How can I create a bootable USB for macOS Tahoe?

AppleNerd247 wrote:

Hi, I just upgraded to macOS Tahoe on my M-Series MacBook Air, and was wondering how to create a bootable USB for macOS Tahoe for a clean install?

ref: Create a bootable installer for macOS - Apple Support

Matti Haveri wrote:

I have always downloaded full installers from App Store and prepared bootable USB installers from those (I have not stumbled on the pesky stub installers for a while).

Tahoe is not in the App Store.

How to upgrade to macOS Tahoe - Apple Support

Barney-15E wrote:

In the past, and as far as I can tell from the size of the upgrade download, you will not get an installer capable of making a bootable USB installer without using Terminal to download the Full Installer. Once you install Tahoe, you can download a Full Installer from the App Store.

softwareupdate --fetch-full-installer --full-installer-version 26.0.1

I have always downloaded full installers from App Store and prepared bootable USB installers from those (I have not stumbled on the pesky stub installers for a while).

AFAIK they are the same size as those dowloaded via the Terminal. I have only used the Terminal to download some older macOS version which is not available from App Store which (almost always) has the most recent version for each major macOS like Sequoia etc.

AppleNerd247 wrote:

Hi, I just upgraded to macOS Tahoe on my M-Series MacBook Air, and was wondering how to create a bootable USB for macOS Tahoe for a clean install?

What are you trying to make "clean?"

There is no need to erase the System volume when you upgrade.

The only thing you can change is your Data volume. If you want to clear out system modifications you have previously installed, those are on your Data volume so you would have to Erase all contents and settings to remove those. Otherwise, you are just wasting your time.

In the past, and as far as I can tell from the size of the upgrade download, you will not get an installer capable of making a bootable USB installer without using Terminal to download the Full Installer. Once you install Tahoe, you can download a Full Installer from the App Store.

softwareupdate --fetch-full-installer --full-installer-version 26.0.1