How to Create a Bootable USB for macOS Tahoe [Step-By-Step]

If you want to install macOS (Tahoe/Sequoia/Sonoma/Ventura/Monterey) on multiple computers or perform a clean install, you can use a bootable USB installer. This post offers a step-by-step guide on how to create a bootable USB for macOS Tahoe, Sequoia, Sonoma, Ventura, Monterey, Big Sur, etc.

How to Create a Bootable USB for macOS Tahoe/Sequoia/Sonoma/Ventura

Step 1. Prepare a USB Flash Drive

To make a macOS bootable USB, you need a USB flash drive. It should be blank, or you can copy all data on it to another device. The USB drive should be at least 16 GB since the macOS installer file is about 13 GB.

Step 2. Format the USB to Mac OS Extended

To create USB installation media for macOS, the USB should first be formatted in Mac OS Extended format. You can easily do this with Disk Utility on Mac.

1. Connect the USB to your Mac.
2. Click Spotlight Search in the menu bar and search for Disk Utility to open it.
3. In Disk Utility, select the target USB drive from the sidebar. Click the Erase button at the top.
4. Type a name for the USB, choose Mac OS Extended (Journaled) format, and select the GUID Partition Map scheme.
5. Click Erase to format the USB.

Step 3. Download the macOS Installer File

Next, you need to download the macOS installer file to create the bootable USB for macOS Tahoe, Sequoia, Sonoma, Ventura, Monterey, etc.

macOS Tahoe, Sequoia, Sonoma, Ventura, Monterey, and older versions of macOS are available for free from the Mac App Store.

1. Open the App Store on your Mac from the Dock.
2. Search for the target macOS version you want to download in the App Store.
3. Click Get to download the macOS installer file to your Mac. After downloading, the installer file will be stored in the Applications folder.

Step 4. Create a Bootable USB for macOS Tahoe/Sequoia/Sonoma/Ventura

1. Connect the USB drive to your Mac.
2. Click Spotlight and search for Terminal to open the Terminal app on your Mac.
3. In Terminal, type the corresponding command listed below depending on your downloaded macOS version. Replace “MyVolume” in the commands with the actual name of the USB drive. Press Enter to execute the command to create a bootable USB for macOS Tahoe, Sequoia, Sonoma, Ventura, Monterey, etc.

After it finishes creating the bootable macOS USB installer, safely eject the USB from your Mac.

How to Boot Mac from USB and Install macOS from USB Drive

1. Back up the data on your Mac first.
2. Plug the bootable USB drive into your Mac. Make sure your Mac is connected to the internet.
3. For an Apple Silicon Mac, press and hold the Power button to boot your Mac until you see the startup options window. For an Intel-based Mac, press the Power button and immediately press and hold the Option key.
4. Select the volume that contains the bootable macOS installer from the startup options window.
5. Follow the on-screen instructions to install the target macOS (Tahoe, Sequoia, Sonoma, Ventura, Monterey, or Big Sur) on your Mac.

Verdict

This post offers a step-by-step guide on how to create a bootable USB for macOS Tahoe, Sequoia, Sonoma, Ventura, Monterey, etc. Instructions on how to boot your Mac from USB and install macOS from USB are also provided. Hope it helps.

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