MacOS Tahoe is now free to download for Mac and using this manual we explain how you can easily and quickly make a bootable USB stick for macOS 26 and that is useful if you encounter problems with your Mac.
Nowadays, the updates are offered completely software. That is fine, but there is also a disadvantage. If your Mac suddenly encounters problems, you have no physical option to reinstall macOS. Of course you can always reinstall your Mac via a clean install or internet recovery, but you must have a good internet connection. That is why it is useful to create a Bootable USB stick with which you can reinstall macOS Sequoia.
What do you need? A USB stick or external hard disk/SSD of at least 16 GB and a Mac with OS X 10.6.8 or higher.
Download MacOS installation file
To make a Bootable USB stick, you naturally need the macOS installation. From Macos Tahoe it is no longer possible to download the installation from the Mac App Store. Fortunately, you can download the download file directly from the Apple servers. Click here To directly the installation file of MacOS Tahoe to download; You download older versions of macOS here From the Apple website. Once you Installassistant.pkg file Downloaded, open it and go through the steps. In the ‘Apps’ folder is’Install macOS Tahoeplaced.
In most cases you can download it again, even if the update has already been installed. In some cases that does not work, you can use Terminal.
- Open terminal via apps â–¸ Utilities
- Copy the command below (command⌘ + C)
- Stick the command in an empty window (command⌘ + V)
- Press enter To carry out the command
$softwareupdate --fetch-full-installer
After performing the command, the text ‘Scanning for Installer’ appears, after which the downloading of the installer will be started. The percentage displayed indicates the progress of the download. The moment the macOS installation file is completely downloaded, ‘Install Finished Successully’ appears. You can find the file in the ‘Apps’ folder in Finder.
Download macOS using fog
Are you unable to download the MacOS installer via the options above? Then you can also Mac application fog to use. With this app you can easily download and use previous versions of macOS for a bootable USB stick. Click here For more information about fog and how to use it.
Manual Tahoe Installation Create USB stick
Link the USB stick to your Mac, Open Finder and click the USB stick in the navigation column with a secondary click (right mouse click). Choose ‘Show info’; You now see the full name of the USB stick at the top; You need this.
- Now copy the command below (command⌘ + C)
- Stick the command in a text document (command⌘ + V)
Adjust the command now, make sure you are at the place of ‘appletips‘Type the same name as the name of your USB stick (spaces are not supported). Would you rather not adjust the command? Then you can also give the USB stick the name ‘Appletips’. You do this by formatting the stick via these steps.
- Then open Terminal via programs â–¸ Utility programs
- Copy the Custom Command (command⌘ + C)
- Stick the command in an empty window (command⌘ + V)
- Press enter To carry out the command
The command:
$sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Tahoe.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/appletips && echo Tahoe stick aangemaakt; say Tahoe stick aangemaakt
Terminal will then ask for your password before the command is actually executed. Fill in this, it is normal that no letters or stars are shown while filling in the password. Then you have to attach it to Y + enter.
Making a Bootable USB stick with macOS will take a lot of time (15 to 30 minutes, depending on how quickly your USB stick can write). You will be able to see the progress in Terminal. It becomes discouraged To close terminal during this process; Terminal must remain active during the entire process. You can read more info here On the Apple website.
What about a Fusion Drive?
Do you have a Mac with an official Fusion Drive? Then it is best to perform a clean install. A Mac with Fusion Drive has a unique version of Disk Utility (more info) who controls the Fusion Drive settings themselves. It is possible that macOS Big Sur (or earlier) will be reinstalled, then you can then update to MacOS Sequoia via the Mac App Store.
Start and install USB stick from an installation
When the process is completed, you can close Terminal and the Bootable USB stick with macOS Sequoia is created. In Finder you will see the USB stick as ‘Install macOS Sequoia’. If your Mac will go wrong in the future and you want to reinstall it with the bootable USB stick, you will do so as follows:
- Turn off your Mac
- Place the USB stick with macOS in your Mac
- Switch on your Mac and keeps the Option⌥– pressed key
- Then choose the Bootable USB stick (if you use a USB stick, it will have an orange icon)
- Start the procedure for a clean installation
Note: a wired keyboard and mouse is required on an iMac, Mac Mini or Mac Pro! Therefore, connect your wireless mouse, track path or keyboard with the (charging) cable.
Do you have a Mac with an Apple Silicon Processor, for example M1 chip? Then you have to activate the start -up disc in a different way than the step -by -step plan above. Turn off your Mac and then hold down the on/off button. Keep pressing the button until the ‘Loading Start -up options’ screen appears. Then choose the Bootable USB stick and then click on ‘Continue’.
A Bootable USB stick is easy to make and handy when needed. Before the Mac App Store was introduced, you received a CD disk to reinstall OS X. If your Mac is no longer functioning properly, in most cases you will no longer have access to the Mac App Store. That is why it is wise to create a USB stick to quickly perform a clean installation.
Starting up from external disk is not possible
Does not start starting from an external disk? Then that depends on the security of macOS 12 or newer. You can adjust this via the steps below. NB! This may only On a Mac with Intel processor, Apple Silicon Macs cannot be started from an external disk for the time being.
- Switch on the Mac and keep command⌘ + R pressed as soon as you see the Apple logo. The Mac starts with macOS recovery.
- When you are asked to select a user from whom you know the password, select that user, click on ‘Next’ and enter the administrator password.
- When the ‘MacOS utility programs’ window is displayed, choose the menu bar for utilities â–¸ Start-up protection utility.
- When you are asked to verify your identity, click on ‘Enter macOS password’, choose an administrator account and enter the corresponding password.
- Then enable the ‘Stand Starting of External Media’ option