Introduction
Booting from a USB drive on a Mac may seem like an intimidating task, but it doesn’t have to be. With the right tools and knowledge, you can easily boot your Mac from a USB drive in no time. In this article, we’ll explore all the different methods of booting from USB on Mac, so you can find the one that works best for you.
Use Disk Utility to Create a USB Bootable Drive
The first method we’ll look at is using Disk Utility to create a USB bootable drive. Disk Utility is a built-in Mac app that allows you to manage your hard drives and other storage devices. It can also be used to create bootable USB drives.
What is Disk Utility?
Disk Utility is a built-in Mac app that provides a graphical user interface for managing your hard drives and other storage devices. It allows you to create and format partitions, erase discs, verify and repair disks, and more. It also contains a tool called “Create a Bootable Installer” which you can use to create a bootable USB drive.
How to Use Disk Utility
To create a bootable USB drive with Disk Utility, follow these steps:
- Open Disk Utility (located in the Utilities folder in Applications).
- Insert your USB drive into your Mac.
- Select the USB drive from the list of available disks in Disk Utility.
- Click the “Erase” tab and select “Mac OS Extended (Journaled)” as the format.
- Click the “Erase” button to format the drive.
- Once the drive has been formatted, click the “Restore” tab.
- In the “Source” field, select the ISO or DMG image of the operating system you want to install.
- In the “Destination” field, select your USB drive.
- Click the “Restore” button to create the bootable USB drive.
Change System Startup Disk in System Preferences
Another way to boot from USB on Mac is to change your System Startup Disk in System Preferences. This is a simple and straightforward method that requires no additional software or command line tools.
What is System Preferences?
System Preferences is a built-in Mac application that allows you to customize your system settings. It contains a variety of options for changing the appearance, sound, networking, and other settings on your Mac.
How to Change the System Startup Disk
To change the system startup disk, follow these steps:
- Insert your USB drive into your Mac.
- Open System Preferences (located in the Apple menu).
- Select the “Startup Disk” option.
- Select your USB drive from the list of available disks.
- Click the “Restart” button to boot from the USB drive.
Create a Bootable USB Installer with Terminal
You can also create a bootable USB installer with Terminal, a command line interface for Mac. This method involves using the command line to create a bootable USB drive, so it’s best suited for experienced users.
What is Terminal?
Terminal is a command line interface for Mac. It allows you to enter commands to perform various tasks, such as creating files, running programs, and more. It’s a powerful tool that can be used for a variety of purposes.
How to Create a Bootable USB Installer
To create a bootable USB installer with Terminal, follow these steps:
- Insert your USB drive into your Mac.
- Open Terminal (located in the Utilities folder in Applications).
- Enter the following command: “sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ High\ Sierra.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia –volume /Volumes/MyVolume –applicationpath /Applications/Install\ macOS\ High\ Sierra.app” (replace “MyVolume” with the name of your USB drive).
- Press Enter to begin creating the bootable USB drive.
- Once the process is complete, your USB drive is now bootable.
Use macOS Recovery Mode to Select the USB Boot Device
If you’re having trouble booting from the USB drive, you can try using macOS Recovery Mode to select the USB boot device. This method is similar to the System Preferences method, but it’s done from within the macOS Recovery environment.
What is macOS Recovery Mode?
macOS Recovery Mode is a special environment that allows you to access certain tools, such as Disk Utility, to help troubleshoot and repair your Mac. It also allows you to select a different startup disk, such as a USB drive.
How to Use macOS Recovery Mode
To use macOS Recovery Mode to select the USB boot device, follow these steps:
- Turn off your Mac.
- Insert your USB drive into your Mac.
- Hold down the Command+R keys while turning on your Mac.
- When the macOS Utilities window appears, select “Disk Utility”.
- Select your USB drive from the list of available disks.
- Click the “Erase” tab and select “Mac OS Extended (Journaled)” as the format.
- Click the “Erase” button to format the drive.
- Once the drive has been formatted, quit Disk Utility.
- Select “Startup Disk” from the macOS Utilities window.
- Select your USB drive from the list of available disks.
- Click the “Restart” button to boot from the USB drive.
Disable SIP and Use Third-Party Software to Create a Bootable USB
If you’re still having trouble booting from the USB drive, you may need to disable System Integrity Protection (SIP) and use third-party software to create a bootable USB drive. This method requires more advanced knowledge, so it’s best suited for experienced users.
What is SIP?
System Integrity Protection (SIP) is a security feature in macOS that prevents certain system processes and applications from modifying protected files and folders. Disabling SIP will allow you to use third-party software to create a bootable USB drive.
How to Disable SIP
To disable SIP, follow these steps:
- Reboot your Mac.
- Hold down the Command+R keys while the computer is booting up.
- When the macOS Utilities window appears, select “Utilities” > “Terminal”.
- Type “csrutil disable” and press Enter.
- Reboot your Mac again.
How to Use Third-Party Software
Once SIP has been disabled, you can use third-party software to create a bootable USB drive. There are a variety of software packages available, such as Etcher, TransMac, and UNetbootin. Each package has its own set of instructions, so you’ll need to consult the documentation for the specific software you’re using.
Use Command Line Tools to Create a USB Bootable Drive
If you’re comfortable using command line tools, you can also use them to create a bootable USB drive. This method requires more advanced knowledge, so it’s best suited for experienced users.
What are Command Line Tools?
Command line tools are text-based utilities that allow you to execute commands to perform various tasks. They’re a powerful tool that can be used for a variety of purposes, including creating bootable USB drives.
How to Use Command Line Tools
To use command line tools to create a bootable USB drive, follow these steps:
- Insert your USB drive into your Mac.
- Open Terminal (located in the Utilities folder in Applications).
- Enter the following command: “sudo dd if=/path/to/image.iso of=/dev/diskX bs=1m” (replace “X” with the number of your USB drive).
- Press Enter to begin creating the bootable USB drive.
- Once the process is complete, your USB drive is now bootable.
Use Virtualization Software to Create a Bootable USB
Finally, you can use virtualization software to create a bootable USB drive. This method requires more advanced knowledge, so it’s best suited for experienced users.
What is Virtualization Software?
Virtualization software is a type of software that allows you to run multiple operating systems on a single computer. It’s a powerful tool that can be used for a variety of purposes, including creating bootable USB drives.
How to Use Virtualization Software
To use virtualization software to create a bootable USB drive, follow these steps:
- Download and install the virtualization software of your choice (such as VMware Fusion or Parallels Desktop).
- Insert your USB drive into your Mac.
- Open the virtualization software and create a new virtual machine.
- Select the ISO or DMG image of the operating system you want to install.
- Select your USB drive as the destination for the virtual machine.
- Start the virtual machine and follow the on-screen instructions to install the operating system.
- Once the installation is complete, your USB drive is now bootable.
Conclusion
Booting from USB on Mac is a relatively simple process, once you know how to do it. In this article, we’ve explored a variety of different methods, including using Disk Utility, System Preferences, Terminal, Recovery Mode, SIP, third-party software, command line tools, and virtualization software. No matter which method you choose, you should now have a better understanding of how to boot from USB on Mac.
Summary of Steps
- Use Disk Utility to create a bootable USB drive.
- Change the system startup disk in System Preferences.
- Create a bootable USB installer with Terminal.
- Use macOS Recovery Mode to select the USB boot device.
- Disable SIP and use third-party software to create a bootable USB.
- Use command line tools to create a bootable USB drive.
- Use virtualization software to create a bootable USB drive.
Resources for Further Help
If you’re still having trouble booting from USB on Mac, there are a few resources you can use for further help. Apple’s Support website has a variety of articles and tutorials related to booting from USB on Mac. You can also search online for forums and discussion groups related to the topic.
