How to create a bootable drive for macOS on Windows using diskpart

You cannot fully create a bootable macOS installer using only diskpart on Windows because it lacks support for APFS/HFS and macOS-specific file structures. 2. You can use diskpart to prepare the USB drive by cleaning it, converting to GPT, and formatting as exFAT, making it compatible for further use. 3. To actually create the bootable installer, you must either use a Mac with the createinstallmedia command or third-party tools like TransMac on Windows with a trusted macOS .dmg or .iso file. 4. Third-party methods are not officially supported, may have reliability issues, and carry risks if using unverified images. 5. Apple prohibits installing macOS on non-Apple hardware, so use this process only for legitimate purposes such as Mac repairs or Hackintosh setups at your own risk. Therefore, while preparation is possible on Windows, completing the process requires access to macOS or unreliable workarounds, making a Mac the only recommended and fully supported solution.

Creating a bootable macOS installer drive from a Windows PC is not straightforward because Apple’s operating system and tools are designed to work within the macOS ecosystem. While diskpart is a powerful command-line utility in Windows for managing disks, it cannot be used alone to create a bootable macOS installer due to the specific file system and structure macOS requires (APFS or HFS ), which Windows does not natively support.

However, if you still want to create a bootable macOS USB drive using a Windows machine, here’s what you need to know and the limitations involved.

Why diskpart alone won’t work

diskpart can format and partition drives, but:

• It cannot write macOS installation files correctly because Windows can’t read or properly handle APFS/HFS .
• macOS installers are distributed as .dmg or .app files that require special tools to convert and write to a USB.
• The resulting USB must be bootable on Apple hardware, which expects a specific partition map (GUID) and file system.

So while you can use diskpart to clean and prepare a USB drive, you cannot complete the process on Windows alone.

What you can do on Windows with diskpart (preparation only)

You can use diskpart to properly format and partition the USB drive so it’s ready for use on a Mac or another tool. Here’s how:

1. Connect your USB drive (16GB or larger).
2. Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
3. Run diskpart.
4. Use the following commands:

list disk

Identify your USB drive (e.g., Disk 1).

select disk 1
clean
convert gpt
create partition primary
format fs=exfat quick
assign letter=Z
exit

This prepares the drive with a GPT partition scheme and exFAT formatting — compatible with macOS.

But again, this only prepares the drive. You still need to get the macOS installer onto it.

How to actually create the bootable macOS drive

To proceed, you’ll need access to one of the following:

1. A Mac (recommended method)

• Download the macOS installer from the App Store (e.g., macOS Sonoma).
• Use Terminal with the createinstallmedia command:

sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Sonoma.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyUSB

This will erase the USB and make it bootable.

2. Third-party tools on Windows (limited reliability)

Some tools claim to help create bootable macOS drives on Windows, such as:

• TransMac (paid, Windows)
• Etcher (free, but macOS images must be in .img or .dmg format)

Steps using TransMac:

• Run TransMac as Administrator.
• Right-click your USB drive and select “Restore with Disk Image.”
• Choose a macOS .dmg or .iso file (converted from .dmg).
• Wait for the process to complete.

Note: Many macOS images found online are modified or potentially unsafe. Always verify sources.

Important notes

• Apple does not support installing macOS on non-Apple hardware (violates EULA).
• Creating a bootable macOS USB is only officially supported on Macs.
• USB created on Windows may fail to boot due to incorrect partitioning or file system issues.
• Use only for legitimate purposes (e.g., repairing a Mac, setting up a Hackintosh at your own risk).

Summary

You cannot fully create a bootable macOS installer using only diskpart on Windows. You can use diskpart to prepare the USB drive (clean, GPT, format), but writing the actual macOS installer requires macOS-specific tools or third-party software with significant limitations.

For best results:

1. Use diskpart on Windows to prepare the USB (GPT exFAT).
2. Move the USB to a Mac and use createinstallmedia. Or:
3. Use a tool like TransMac on Windows with a trusted macOS image.

It’s not impossible — but it’s not officially supported or simple.

Basically, if you don’t have access to a Mac, your options are limited and come with caveats.

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