Can't create ubuntu bootable usb on my mac

Creating Ubuntu bootable USB on Mac can be challenging due to differences in how macOS handles disk images and bootable media, especially on Apple Silicon Macs.

Why can't you easily create Ubuntu bootable USB on macOS?

• macOS does not natively support creating bootable Linux ISO images in a way that makes the USB bootable on other machines.
• When you try to burn the ISO directly to a USB using Disk Utility or similar tools, it often results in errors like "no mountable file systems" because macOS treats ISO images differently than bootable USB drives.
• ISO images are meant to be burned or written as raw disk images, not just copied or mounted like regular files.
• Apple Silicon Macs (M1, M2) introduce additional complexity because many traditional tools are not compatible or require Rosetta, and the boot process differs from Intel Macs.

The best approach to create Ubuntu bootable USB on Mac:

Best method: Use balenaEt cher

balenaEt cher is a free, cross-platform app with a simple interface.

Supports Apple Silicon Macs.

Properly writes ISO images to USB, making them bootable.

Steps:

1. Download balenaEt cher.

2. Open and run it (may need to allow in Security & Privacy).

3. Select your Ubuntu ISO.

4. Choose your USB drive.

5. Click Flash.