Installing macOS from scratch is a good way to make your Mac brand new again. While a clean install can be daunting, it is actually quite simple to do. With the assistance of this instruction, you may clean install macOS on Mac and receive the best possible outcome.
What is a clean install of macOS?
A clean install of macOS erases your entire hard drive and reinstalls macOS from scratch. This means that everything personal on your computer, like your files, apps, and settings, will be erased. It’s important to save all your important stuff before doing a clean install.
When should I perform a clean install of macOS?
There are a number of reasons why you might want to perform a clean install of macOS, including:
To improve performance: Over time, your Mac can get filled with temporary files and other stuff that can make it work slower. Installing your Mac again can help you get rid of things you don’t need and make your Mac work better.
To resolve software issues: If you are experiencing software issues, such as crashes or freezes, a clean install can help to resolve them.
To remove unwanted files and applications: If you have too much stuff you don’t want on your Mac, doing a clean install can help you remove it and free up more space.
To prepare your Mac for sale or transfer: If you are planning to sell or transfer your Mac, performing a clean install will erase all of your personal data and make your Mac ready for its new owner.
How to back up your Mac before performing a clean install
Before performing a clean install of macOS: it is important to back up all of your important data. There are several approaches to accomplish this, such as:
Using Time Machine: Time Machine is a tool on your Mac that helps you save a copy of everything on your computer onto an extra hard drive.
Using iCloud: iCloud is a service that saves a copy of your Mac files on Apple’s servers.
Using a third-party backup application: Several other backup apps have different features like only backing up new changes and making file sizes smaller.
How to clean install macOS on Mac
To put a fresh version of macOS on your Mac, do these steps:
- Back up your Mac.
- Create a bootable macOS installer.
- Boot your Mac from the bootable macOS installer.
- Erase your Mac’s hard drive.
- Install macOS.
- Set up your Mac.
Creating a bootable macOS installer
To create a macOS installer that can turn on your computer, you need a USB drive or external hard drive with 16GB of space at least. You can make a macOS installer that starts up your computer by following these steps:
- Open the App Store and download the latest version of macOS.
- Once the download is complete, open the Disk Utility application.
- In Disk Utility, select your external hard drive or USB flash drive in the sidebar.
- Click the Erase tab.
- Enter a name for your bootable macOS installer and select the Mac OS Extended (Journaled) file format.
- Click the Erase button.
- Once the erase is complete, click the Restore tab.
- Drag the macOS installer file from the Applications folder to the Source field.
- Drag your external hard drive or USB flash drive to the Destination field.
- Click the Restore button.
Booting your Mac from the bootable macOS installer
- After creating a bootable macOS installer, you can boot your Mac from it with these steps:.
- Plug in your external hard drive or USB stick to your Mac.
- Restart your Mac.
- Immediately after pressing the power button, hold down the Option key.
- Keep holding down the Option key until you see the Startup Manager.
- In the Startup Manager, select your bootable macOS installer and press Enter.
Erasing your Mac’s hard drive
Once you have booted your Mac from the bootable macOS installer, you can erase your Mac’s hard drive using the following steps:
- Choose Disc Utility from the macOS Utilities menu.
- In Disk Utility, select your Mac’s
- Click the Erase tab.
- Enter a name for your Mac’s hard drive and select the APFS file format.
- Click the Erase button.
- Once the erase is complete, quit Disk Utility.
Installing macOS
- Once you have erased your Mac’s hard drive, you can install macOS using the following steps:
- Choose Reinstall macOS from the macOS Utilities menu.
- Select “Continue.”
- Select your Mac’s hard drive and click Continue.
- Agree to the terms and conditions and click Continue.
- macOS will now be installed on your Mac.
Setting up your Mac
Once you install macOS on your computer, you have to prepare your Mac for use. This means making a user account, connecting to your Wi-Fi, and putting back your saved data.
Tips for getting the most out of a clean install macOS on Mac
Here are some helpful tips for making the most of a new macOS setup.
Only install the applications that you need: The fewer applications you install, the faster and more stable your Mac will be.
Keep your Mac’s software up to date: Apple provides security patches and performance enhancements in their software upgrades on a regular basis.
Restart your Mac regularly: Turning your Mac off and then on again can make it run faster by clearing out temporary files.
Use a good antivirus program: An antivirus program can keep your Mac safe from viruses and other dangers on the internet.
Conclusion
Installing a new macOS on your Mac computer can help it run better and fix any software problems. By following the steps in this guide, you can safely and easily clean install macOS on your Mac.