How to Create a Bootable USB Installer for macOS [Step-by-Step]

If you want to install macOS on multiple Macs or perform a clean installation, you can use a bootable USB installer. This post provides a step-by-step guide to creating a bootable USB drive for macOS Golden Gate, Tahoe, Sequoia, Sonoma, Ventura, Monterey, Big Sur, and other versions.

How to Create a Bootable USB for macOS

Step 1. Prepare a USB Flash Drive

To create a bootable USB installer for macOS, you need a USB flash drive. Make sure it is blank, or back up any important data on it to another device first. The USB drive should have at least 16 GB of available storage, as the macOS installer can be more than 13 GB.

Step 2. Format the USB to Mac OS Extended

Before creating the macOS installation media, you need to format the USB drive as Mac OS Extended (Journaled). You can easily do this using Disk Utility on your Mac.

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

Step 3. Download the macOS Installer

Next, download the macOS installer you need to create a bootable USB drive for macOS Golden Gate, Tahoe, Sequoia, Sonoma, Ventura, Monterey, and other versions.

1. Open the App Store on your Mac from the Dock.
2. Search for the macOS version you want to download.
3. Click Get to download the macOS installer to your Mac. Once the download is complete, the installer will be saved in the Applications folder.

You can also download the macOS installer from a reliable third-party source such as Mr. Macintosh. You’ll get a .pkg file. Run the downloaded .pkg file, and the macOS installer will be placed in the Applications folder in Finder.

Step 4. Create a Bootable USB for macOS Golden Gate, Tahoe, Sequoia, Sonoma, Ventura, etc.

1. Connect the USB drive to your Mac.
2. Click Spotlight and search for Terminal to open the Terminal app.
3. In Terminal, enter the corresponding command below for the macOS version you downloaded. Replace MyVolume with the actual name of your USB drive, then press Enter to run the command and create the bootable macOS USB installer.

Once the bootable macOS USB installer has been created, safely eject the USB drive from your Mac.

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

1. Back up your Mac first to avoid losing important data.
2. Connect the bootable USB drive to your Mac and make sure your Mac is connected to the internet.
3. On an Apple Silicon Mac, press and hold the Power button until you see the startup options window. On an Intel-based Mac, turn on your Mac and immediately press and hold the Option key.
4. Select the volume containing the bootable macOS installer from the startup options window.
5. Follow the on-screen instructions to install the target version of macOS, such as Tahoe, Sequoia, Sonoma, Ventura, Monterey, or Big Sur.

Verdict

A bootable USB installer is a handy option when you need to install macOS on multiple Macs, perform a clean installation, or troubleshoot a Mac that can’t start normally. Once you have the installer ready, you can use the same USB drive to install a compatible version of macOS whenever needed.

If you’re creating a bootable installer because your Mac is running low on storage, BuhoCleaner can help you quickly remove unnecessary files and free up space before the installation.