Tech News Today
  • Hardware
    • Motherboards
    • CPUs
    • Graphic Cards
    • RAM
    • SSDs
    • Computer Cases
    • Monitors
    • Peripherals
    • Power Supply Unit
    • PC Builds
    • Computer Tips
  • Software
  • Operating System
    • Windows
    • Mac
    • Linux
  • Gaming
  • Mobile
  • Console
  • More
    • Internet
    • Networking
    • Security
    • Buyer’s Guide
    • Gadgets
    • Laptops
    • Reviews
    • How To
    • News
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Tech News Today
  • Hardware
    • Motherboards
    • CPUs
    • Graphic Cards
    • RAM
    • SSDs
    • Computer Cases
    • Monitors
    • Peripherals
    • Power Supply Unit
    • PC Builds
    • Computer Tips
  • Software
  • Operating System
    • Windows
    • Mac
    • Linux
  • Gaming
  • Mobile
  • Console
  • More
    • Internet
    • Networking
    • Security
    • Buyer’s Guide
    • Gadgets
    • Laptops
    • Reviews
    • How To
    • News
Tech News Today
Home»Mac»Mac won’t Boot From Usb? Here’s How To Fix It

Mac won’t Boot From Usb? Here’s How To Fix It

nishantBy nishantNovember 26, 2022
Mac OS wont boot from USB

By booting macOS from a USB flash drive, users can repair the system as well as upgrade to the most recent version of the OS. 

If you can’t boot macOS from a USB drive, the option might be disabled by default. This can also happen if the bootable media is not properly created or the USB drive has a problem. It is also probable that the bootable media’s Disk partition and file system are incompatible with the system.

In today’s article, We’ll go over how to deal with all of these different factors and get the Mac to boot from the USB.

Table of Contents

  • How to Fix if Mac won’t Boot from USB
    • Format USB Drive
    • Creating the Bootable USB Drive 
    • Allow Booting From USB 
    • Use Internet Recovery
    • Reset NVRAM, PRAM, and SMC

How to Fix if Mac won’t Boot from USB

First, ensure the USB flash drive is properly connected and functional. You can connect a spare flash drive to check the USB port’s functionality.  If you use the latest generation USB drives on an older Mac device, the system may not recognize them. So, use the appropriate USB drive in accordance with the support offered by the ports on your device.

Additionally, it is advised to make a bootable drive with a Mac OS version that is compatible with the Mac device you are using.  For instance, if you have a Macbook from before 2015, you should use macOS Monterey rather than the newly released versions.  

Format USB Drive

As a further precaution, make sure the USB drive you’re using is not formatted with the MBR partition type, which is typically the default one on a new USB. Follow these steps to format the USB flash drive with the specified file system. 

  1. Connect the USB to the computer. 
  2. Press Command + Space, type Disk Utility and open the application. Disk Utility on MAC
  3. Select the USB drive from the menu. 
  4. Click on the Erase tab from the ribbon bar. Erase USB
  5. Change the file system Format to Mac OS Extended (Journaled) and set the scheme to GUID partition Map. File syste m while formating usb on Mac
  6. Finally, click on the Erase. 

Note: This process will erase all the contents of the USB drive. Back up the data before attempting this process.

Creating the Bootable USB Drive 

Users must follow the precise steps very carefully in order to create a bootable drive. If the procedure is interrupted or is not carried out correctly, the Bootable USB drive won’t function as intended.

Here is a detailed process for creating a bootable Mac OS (Ventura) USB drive. 

  1. Connect the USB drive to your Mac Device.
  2. From the Finder, go to Applications > Utilities folder.
  3. Open the Terminal.Mac terminal
  4. Execute this command. Replace MyVolume with the name of the USB volume.
    sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Ventura.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume
  5. Enter the administrator password when asked. 
  6. Type Y to confirm erasing the USB drive and then press return. Command on Mac terminal
  7. Follow the on-screen prompts, and when the process is finished, close the terminal and eject the bootable USB drive.

Note: The USB flash drive must have a minimum storage capacity of 14 GB and be formatted with a GUID partition along with a Mac extended (journaled) format.

Allow Booting From USB 

As a security feature, macOS disables the ability to boot from any external or removable media by default. Fortunately, you can enable this option from the Startup Security Utility. Here’s how to do it.  

  1. Restart your Mac Device.
  2. When you see the Apple logo, Press Command + R for a few seconds.
  3. Select the User and enter the login credentials. 
  4. Go to Utilities > Startup Security Utility from the Menu.
  5. Choose the option to Allow booting from external or removable media. Startup security utility
  6. Now, again restart the device.
  7. At the startup, immediately press the Options Key and hold it for a few seconds until you see the Startup Manager screen.
  8. Select the removable media and boot into Mac OS. Boot Mac from USB

Use Internet Recovery

Older Mac devices running on OSX Snow leopard or prior do not have a recovery partition. And in case you are booting Mac using a USB flash drive for recovery purposes on such devices, and it does not work, internet recovery is the only option for you. 

 Also, this feature comes in handy for the newer mac devices that have the recovery partition damaged. This feature lets users install macOS from Apple servers. 

Here’s how to use this on the Intel Based Mac.

  1. Restart your Mac device. 
  2. As soon as the device boots up, press
    • Command + Option + R to reinstall the compatible version of macOS. 
    •  Command + Option + Shift + R to reinstall the already installed version of MacOS

 For the newer Mac devices with M1, M1 Pro, M1 Max chipsets 

  1.  Shut down your Mac device. 
  2.  Press the power button and hold it for a few seconds. You will see a screen with the message “Loading startup options”.
  3.  Select Options and click on the Continue Button.Internet Recovery Options
  4.  Follow the prompt, and you will enter Internet Recovery mode. 

Reset NVRAM, PRAM, and SMC

Resetting NVRAM, PRAM, and SMC are the go-to solutions while troubleshooting common issues of Mac. Performing this solves most of the issues associated with the system configuration of Mac devices. This is one of the recommended fixes for the Mac that won’t boot. 

 The new generation Macs with Silicon chipsets perform this process automatically when the device restarts. 

 On older Macs, here’s how to reset the NVRAM or the PRAM. 

  1.  Shut down your device and press the power button for some time.
  2.  Before you see the grey screens, press the Command + Option + P + R keys for a few seconds until you hear a beep sound.Mac keyboard layout
  3. This resets most of the settings on your Mac device. Finally, try booting MacOS from the USB. 

To reset the SMC for different Mac devices, you can follow this thorough guide from our Website. 

fix
nishant

Nishant is an enthusiast who loves writing about technology. He also is heavily invested in keeping himself updated about the latest happenings in the tech world. At Tech News Today, he covers Operating Systems, how-to-topics, and Fixes.

Related Posts

how-to-extend-display-on-mac-1

How to Extend Display on macOS

December 26, 2022
how-to-zoom-out-on-mac

How to Zoom Out on Mac

December 26, 2022
batch-rename-files-mac

How to Batch Rename Files on Mac

December 22, 2022
how-to-airplay-from-iphone-to-mac

How to Airplay From iPhone to Mac

December 21, 2022
how-to-add-printer-to-mac

How to Add Printer to Mac

December 20, 2022
transfer-file-between-iphone-and-mac-1

How to Transfer File Between iPhone and Mac

December 19, 2022
Add A Comment

Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

Latest Posts
how long does a cmos battery last

How Long Does a CMOS Battery Last

January 25, 2023
thunderbolt vs usb c

Thunderbolt Vs USB C: What’s the Difference

January 25, 2023
how to find hidden folder in laptop

How to Find Hidden Folder in Laptop

January 24, 2023
You may also like
how-to-connect-headphones-to-tv

5 Ways to Connect Headphones to TV

January 29, 2023
connect-airpods-to-samsung-tv

How to Connect AirPods to Samsung TV? (Step-by-Step Guide)

January 29, 2023
AIO Pump Not Working

AIO Pump Not Working? Here’s How to Fix It

January 29, 2023
Recommended
Cookie Clicker Garden Guide

Cookie Clicker Garden Guide to Unlocking Every Seed

September 26, 2021
monitor no signal

Computer Turns On But Monitor Says No Signal (9 Ways To Fix)

November 10, 2022
Facebook Twitter Pinterest
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Our Team
  • Editorial Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Affiliate Disclosure
© 2023 TechNewsToday.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.