If you’re looking to install macOS on your Mac or a new hard drive, you’ll need to create a bootable USB installer. This is especially useful if you’re having trouble with your current macOS installation or if you want to perform a clean install. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the steps on how to install macOS from a USB drive.
Why Install macOS from USB?
There are a few reasons why you might want to install macOS from a USB drive:
- Your current macOS installation is corrupted or not working properly.
- You want to perform a clean install of macOS.
- You want to install macOS on a new hard drive.
Regardless of the reason, creating a bootable USB installer is a straightforward process that can save you time and hassle in the long run.
What You’ll Need
Before we dive into the steps, here’s what you’ll need to create a bootable USB installer:
- A USB drive with at least 16GB of storage.
- A Mac with an internet connection.
- A copy of the macOS installer from the App Store.
Choosing the Right USB Drive
When selecting a USB drive, make sure it has at least 16GB of storage. It’s also important to note that the USB drive will be formatted during the process, so make sure you don’t have any important files on it.
Downloading the macOS Installer
To download the macOS installer, you’ll need a Mac with an internet connection. If you don’t have access to a Mac, you can use a virtual machine on a Windows PC to download the installer.
To download the macOS installer, follow these steps:
- Open the App Store on your Mac.
- Search for “macOS” in the search bar.
- Click on the “Get” button next to the latest version of macOS.
- Once the download is complete, the installer will open automatically. If it doesn’t, you can find it in your Applications folder.
Creating a Bootable USB Installer
Now that you have everything you need, it’s time to create a bootable USB installer. Follow these steps:
- Connect the USB drive to your Mac.
- Open the Terminal app from your Applications folder.
- Type diskutil list and press Enter. This will show you a list of all connected drives.
- Identify your USB drive by its size and name. It should be something like /dev/disk2 or /dev/disk3.
- Type diskutil eraseDisk JHFS+ “MyUSB” GPT /dev/diskX and press Enter. Replace “MyUSB” with the name you want to give your USB drive and “X” with the number of your USB drive.
- Once the process is complete, type sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Big\ Sur.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia –volume /Volumes/MyUSB and press Enter. Again, replace “MyUSB” with the name of your USB drive.
- You’ll be prompted to enter your password. Type it in and press Enter.
- The process will take some time to complete. Once it’s done, you’ll see a message saying “Install media now available at /Volumes/Install macOS Big Sur”.
- Your bootable USB installer is now ready to use.
Installing macOS from USB
Now that you have a bootable USB installer, you can use it to install macOS on your Mac or a new hard drive. Follow these steps:
- Connect the USB drive to your Mac.
- Restart your Mac and hold down the Option key while it’s booting up.
- You’ll see a list of bootable drives. Select the USB drive with the macOS installer.
- The macOS installer will now launch. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation process.
Troubleshooting
If you encounter any issues during the installation process, here are a few troubleshooting tips:
- Make sure your USB drive is properly formatted and has at least 16GB of storage.
- If the installation process gets stuck, try restarting your Mac and starting the process again.
- If you’re having trouble downloading the macOS installer, try using a different internet connection or a virtual machine on a Windows PC.
Conclusion
Creating a bootable USB installer is a simple and effective way to install macOS on your Mac or a new hard drive. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you’ll be able to create a bootable USB installer and install macOS in no time.
