Table of Contents
If you need to install the latest macOS on multiple Macs or want to perform a clean install, you can create a bootable installer. This article provides the steps to create a bootable installer of the Mac operating system using an external drive. Additionally, this emergency drive comes in handy if your Mac is having internet connectivity issues or cannot access recovery mode.
The following guide helps you create a bootable installer of a variety of macOS versions, including Mojave, Catalina, or older versions of Mac OS X or macOS.
What You Need to Create a Bootable Installation Drive
You need two primary things to make a bootable installation drive:
A Flash Drive (Minimum capacity 12 GB)
We recommend a flash drive with a minimum capacity of 12 GB, as that is how much the installer needs. A flash drive is faster than a hard drive. Additionally, use USB 3 or USB Type-C flash drives, where required, for faster data transfer speeds.
If you have any data on the drive you want to save, transfer it to another drive because the entire USB drive will be formatted and erased.
Installation Files
Depending on the macOS version you’re using or want to install, you can get the installation files from Software Update, the Mac App Store, or another source.
How to Get macOS Installation Files
The procedure for obtaining the installation files differs based on the version of macOS you want. Below is a guide on how to get installation files for Catalina and older versions of macOS.
Get Catalina Installation Files
- Go to System Preferences > Software Update, if you have Mojave on your Mac.
- Wait for your Mac to search for the latest macOS update.
- Download the installation files if the OS update is available. Stop before clicking the ‘