Table of Contents
What You’ll Need
Step 1: Prepare the USB Drive
Download the macOS Installer
Step 3: Run the Createinstallmedia Command
Step 4: Boot from the Installer
Notes and Tips
Home Operation and Maintenance Mac OS How to create a bootable macOS installer

How to create a bootable macOS installer

Jul 27, 2025 am 02:38 AM

To create a bootable macOS installer, use a USB drive and Apple’s built-in tools by following these steps: 1. Prepare the USB drive by formatting it as Mac OS Extended (Journaled) or APFS with GUID Partition Map in Disk Utility, naming it “Untitled” or “MyVolume”; 2. Download the desired macOS installer from the App Store and quit the installer after download; 3. Use Terminal to run the createinstallmedia command with sudo, adjusting the path for your macOS version and USB name; 4. Boot from the USB by restarting the target Mac and holding Option to select the installer. The process takes about 20–30 minutes, and the bootable drive works on compatible Macs, allowing clean installs, troubleshooting, or offline setup.

How to create a bootable macOS installer

Creating a bootable macOS installer is useful for clean installs, troubleshooting, or setting up multiple Macs. Here’s how to do it using a USB drive and Apple’s built-in tools.

How to create a bootable macOS installer

What You’ll Need

  • A USB flash drive with at least 16GB of storage (32GB recommended for newer macOS versions)
  • A Mac with internet access
  • The macOS installer app (downloaded from the App Store)
  • About 20–30 minutes of time

Step 1: Prepare the USB Drive

  1. Plug in your USB drive.
  2. Open Disk Utility (you can find it via Spotlight or in Applications > Utilities).
  3. Select the USB drive from the sidebar (usually listed under "External").
  4. Click Erase.
  5. Set the following:
    • Name: Untitled (or MyVolume — important for later commands)
    • Format: Mac OS Extended (Journaled) or APFS (APFS preferred for macOS High Sierra and later)
    • Scheme: GUID Partition Map
  6. Click Erase, then Done when finished.

⚠️ Warning: This erases all data on the drive.


Download the macOS Installer

  1. Open the App Store.
  2. Search for the macOS version you want (e.g., macOS Sonoma, Ventura, Monterey).
  3. Click Get or Download.

    Note: The installer will open after download — quit it without proceeding.

    How to create a bootable macOS installer

The app will appear in your Applications folder as something like:

  • Install macOS Sonoma.app
  • Install macOS Ventura.app

Step 3: Run the Createinstallmedia Command

You’ll use Terminal to turn the USB into a bootable installer.

How to create a bootable macOS installer
  1. Open Terminal (found in Applications > Utilities).
  2. Enter the following command, adjusted for your macOS version:
sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Sonoma.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/Untitled

Replace:

  • Sonoma with Ventura, Monterey, etc., depending on what you downloaded.
  • Untitled with your USB drive’s name if you used something different.
  1. Press Enter.
  2. You’ll be prompted for your admin password (no visible typing).
  3. Confirm by typing Y when asked if you want to erase the disk.
  4. Wait while the process completes — it may take 20–30 minutes. You’ll see progress messages.

When done, you’ll see:

“Copy complete. You may now quit Terminal.”


Step 4: Boot from the Installer

  1. Plug the USB into the Mac you want to install macOS on.
  2. Restart the Mac.
  3. Immediately hold down Option (Alt) while it boots.
  4. Select the USB drive (it may appear as “Install macOS”).
  5. Follow the on-screen instructions to install macOS.

Tip: You can also use Command Option R to boot into Internet Recovery and then choose "Reinstall macOS," but a bootable USB is faster and works offline.


Notes and Tips

  • The bootable drive works on Mac models that support that macOS version.
  • Keep the installer updated — Apple sometimes releases new installer builds with security fixes.
  • You can rename the USB after creation (e.g., “macOS Installer”), but don’t reformat it.
  • If the createinstallmedia command fails, double-check:
    • The path to the installer app
    • The USB drive name and format
    • That you used sudo

Basically, it’s a straightforward process once you have the right tools. Just be careful not to erase the wrong drive.

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