Bootabler app icon for macOS
Boot & Installation Utility

Bootabler — Create a Bootable macOS USB Installer

Create a bootable macOS or OpenCore USB installer in a few clicks, for any macOS from Mavericks to the latest, without Terminal.

Download Free User Guide

— downloads

macOS 11.0+ Universal Binary Free
Bootabler for macOS creating a bootable macOS USB installer Bootabler for macOS creating a bootable macOS USB installer

Create a bootable macOS USB, the easy way

Bootabler walks you through turning any USB drive into a clean, bootable macOS or OpenCore installer without wrestling with Terminal commands. It automatically scans your Applications folder for installer apps, detects connected removable drives, and can also export an ISO/DMG image instead of a physical drive.

Built on Apple's own createinstallmedia utility, with a Terminal window that shows each step when System Integrity Protection is enabled.

Use it for a single recovery drive, a clean install, or installing macOS on a whole fleet of Macs.

Use it to clean install macOS, reinstall a Mac that won\'t start, set up several Macs from one drive, or prepare an installer for an unsupported Mac with OpenCore Legacy Patcher. Prefer the manual way? Our guide How to create a bootable macOS USB installer lists every createinstallmedia command.

10.9+
macOS versions supported
USB + ISO
Two output formats
SIP
Compatible, no need to turn it off
16GB+
Minimum USB capacity

Features

Boot media creation, simplified

Bootabler handles every step from finding the installer to formatting the disk. You pick the options.

Auto Installer Detection
Automatically scans your Applications folder for installed macOS installers. Add from custom locations or install from .pkg files.
USB & ISO/DMG Creation
Create bootable USB drives for recovery and clean installs, or generate ISO/DMG images for virtualization and archiving.
SIP Compatible
Works with System Integrity Protection enabled: the steps that need extra permissions run in a Terminal window you can watch.
Mavericks → latest macOS
Full support for creating installation media for any macOS version from Mavericks 10.9 to the latest release.
Built-in Terminal View
An embedded Terminal view shows transparent, step-by-step progress with clear error messages if something goes wrong.
Completion Notifications
Bootabler sends a notification when your bootable media is ready, so you don't have to watch the progress.

Guide

How to create a bootable macOS USB with Bootabler

  • Open Bootabler and let it scan your Applications folder for installed macOS installers, or add one manually from a custom location or .pkg file.
  • Plug in a USB drive (16GB or larger) and select it from the list of detected removable disks.
  • Choose whether to create a bootable USB installer or export an ISO/DMG image instead.
  • Click Create, enter your administrator password when prompted, and let Bootabler handle partitioning, formatting, and copying.
  • Wait for the completion notification, then safely eject the drive from Bootabler before removing it.

Technical Details

System requirements

macOS
Big Sur 11.0 or later
Architecture
Universal (Intel + Apple Silicon)
USB Drive
16 GB+ (32 GB for the newest macOS)
Price
Free
Bootabler

Your bootable macOS USB in minutes.

Free, simple and reliable. Create a bootable macOS installer for any Mac without opening Terminal once.

Download Bootabler Free User Guide ← All Apps

Frequently Asked Questions

Got questions? We've got answers.

How do I create a bootable macOS USB installer with Bootabler?
Download the macOS installer you want, open Bootabler and select it, plug in a USB drive and select it, then click Create Bootable USB and enter your administrator password. Bootabler runs Apple's createinstallmedia for you and notifies you when the drive is ready. See the step-by-step guide.
What size USB drive do I need?
Use a 32 GB drive for the newest macOS versions. 16 GB is enough for most earlier versions. Everything on the drive is erased.
Can I make a bootable macOS USB without using Terminal?
Yes. That is what Bootabler is for: it finds your installers, prepares the drive and runs createinstallmedia in the background, showing the progress as it goes.
Which macOS versions can Bootabler create installers for?
Any macOS installer from OS X Mavericks 10.9 to the latest release. Bootabler itself runs on macOS Big Sur 11 or later.
Can Bootabler create a bootable macOS ISO image?
Yes. Instead of a USB drive you can create a bootable ISO image, which is useful for virtual machines and for keeping an installer archive.
Does Bootabler support Apple Silicon (M Series) Macs?
Yes, Bootabler is a Universal app that runs on both Intel and Apple Silicon Macs.
Can I use Bootabler to create OpenCore installers?
Yes, Bootabler includes features to help prepare USB drives for OpenCore Legacy Patcher installations on unsupported Macs.
Is Bootabler free?
Yes, Bootabler is completely free to download and use.
How do I open Bootabler if macOS blocks it?
On macOS Sequoia and later, try to open the app once, then go to System Settings → Privacy & Security and click Open Anyway. On older versions, Control-click the app and choose Open. Full instructions.