macOS 10.15, code name for Catalina, is the latest operating system shipped for Mac desktop and laptops. And it is the right time to create a bootable USB install USB based on Catalina becasue the signing certificates for old version of macOS and OS X are expired soon. It means only macOS Catalina is available for future macOS install. So before the Mac goes into trouble or just want to install a fresh copy of Catalina, it is highly recommend making a bootable USB installer right now!
Looking for make a bootable USB installer for macOS Catalina for your Mac device but don't know how? Well, this article will guide you straight away with all the preparatory tips and steps to create a bootable macOS Catalina USB install drive in minutes.
MacOS Catalina 10.15.5 introduces battery health management in the Energy Saver settings for notebooks, an option to control automatic prominence of video tiles on Group FaceTime calls, and controls to fine-tune the built-in calibration of your Pro Display XDR. The update also improves the stability, reliability, and security of your Mac. Enjoy, and make sure to sound off if macOS Catalina is everything you wanted it to be. Also check: Create macOS Catalina Bootable USB Flash Drive Installer, Here’s How; Clean Install macOS 10.15 Catalina On Mac Via USB Drive, Here’s How Guide You may also like to check out: macOS 10.15 Catalina Compatibility: Full List Of Compatible Macs.
Part 1: Preparation for Making a Bootable macOS Catalina Install USB
Before we get started for creating bootable macOS Catalina install USB, there are a few things we should pay attention to. This will avaoid the portential issue within the installation process.
1. An accessible Mac computer where you can download and make the bootable installation drive.
2. An USB drive with a minimum storage capacity of 16 GB. Also, it should be formatted to APFS.
3. Make sure there are enough free space on Mac. The Installer file is over 8G.
Part 2: Download a Copy of Bootable macOS Catalina Installer
There are two ways to download macOS Catalina 10.15. The most common way is via Mac App Store or you can use the third-party apps, which is a good alternative if the operation could not completed successful in App store. This happens a lot at least on my MacBook Pro.
Step 1: Open App Store on Mac and type 'Catalina' in search bar.
Step 2: The macOS Catalina install app appears in search result and click 'Get' button. Now the Software Update interface shows up, asking if you want to download macOS Catalina.
Step 3: Confirm the operation and the system starts to download macOS Catalina Installer. Now wait for the task to be completed. You will find the an app named Install macOS Catalina in Application folder. That's the file for OS installation.
Part 3: Create Bootable macOS Catalina USB Using DMG Editor
If you have download macOS Catalina DMG file, then UUByte DMG Editor is the only tool you can find to make a macOS bootable USB from DMG disk image. However, if you downlaoded the Catalina install app from App store, please skip this part and read the following recommendations.
Step 1: Click above button to download a copy of UUByte DMG Editor.
Step 2: Install the app on a Windows PC or Mac and insert an USB drive into the computer.
Step 3: There are three options you can see from the main window. Click 'Burn' button in this step for creating bootable USB.
Step 4: Click 'Browse' button to import the macOS Catalina dmg file into DMG Editor and select the correct USB drive, where the dmg file will be copied to. Now, click 'Burn' button to initial the task.
Step 5: There is a progress bard associated to this process and you can see the estimated time. Wait untile you get 'burning completely' message. This means the burning process is finished successfully and the USB is now bootable!
Eject the USB drive from Mac and insert it to the device where macOS needs to be installed. And follow the instructions to install macOS when the installation wizard is loaded.
Part 4: Create Bootable macOS Catalina USB Using Install Disk Creator
When you get the macOS 10.15 Catalina install file, the next move is to burn the file to USB. However, it is not a single copy-paste. The bootable information should be written to USB at the same time. So you must use third-party apps to get it done. At here, we are using Install Disk Creator, one of the best GUI programs to make a bootable USB from macOS.
Step 1: Click this link to download Install Disk Creator.
Step 2: Unzip the file on Mac and drag the app icon to Application folder. Open the app from Launchpad and insert an USB drive into Mac.
Step 3: From the app interface, click the USB drive name you just installed and add macOS Catalina Install App file in Application folder. Then click 'Create Installer' to write boot information and copy installation files to USB.
Part 5: Create Bootable macOS Catalina Install USB via Patcher App
You might get this error when trying to download macOS Catalina from App Store. And that's why we need to use third-party apps to replace Mac App Store.
macOS Catalina Patcher is a great utility for creating USB flash drive installer for Mac devices that don't support macOS Catalina. The Patcher tool is available with several new updates and features. However, these updates are not applicable for all the Mac users to upgrade their devices to the latest desktop iOS version. This tool is used for the unofficial installation of macOS Catalina on Macs that wouldn’t normally support an upgrade to Catalina.
Step 1: Connect the USB to Mac and format it to OS X Extended with Disk Utility app.
Step 2: Download the latest version of macOS Catalina Patcher. Go to Tools and click 'Download a Copy' to download the installer app.
Step 3: It will take some while to complete the download as its size is around 8GB. When the download is finished, open macOS Catalina Patcher app and click 'Browse a copy' option to add the downloaded installer file (Install macOS Catalina) in Application folder. Then choose the target USB drive and start the copying installation files to USB.
Step 4: Reboot Mac and hold on to the Option button. Startup Manager will appear on the screen. Nowm use the arrow keys to choose the bootable USB flash drive and click on Return.
Step 5: Open Disk Utility app and format the hard drive to APFS. From the Install macOS screen, select the hard drive on Mac to install the OS.
Step 6: As the installation process is done, shut down the Mac, and reboot back to the install USB drive. This is to ensure post-install patches on that device so that Catalina supports the system.
Step 7: Returning to macOS Recovery environment, hit 'macOS Post Install'. The installer will automatically choose all the accurate patches needed for your device, by default. Then hit Apply Patches and let the process complete. and allow the process to complete. After applying the patches, choose 'Force Cache Rebuild' and hit Restart. Now your device will reboot, where you can easily start the macOS Catalina installation.
Part 6: Make Bootable macOS Catalina Install USB Using Terminal
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Another choice to create a bootable macOS USB is through Terminal app. It is completely free and there is no need to install addition apps. However, it takes more time to figure out how it works.
Step 1: Download a copy of macOS Catalina according to the above section.
Step 2: Head to Applications folder. Then right-click on the macOS Catalina Install app icon and pick Show Package Contents. Access Contents and go to Resources folder.
Step 3: Open Terminal app and enter 'sudo' command.
Step 4: Drag the createinstallmedia to Terminal window through the Finder location as shown in Step 4.
Step 5: Type 'volume' and put a space. Head over to Finder -> Go -> Go to Folder, enter '/Volumes' and hit Go.
Step 6: Insert the USB drive to the Mac device, which will then be displayed in Finder window.
Step 7: Fetch the volume of the flash drive to Terminal with a drag-and-drop. Hit Return from keyboard to give in the entire command. Then type your password when notified.
Step 8: When prompted, enter 'y' to proceed followed by hitting return from the keyboard. Now the installation erases all content on USB and the installer files will then be copied to the drive. The process will only take a little while to complete.
Summary
Hopefully, both the tips were helpful in guiding you on how to make bootable macOS Catalina on Mac. However, it is best to go with macOS Catalina Patcher app if your Mac device is compatible with Catalina 101.15 version and only needs a bootable USB drive to install the OS.
Apple periodically releases new versions of macOS, its desktop operating system for iMac and MacBook Pro products. So far, the company has released 15 versions, with the current one being macOS 10.14 Mojave. But there's a new version in the progress, and it's called macOS 10.15 Catalina. The new version is due to be released later this year and brings a whole new look and feel to the Mac environment. Lots of apps, lots of features and lots of improvements are what we can expect with the latest upcoming version of macOS.
Official macOS 10.15 Catalina Release Date
Apple is being vague about an exact release date for macOS Catalina. The website only says Coming Later This Year. Other sources show that it's coming in Fall 2019. That's not very exact, either, but since the fall season officially starts on September 23, 2019, we can expect macOS Catalina to be released sometime between that and the end of the year. Since the new OS version contains a lot of integrations with Apple's other products, it's understandable that Catalina is currently going through extensive beta tests prior to the official public release.
How to Download macOS Catalina 10.15 Public Bata
Unlike the existing macOS version, there is still no public download for macOS Catalina. However, if you're a developer or want access to the current beta releases for macOS 10.15 Catalina, you can sign up to be an Apple Developer at developer.apple.com. There's an annual subscription fee to be paid ($99), but it will give you access to all the developer tools as well as developer beta releases for all new versions of macOS and iOS.
If you're not a developer but you're keen on seeing Catalina in action before the official public release, you can sign up to Apple's Beta Software Program. The public program begins in July, but no firm date has been announced yet. You can sign up to the program here: beta.apple.com/sp/betaprogram.
Please be aware that beta versions of any software or operating system are typically very buggy. If you don't have any experience, it's better to wait for the public release of the final version. But if you're willing to take a risk and know how to roll back to previous versions, you can take a stab at installing a beta.
Normal users will have to wait at least until September 23 to see the full version of macOS Catalina in the App Store. Once it's there, simply click on the Get button to download the application package. Follow the instructions to complete the installation, after which you can enjoy all the new features. Talking of which, here's what to expect from the latest macOS version from Apple.
New Features of macOS Catalina 10.15
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Three great apps are making their way into the Mac ecosystem for the very first time: Apple Music, Apple TV and Apple Podcasts. All of them are very popular products but currently not available directly in Mac. With macOS 10.15 Catalina, that's all going to change.
Apple Music will show up as the Music app, and offers the full collection of over 50 million songs that you can directly access on Mac. The msuci can be synced with other Apple devices so playlists and favorites can be accessed on any Apple device. The app's design draws heavily from iTunes (discontinued in macOS 10.15), and you'll basically see the same layout, as shown in the screenshot below:
Apple TV will be available as a branded new Mac app and offer the entire collection of video content as the traditional Apple TV that you access through the hardware product. Like Netflix or Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV on Mac will allow you to continue watching on multiple devices. Apple says that this is the first time that movies with 4K resolution and Dolby Atmos are coming to Mac.
Apple Podcasts, another popular product previously only accessible through iTunes, will be available as a separate Mac app with macOS Catalina. You can do everything you previously did with the iTunes version, and you will have the ability to pick up where you left off when you switch devices.
iPad apps are also coming to the new macOS version. Apple has given developers the ability to port their iPad apps to Mac, and it will run natively on your desktop or laptop. You can even drag and drop content between these and your existing apps for Mac. This is a major development because it blurs the line between mobile and desktop, as well as gives access to a wide range of apps that were previously only available on iPadOS.
Photos app is getting a major upgrade with macOS Catalina. A new Photos tab, organization by day, month and year, larger previews of photos, auto-playing Live photos and videos, greater personalization, auto-filtering of duplicates and editing Memory movies are all part of the new Photos app for Mac.
Notes app, which is useful for jotting down important stuff, is getting a facelift with view-only sharing, gallery view, shared folders, checklist options, and a better search function.
Reminders will have a new design, as well as Smart Lists, the ability to add attachments to a note, grouped lists and much more. Siri will also be able to make intelligent suggestions for reminders when working in the Messages app.
Safari has also undergone some changes. You will be able to get Picture-in-Picture (PiP) from the tab audio button, and the Smart Search function will direct you to an already-open tab based on what you're typing. Safari is also getting a refreshed Start page with lots of shortcuts like bookmarks, recent sites, Message links and much more.
Apple Pencil allows you to import drawings from iPad into any compatible Mac application, so you can do your annotations on the tablet and push them to your desktop for easy access. You can also use your Pencil to draw inside Mac apps, and even use it like you'd use a mouse.
Sidecar feature will now let you use an iPad as a secondary monitor. You can use it with a cable or wirelessly, and it works with popular Mac apps like Adobe Illustrator, Sketch and Final Cut Pro.
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Screen Time feature Monitors the computer usage of apps being running.. Get reports on app usage times, total times, number of notifications and more. The Downtime feature is great for limiting app usage for your kids, and you can also use iCloud in conjunction with Screen Time so your App Limits and Downtime settings are synced to other devices. One nifty little feature is the One More Minute button. Just click on it to give you additional time to save your work when your usage limit has been reached.
Security has also been greatly enhanced with macOS Catalina. All new apps will be checked by Gatekeeper when you use them for the first time, and in periodic intervals thereafter. One major change is that macOS Catalina will run in a separate system volume that is read-only. That means you can't accidentally change or overwrite the part of your disk where the operating system is stored. There's also a new feature that will prompt you for permission before an app accesses your data, meaning greater data protection from apps when doing things like keylogging or screen capture.
Summary
There are a ton of other new features coming with macOS 10.15 Catalina, such as Find My iPhone and Find My Friends being integrated into a single Find My app for Mac. You can also authenticate your Mac from an Apple Watch, enjoy the new Voice Control feature on your Mac, benefit from a single location for Apple ID account details, etc. QuickTime Player will come with timecode support, PiP, and the ability to open sequential images as a video. The new Home app for Mac lets you watch, share and delete recordings made on a home hub like your Apple TV.
It's exciting to see so many new features coming with the brand new macOS Catalina for Mac. Since the OS is still in developer beta, we could be seeing some additional features make their way prior to the public beta and eventual release, so watch out for anything new that you might find useful.