Now we’ll use Terminal, a command-line tool, to install Monterey from a bootable USB drive with your installer on it. Make sure this disk is formatted as “Untitled.” And don’t confuse this with your backup drive from Step 1. You can use Disk Utility to format the drive you have at your hand. Locate the macOS Monterey installer icon with an arrow:Īt this point, you should grab another formatted external USB drive with at least 16 GB of storage. Once you downloaded the macOS Monterey, it should automatically appear in Applications. Because our aim is to clean install macOS Monterey, we will only go through the first part: saving the installer image to your USB drive and will skip the rest of the installation for now. But that will regularly install the macOS on top of your current macOS. When the installer has finished downloading, it will prompt you to continue the installation. Write the installer onto another USB drive
If it doesn't, click "View in Mac App Store" and then click Get to download the installer.ģ. You can download the installer from the Mac App Store. Whether to use Time Machine or copy the files themselves is up to you. Later you can transfer it to your new macOS.
In this case, copy all your important information as a folder and save it to an external drive. Have you clicked Use Disk? Now, grab a drink or do some yoga because you’re in for a wait - the backup is cooking up!Īnother alternative is backing up your Documents folder by folder. That’s why I suggested that you use a previously formatted USB drive for backup. In this case, you’ll see a prompt telling you that the disk will be erased before backing it up. Time Machine requires your backup drive to be formatted in a specific way, HFS+.
Here you can download the free version of CleanMyMac X. Free up space to make the backup lighter - so you’ll save time.Find junk and inconsistencies on the drive.Here’s an app that will help you digitally “vacuum-clean” your drive - CleanMyMac X, by MacPaw. And before moving your entire “home,” it’s better to clean the garbage lying around. You’re about to move your macOS to a backup location. If macOS Monterey will freeze upon installation or will be found to contain bugs, you can roll back to your original macOS backup.
Clean up and back up your systemĪt this preparatory stage, we’ll clean your system and shave off some junk so we can make a neat backup. But for simplicity, your MacBook should be at least from 2015 and younger. If your Mac is not compatible with Monterey, it will tell right away. System backup and cleanup → Download the installer → Write the installer onto the USB → Erase current macOS → Install the macOS from USB a Mac with a stable internet connection.2 USB drives: One for backup, the other for the installer.Regular installation: Installing Monterey on top of your current OS. But we’ll make sure this won’t happen.Ĭlean installation: Installing the system on an erased drive. The only downside of clean installation is the potential file loss if you don’t prepare the backup. So yes, that’s a perfectly normal way of upgrading your system. Your computer will run a bit faster, and some persistent issues will be gone. Should you really go as far as run a clean installation of Monterey? If your Mac has been slow, cluttered with apps, etc., that’s a preferable option. This way, you’ll start from a clean slate and leave behind tons of old files.Ĭlean installation is like starting a new life To have the best experience with Monterey, you’ll need to perform a “clean install” or, simply put, install it onto a wiped drive. MacOS 12 Monterey is Apple’s next macOS after Big Sur. It runs maintenance scripts, optimizes your storage, and speeds up your Mac. So, here’s a tip: Download a free version of CleanMyMac X - it’s notarized by Apple on macOS Monterey.