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Longtrnfruntin's avatar
Longtrnfruntin
Iron Contributor
Aug 11, 2025

Make or create macOS Tahoe bootable usb on a Windows PC?

Sorry to bother here but I really need some help to fix my MacBook Pro M3. It was stuck on Internet recovery and never proceed. My purpose is to erase the disk and reinstall macos tahoe 26 on this m...
Sweetufferable's avatar
Sweetufferable
Iron Contributor
Aug 11, 2025

Go and borrow a mac that is fully compatible with macOS 26 Tahoe. After that, use the built-in createinstallmedia command to create macOS Tahoe bootable USB.

Step 1: Open the App Store and search for macOS Tahoe. Click Get to download. The installer will appear in Applications as:

/Applications/Install macOS 26 Tahoe.app

Step 2: Apple provides a built-in tool inside the installer app to make the USB bootable. Open Terminal (Applications > Utilities > Terminal). Type the following command (adjust MyUSB to match your USB name):

sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ 26\ Tahoe.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyUSB

Step 3: Press Enter. Enter your Mac's administrator password (no characters will appear as you type) and press Enter.

Step 4: When prompted, type Y and press Enter to confirm erasing the drive. Wait for the process to finish. This can take 10–30 minutes depending on USB speed.

On a Mac, creating a macOS Tahoe bootable USB is best done using Apple's createinstallmedia command. It’s reliable, doesn't require third-party tools, and ensures full installer integrity. 

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