There are 2 Methods to Create a Bootable USB drive of Mac OS on your Windows PC. Method 1: Using TransMac. Download TransMac's latest version for Windows from this link. Connect your USB drive; Right Click on your USB drive option in TransMac and select Format Disk for Mac; After that, right-click the USB Drive and select Restore with Disk Image. 1-24 of over 9,000 results for Mac. SanDisk Cruzer 128GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive (SDCZ36-128G-B35) 4.6 out of 5 stars 35,620. Personal Computers. USB Flash Drive 128G.
You may need a bootable macOS Catalina USB drive to cleanly install the operating system or downgrade the macOS beta version. You can follow the steps here to create a bootable disk for any available version. However, since macOS Catalina is the current stable release, let me show you how to make a bootable installer drive.
Before You Begin:
- Make sure you have a USB flash drive with at least 16 GB capacity
- If there are files on it, copy it somewhere else as we will be completely erasing it
- Your Mac should be compatible with macOS Catalina
How to Create a Bootable macOS Catalina Installer Drive
- Download macOS Catalina from the Mac App Store. (You may download beta versions from Apple Public Beta page, or the developer page.)
- Once the download completes, the macOS Installer will launch automatically. Close it.
- Next, open Finder and click on Applications. Right-click on Install macOS Catalina. Select Show Package Contents.
- Open the Contents folder.
- Now, open the Resources folder. Keep this folder open.
- Open Terminal using Spotlight Search.
- In Terminal type the word sudo and then give a space.
- From the window in step 5, drag createinstallmedia to the Terminal.
- Next, type
--volumeand give space. - Connect the USB flash drive to your Mac
- Launch Finder and click on Go from the top menu bar. Next, click on Go to Folder. Here type /Volumes and hit enter (or click Go).
- Click on your Pen drive and drag it into the Terminal window.
- Hit the enter/return key. Enter your Mac's password when asked. (While typing password in Terminal, you won't see stars or typing confirmation. But keep typing it and hit the enter key when done.)
- Next, when prompted, type y and hit the enter/return key again.
Done!
The USB drive will be erased first, and then installer files will be copied to it. Erasing will be relatively quick. However, copying will take considerable time. Even if it is stuck at 0% or 10% for long, do not quit the Terminal window. The process is ongoing.
Signing off…
Note: If you have a Mac with T2 Security Chip (that is, Macs introduced in 2018 or later), first follow this guide to allow booting from external media.
After you create the bootable USB drive, the process to install it is simple. Make sure the USB drive is connected to the Mac. Next, click on the Apple logo from the top left and choose Restart. When you hear the startup sound or see the Apple logo, immediately press and hold the Option key. Select the bootable installer as the startup disk, and follow the instructions.
If you have issues, we have an extensive guide that addresses tips to fix when Mac Recovery Mode is not working.
The founder of iGeeksBlog, Dhvanesh, is an Apple aficionado, who cannot stand even a slight innuendo about Apple products. He dons the cap of editor-in-chief to make sure that articles match the quality standard before they are published.
- https://www.igeeksblog.com/author/dhvanesh/
- https://www.igeeksblog.com/author/dhvanesh/
- https://www.igeeksblog.com/author/dhvanesh/
- https://www.igeeksblog.com/author/dhvanesh/
These advanced steps are primarily for system administrators and others who are familiar with the command line. You don't need a bootable installer to upgrade macOS or reinstall macOS, but it can be useful when you want to install on multiple computers without downloading the installer each time.
Download macOS
Find the appropriate download link in the upgrade instructions for each macOS version:
macOS Catalina, macOS Mojave, ormacOS High Sierra
Installers for each of these macOS versions download directly to your Applications folder as an app named Install macOS Catalina, Install macOS Mojave, or Install macOS High Sierra. If the installer opens after downloading, quit it without continuing installation. Important: To get the correct installer, download from a Mac that is using macOS Sierra 10.12.5 or later, or El Capitan 10.11.6. Enterprise administrators, please download from Apple, not a locally hosted software-update server.
OS X El Capitan
El Capitan downloads as a disk image. On a Mac that is compatible with El Capitan, open the disk image and run the installer within, named InstallMacOSX.pkg. It installs an app named Install OS X El Capitan into your Applications folder. You will create the bootable installer from this app, not from the disk image or .pkg installer.
Use the 'createinstallmedia' command in Terminal
- Connect the USB flash drive or other volume that you're using for the bootable installer. Make sure that it has at least 12GB of available storage and is formatted as Mac OS Extended.
- Open Terminal, which is in the Utilities folder of your Applications folder.
- Type or paste one of the following commands in Terminal. These assume that the installer is still in your Applications folder, and MyVolume is the name of the USB flash drive or other volume you're using. If it has a different name, replace
MyVolumein these commands with the name of your volume.
Catalina:*
Mojave:*
High Sierra:*
El Capitan: - Press Return after typing the command.
- When prompted, type your administrator password and press Return again. Terminal doesn't show any characters as you type your password.
- When prompted, type
Yto confirm that you want to erase the volume, then press Return. Terminal shows the progress as the bootable installer is created. - When Terminal says that it's done, the volume will have the same name as the installer you downloaded, such as Install macOS Catalina. You can now quit Terminal and eject the volume.
* If your Mac is using macOS Sierra or earlier, include the --applicationpath argument, similar to the way this argument is used in the command for El Capitan.
Use the bootable installer
You may need a bootable macOS Catalina USB drive to cleanly install the operating system or downgrade the macOS beta version. You can follow the steps here to create a bootable disk for any available version. However, since macOS Catalina is the current stable release, let me show you how to make a bootable installer drive.
Before You Begin:
- Make sure you have a USB flash drive with at least 16 GB capacity
- If there are files on it, copy it somewhere else as we will be completely erasing it
- Your Mac should be compatible with macOS Catalina
How to Create a Bootable macOS Catalina Installer Drive
- Download macOS Catalina from the Mac App Store. (You may download beta versions from Apple Public Beta page, or the developer page.)
- Once the download completes, the macOS Installer will launch automatically. Close it.
- Next, open Finder and click on Applications. Right-click on Install macOS Catalina. Select Show Package Contents.
- Open the Contents folder.
- Now, open the Resources folder. Keep this folder open.
- Open Terminal using Spotlight Search.
- In Terminal type the word sudo and then give a space.
- From the window in step 5, drag createinstallmedia to the Terminal.
- Next, type
--volumeand give space. - Connect the USB flash drive to your Mac
- Launch Finder and click on Go from the top menu bar. Next, click on Go to Folder. Here type /Volumes and hit enter (or click Go).
- Click on your Pen drive and drag it into the Terminal window.
- Hit the enter/return key. Enter your Mac's password when asked. (While typing password in Terminal, you won't see stars or typing confirmation. But keep typing it and hit the enter key when done.)
- Next, when prompted, type y and hit the enter/return key again.
Done!
The USB drive will be erased first, and then installer files will be copied to it. Erasing will be relatively quick. However, copying will take considerable time. Even if it is stuck at 0% or 10% for long, do not quit the Terminal window. The process is ongoing.
Signing off…
Note: If you have a Mac with T2 Security Chip (that is, Macs introduced in 2018 or later), first follow this guide to allow booting from external media.
After you create the bootable USB drive, the process to install it is simple. Make sure the USB drive is connected to the Mac. Next, click on the Apple logo from the top left and choose Restart. When you hear the startup sound or see the Apple logo, immediately press and hold the Option key. Select the bootable installer as the startup disk, and follow the instructions.
If you have issues, we have an extensive guide that addresses tips to fix when Mac Recovery Mode is not working.
The founder of iGeeksBlog, Dhvanesh, is an Apple aficionado, who cannot stand even a slight innuendo about Apple products. He dons the cap of editor-in-chief to make sure that articles match the quality standard before they are published.
- https://www.igeeksblog.com/author/dhvanesh/
- https://www.igeeksblog.com/author/dhvanesh/
- https://www.igeeksblog.com/author/dhvanesh/
- https://www.igeeksblog.com/author/dhvanesh/
These advanced steps are primarily for system administrators and others who are familiar with the command line. You don't need a bootable installer to upgrade macOS or reinstall macOS, but it can be useful when you want to install on multiple computers without downloading the installer each time.
Download macOS
Find the appropriate download link in the upgrade instructions for each macOS version:
macOS Catalina, macOS Mojave, ormacOS High Sierra
Installers for each of these macOS versions download directly to your Applications folder as an app named Install macOS Catalina, Install macOS Mojave, or Install macOS High Sierra. If the installer opens after downloading, quit it without continuing installation. Important: To get the correct installer, download from a Mac that is using macOS Sierra 10.12.5 or later, or El Capitan 10.11.6. Enterprise administrators, please download from Apple, not a locally hosted software-update server.
OS X El Capitan
El Capitan downloads as a disk image. On a Mac that is compatible with El Capitan, open the disk image and run the installer within, named InstallMacOSX.pkg. It installs an app named Install OS X El Capitan into your Applications folder. You will create the bootable installer from this app, not from the disk image or .pkg installer.
Use the 'createinstallmedia' command in Terminal
- Connect the USB flash drive or other volume that you're using for the bootable installer. Make sure that it has at least 12GB of available storage and is formatted as Mac OS Extended.
- Open Terminal, which is in the Utilities folder of your Applications folder.
- Type or paste one of the following commands in Terminal. These assume that the installer is still in your Applications folder, and MyVolume is the name of the USB flash drive or other volume you're using. If it has a different name, replace
MyVolumein these commands with the name of your volume.
Catalina:*
Mojave:*
High Sierra:*
El Capitan: - Press Return after typing the command.
- When prompted, type your administrator password and press Return again. Terminal doesn't show any characters as you type your password.
- When prompted, type
Yto confirm that you want to erase the volume, then press Return. Terminal shows the progress as the bootable installer is created. - When Terminal says that it's done, the volume will have the same name as the installer you downloaded, such as Install macOS Catalina. You can now quit Terminal and eject the volume.
* If your Mac is using macOS Sierra or earlier, include the --applicationpath argument, similar to the way this argument is used in the command for El Capitan.
Use the bootable installer
After creating the bootable installer, follow these steps to use it:
- Plug the bootable installer into a compatible Mac.
- Use Startup Manager or Startup Disk preferences to select the bootable installer as the startup disk, then start up from it. Your Mac will start up to macOS Recovery.
Learn about selecting a startup disk, including what to do if your Mac doesn't start up from it. - Choose your language, if prompted.
- A bootable installer doesn't download macOS from the Internet, but it does require the Internet to get information specific to your Mac model, such as firmware updates. If you need to connect to a Wi-Fi network, use the Wi-Fi menu in the menu bar.
- Select Install macOS (or Install OS X) from the Utilities window, then click Continue and follow the onscreen instructions.
Learn more
Format Usb Drive Mac Os
For more information about the createinstallmedia command and the arguments that you can use with it, make sure that the macOS installer is in your Applications folder, then enter this path in Terminal:
Catalina:
Mojave:
Mouse button 3 mac. High Sierra:
Bootable Mac Os Usb Drive
Mac Os Install From Usb
El Capitan:
