.
• Choose the volume having the bootable installer and press Return or click on the arrow you see on the screen.
• If a screen pops up to select the language, do it.
• From the ‘Utilities’ windows, click ‘Install macOS’, hit ‘Continue’, and follow the instructions for the further process.

Conclusion

With the above simple steps, you can create a bootable installer for macOS. With a bootable installer, you can use multiple versions of macOS on a single system. Also, it enables the clean installation of macOS, allowing you to get away from junk files.

When you are done with creating a bootable installer, follow the steps for using it on Mac with both Apple Silicon and Intel Processor, once you are done creating it.

So, download any version on your Mac system with a bootable installer!

References:

1. https://support.apple.com/en-in/HT201372

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