If you’re having problems with your Mac, the easiest way to perform a fresh install of macOS is to use the recovery method using the Internet. But did you know that you can also create a bootable USB drive to install macOS if recovery isn’t an option? This will let you boot your Mac from a different source if it’s not working normally, and it will make it easier to install on multiple devices. Check out how to install macOS to an external USB drive.
Why do you need to install macOS from a USB drive?
Creating a bootable USB drive and using it to reinstall macOS is a bit of a longer process compared to simply updating macOS from the Software Update section of System Preferences, but it has its benefits.
But creating a bootable USB drive allows you to install or update macOS on multiple systems without having to download the installer on each Mac. This can save a lot of time, considering that the latest versions of macOS have a 12GB installer size.
You can also use the built-in recovery tools that come with the macOS installer to troubleshoot and fix different types of problems. These include when your Mac refuses to boot or when you need to restore system files that appear to have been lost.
Another benefit of using a bootable installer to install macOS is that you can perform a clean install. A clean install allows you to get rid of unwanted apps and files that may have accumulated over time. This almost always results in your Mac booting up faster after a clean install, since macOS starts fresh with a clean slate. Check out the best ways to recover data if your Mac won’t boot.
Step 1. Choose a USB flash drive to install macOS
USB flash drives are cheaper than ever before, so you won’t have to spend a lot to get one. However, make sure you buy a flash drive from a popular brand (such as SanDisk, Kingston, or PNY) from a reputable store. Stay away from cheap drives with suspiciously high storage capacities on websites like eBay.
Their firmware is often hacked to report the wrong size to the operating system. Not only will the transfer speeds be painfully slow, but using them can also result in data loss or even a damaged USB port.
Also check the ports to see what options are available on your Mac. Most of Apple’s current MacBook models exclusively offer USB-C ports. Fortunately, there are plenty of USB-C drives available, or you can use a USB-C to USB-A adapter.
It is best to use a USB 3.0 drive, at least 16GB in size. Samsung BAR Plus Overall good value for the money you pay.
Step 2. Format the USB flash drive
warning: Formatting the drive will completely erase all of its contents! It is highly recommended that you create a backup before proceeding.
You can only create a bootable macOS installer on your Mac. If you’re using a USB drive that already contains data, make sure to back up any important files now, as it will erase everything in a moment.
Open Finder.Then go to "التطبيقات" -> "الأدوات مساعدة" and open disk toolYou should see your flash drive under External Storage on the right pane. After selecting it, click the button fade away at the top. Choose a recognizable name (you will use this later), and make sure to choose Mac OS Extended (Journaled) for the format. Finally, click fade away.
Step 3. Download the macOS installer
The next step is to download the macOS installer. You can get the latest version of each major release, from Mac OS X 10.7 Lion to the latest version, from the support page Apple.
Simply scroll down and tap on the version you want. For High Sierra and later, you'll be redirected to the App Store page where you can tap get To start downloading. Older versions are available as direct downloads from the support page.
If you’re already running the latest version of macOS, you may not see the option to download the installer in System Preferences. In this case, use the App Store method described above. This will force System Preferences to download the installer, which you can then use to create a bootable drive.
In either case, once you download and open the installer, exit it without continuing with the installation. Check out how to create a bootable USB installer for macOS.
Step 4. Create a bootable USB using Terminal
The Terminal app provides the easiest way to create a bootable USB drive to install macOS. Simply replace the MyVolume From the commands below with the name you gave the drive in the Disk Utility step above.
Note that the commands for creating bootable USB drives for different versions of macOS vary slightly. If you intend to create a bootable drive for macOS Sonoma, use the command below as is. Otherwise, replace Sonoma Name of macOS version (e.g. Mojave).
To create the Monterey installer:
sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Sonoma.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume
Copy and paste the command you want above into the Terminal window and press the key. ReturnAfter entering your password, confirm that you want to erase the USB drive by typing Y followed by ReturnThe Terminal will now erase and create a bootable USB drive, ready to boot from.
Once the process is complete, you can boot your Mac from the USB flash drive by following the steps below.
Create a bootable USB drive using a dedicated application
If you prefer to create a bootable USB drive using a dedicated application, you can use third-party applications to do so. Diskmaker X was a popular utility for creating a bootable USB drive, but it doesn’t support the latest versions of macOS (High Sierra and later). Alternatively, you can use Install Disk Creator Free tool from MacDaddy to create a bootable macOS installer.
Once you have downloaded the app, simply open it. The app should automatically detect the macOS installer in your Downloads folder. Simply select the USB drive you want to create a bootable disk on from the drop-down menu, and click Create the installer.
Format your Mac drive
warning: Formatting the drive will erase all of its contents. Remember to create a Time Machine backup so you can restore your data once the installation is complete.
If you're installing a newer or same version of macOS and want to keep your data, there's no need to format the drive. You can skip this step and go directly to booting your Mac from a USB drive.
If you're trying to downgrade your macOS installation or want to perform a fresh install, you'll need to format your drive first. You can do this by booting into macOS Recovery and selecting the Disk Utility option.
In Disk Utility, select your Mac's internal drive just as you selected your USB drive earlier. Then click the fade away At the top and select APFS As a format. Finally, click fade away Again to format the entire drive.
How to boot Mac from USB drive
Now if you find yourself in a difficult situation where your Mac won’t boot, or if you want to perform a fresh install of macOS, you have a solution. You can install macOS from USB and you don’t need to download the macOS installer again. This will be helpful to fix the “macOS could not be installed” error.
note: Before reinstalling macOS on your Mac, make sure you back up all your important data! This is especially important when performing a fresh installation, as it will erase the contents of your hard drive. You can use Time Machine to easily back up data on your Mac.
There are two different ways to boot your Mac from a bootable USB, depending on what processor your Mac has.
Mac with Apple Silicon
To start a Mac with an Apple Silicon M2 or M1 chip using a bootable USB drive, turn on or restart the system if it's already on, and hold down the Power button.
You should now see an option to select your USB drive as your startup disk. Once selected, your system will power off the USB drive and enter macOS Recovery with the macOS Sonoma installer appearing on your screen. If you want to erase the drive first, to perform a clean install, exit the installer and launch Disk Utility from the Recovery menu. You can format the drive and then go back to the Recovery menu and install macOS Sonoma.
Some wireless keyboards may not work at this point. If you’re having difficulty, plug in a wired keyboard instead. If you don’t see a USB drive as a startup option, try a different USB port. Check out how to enter macOS Recovery on a Mac with Apple Silicon.
Intel Mac with T2 Security Chip
If you have a Mac with a T2 Security Chip (Intel Macs released after 2018), you may not be able to run the macOS installer from an external drive. You'll need to boot into macOS Recovery and enable booting from external media before you can open the installer.
Once you've done this, restart your Mac and hold down Command + R To enter the boot menu again. Then select the option Install macOS To boot from external drive.
Mac with Intel chip
Simply plug the created USB drive into an available USB port on your Mac. Turn on the system, or restart it if it's already on, and press and hold the Option Immediately after booting.
What to do if your Mac won't boot using a USB drive
In some cases, Intel Macs with the T2 chip (Intel Macs released after 2018) may not allow you to run the macOS installer from an external drive. This is because there is a setting in the Startup Security Tool that needs to be modified. This can be done by following the steps below:
- Boot into macOS Recovery by pressing
Cmd + RWhile your Mac is running. - A list of users will appear. Select the administrator account and log in to it.
- When your Mac starts up, select the Utilities menu and select “Startup Security Utility.”
- You may be asked to authenticate again. Enter your macOS password, select the administrator account, and enter the password.
- Once the application is running, select the Allow booting from external media option in the External boot section at the bottom of the window.
- Quit the app and restart your Mac.
That's it! You should now be able to boot normally from your external drive using the steps detailed above. Check out how to set a firmware password to secure your Mac.
Using the bootable macOS installer
After selecting the Install macOS option from the boot menu, your system will boot from the USB drive, and the macOS installer will appear on your screen. Click Continue, and accept the license agreement.
Next, the installer will ask you to select the drive you want to install macOS on. Select your Mac’s internal drive, and click Continue to begin the installation. Once the installation is complete, you’ll have a fresh macOS installation ready and waiting for you.
If you're still having trouble installing macOS from a bootable drive, try resetting your Mac's PRAM/NVRAM. If that doesn't work, you should consider scheduling an appointment with an Apple Store or Apple Authorized Service Provider for expert assistance.
You can create a fresh installation of macOS, restore from a Time Machine backup, or access tools like Disk Utility from the macOS Recovery screen. You can also use a USB drive to upgrade macOS to the latest version. If you need to troubleshoot your Mac without a network connection, this USB drive can be a lifesaver. Now you can learn how to install macOS and save the installer file (in case you need it again).
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