[Step-by-step Guide] Create a Bootable USB Installer for macOS Mojave

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Creating a bootable USB installer for macOS Mojave can be a life-saver in situations where you need to reinstall macOS, troubleshoot your Mac, or perform a clean installation. Having a bootable USB drive means you can easily upgrade or restore your system without relying on an internet connection or Apple's recovery tools. This guide walks you through the process step-by-step, explaining everything you need to know to successfully create a bootable USB installer for macOS Mojave.

Why Need Bootable USB Installer of macOS Mojave?

macOS Mojave, introduced in 2018, brought several new features to Apple's macOS, such as a redesigned Mac App Store, dark mode, and improvements to privacy and security. While it's an older version of macOS, it's still a great choice for users with older Mac devices that may not support newer macOS versions like Catalina or Big Sur. One of the best ways to install or reinstall macOS Mojave is by using a bootable USB installer. This method is especially useful if you need to perform a clean install, troubleshoot your system, or restore from a backup.

Creating a bootable USB drive can save time and effort, particularly when dealing with problems like system corruption, failed upgrades, or other issues that prevent your Mac from booting properly. In this article, we will guide you through the process of creating a macOS Mojave bootable USB installer.

What Needed for Creating macOS Mojave Bootable USB Installer?

Before we begin, ensure that you have the following items in place:

1. A USB Drive (at least 8GB in size): The USB drive will be used to store the macOS Mojave installer. It must be empty, as the process will erase all data on it. You can use Disk Utility to erase the USB drive to Mac OS Extended or APFS (recommended).
2. A Mac with macOS Mojave or later: You need a Mac to download the installer and create the bootable drive.
3. macOS Mojave Installer: You need to download the macOS Mojave installer from the Mac App Store. If you can't find it there, Apple still provides it through their support website.
4. Internet Connection: You'll need an internet connection to download the installer, which can be several gigabytes in size.

Steps to Make Bootable USB Installer for macOS Mojave

Once you have all the necessary tools, you're ready to begin the process.

Step 1: Download macOS Mojave

The first step in creating your bootable USB installer is to download the macOS Mojave installer from the Mac App Store. This process may take some time, depending on your internet connection speed, so be patient.

1. Open the Mac App Store: Click on the App Store icon in the Dock or use Spotlight search to find the App Store.
2. Search for macOS Mojave: Use the search bar at the top-left corner of the App Store window to search for "macOS Mojave."
3. Download macOS Mojave: Click on the "Get" button next to macOS Mojave. This will start the download process. The installer will be downloaded to your Applications folder once complete.

Step 2: Prepare the USB Drive

Once the macOS Mojave installer has been downloaded, it's time to prepare the USB drive for the bootable installer.

Format the USB Drive:

Before using the USB drive to create the bootable installer, you must format it. Formatting ensures that the USB drive is set up correctly for macOS. Here's how:

1. Insert the USB drive into your Mac.
2. Open Disk Utility: You can find this by using Spotlight search or navigating to Applications > Utilities > Disk Utility.
3. Select the USB drive: In Disk Utility, select the USB drive from the left sidebar.
4. Erase the USB drive: Click on the "Erase" button at the top of the Disk Utility window. You will be prompted to select a format for the drive:
   • Name: You can name the drive anything you like (e.g., "Mojave Installer").
   • Format: Choose APFS or Mac OS Extended (Journaled).
   • Scheme: Select GUID Partition Map.
5. Erase and format: Click the "Erase" button to format the drive. This will erase all data on the drive, so make sure you back up any important files beforehand.

After formatting, the USB drive will be ready for the next step.

Step 3: Create the Bootable USB Drive

Now that your USB drive is formatted, it's time to create the bootable USB installer. This process involves using the Terminal app to copy the macOS Mojave installer to the USB drive and make it bootable. Follow these steps:

1. Open Terminal: You can find Terminal by searching for it in Spotlight or by navigating to Applications > Utilities > Terminal.
2. Enter the Command: In Terminal, you'll need to enter a specific command to copy the macOS Mojave installer to your USB drive. The command is as follows:

   sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Mojave.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume

   Replace MyVolume with the name of the USB drive, for example

3. Authenticate with your password: After entering the command, you'll be prompted to enter your Mac's administrator password to proceed.
4. Wait for the process to complete: The process of creating the bootable USB installer will take some time. The Terminal will display progress as it copies files to the USB drive. Once finished, you'll see a message that says, "Copy Complete" and that the drive is now ready.

Step 4: Boot from the USB Installer

Now that your bootable USB drive is ready, it's time to use it to boot your Mac and install macOS Mojave. Here's how:

1. Shut down your Mac.
2. Insert the USB drive into one of the USB ports on your Mac.
3. Turn on your Mac and immediately press and hold the Option key (also known as the Alt key) on your keyboard.
4. Select the USB drive: After a few moments, you should see the boot menu. Use the arrow keys to select your USB drive (it should be named something like "Mojave Installer") and press Enter.

5. Start the macOS Mojave Installation: Once your Mac boots from the USB drive, you'll see the macOS Utilities window. From here, you can choose to install macOS Mojave, use Disk Utility to format the drive, or access other recovery options.

Step 5: Install macOS Mojave

Once your Mac has booted from the USB installer, you can proceed with the installation of macOS Mojave. Here's how to do that:

1. Choose to Install macOS: In the macOS Utilities window, click on "Install macOS" and follow the on-screen instructions.
2. Select the destination disk: Choose the hard drive or SSD where you want to install macOS Mojave. If you're doing a clean installation, make sure to erase the disk first using Disk Utility.
3. Start the installation: The installation will begin and may take some time, depending on the speed of your Mac and USB drive. Your Mac will restart several times during the process, and once it's done, you'll be greeted with the macOS Mojave setup screen.

Troubleshooting Tips

While the process is generally straightforward, you might encounter a few issues. Here are some common problems and their solutions:

• USB drive doesn't show up in the boot menu: Ensure that the USB drive is properly formatted and that the bootable installer was created successfully. Try reinserting the USB drive or using a different USB port.
• Error during the createinstallmedia command: Double-check that you've entered the Terminal command correctly, particularly the path to the macOS installer and the name of the USB drive. Also, make sure that the installer is located in the /Applications folder.
• Installer freezes or stops: If the installer freezes or crashes during installation, restart the Mac and try again. If the issue persists, you may need to re-create the bootable USB drive.

Conclusion

Creating a bootable USB installer for macOS Mojave is a simple yet powerful way to ensure that you can reinstall or troubleshoot your system whenever needed. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can have a portable macOS Mojave installer ready to go in just a few simple steps. Whether you’re performing a clean installation, upgrading an older system, or troubleshooting a Mac that refuses to boot, having a bootable USB drive can save you time and effort.

With this tool in hand, you're ready to handle a variety of situations that require macOS Mojave, from system recovery to fresh installs. Keep the bootable USB installer safe, and you'll have a reliable solution whenever you need it.

💡 Note: Before or after installing macOS Mojave on your Mac, you'd better make a full backup of your important data. Mac disk cloning software - such as Donemax Disk Clone for Mac can help you clone everything including operating system, apps, settings, user data from the internal HDD/SSD to the external hard drive and make a full bootable clone backup for your Mac.