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Why you need this article
If you’re a Mac user looking to install Microsoft Windows 11 on your computer, or your only backup system is a Mac, you’ll need a bootable Windows 11 USB drive. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the process of creating a Windows 11 install USB using only Microsoft and Apple supplied tools and software utilities.
Please note that this guide involves using Terminal commands and is not a straightforward task for beginners. It requires careful execution of commands and precise attention to detail. If you are not comfortable with the command line or feel unsure about any step, it’s advisable to seek assistance from someone with technical expertise. With that said, let’s proceed with the process of creating a Windows 11 install USB on MacOS using only Microsoft and Apple supplied tools and software utilities.
Requirements
1. A Mac computer running macOS (compatible with Boot Camp).
2. A Windows 11 ISO file, which you can download from the official Microsoft website.
3. A USB flash drive with at least 8 GB of storage capacity.
4. A stable internet connection.
Instructions
1. Download the Windows 11 ISO:
– Open your web browser on your Mac.
– Go to the official Microsoft website (https://www.microsoft.com) and navigate to the Windows 11 download page.
– Follow the prompts to download the Windows 11 ISO file. Make sure to select the correct edition and language.
2. Prepare the USB Flash Drive:
– Insert your USB flash drive into an available USB port on your Mac.
– Launch the “Disk Utility” tool. You can find it by searching for “Disk Utility” using Spotlight or by navigating to “Applications” > “Utilities” > “Disk Utility.”
3. Format the USB Drive:
– In Disk Utility, select your USB drive from the list of drives and click the “Erase” button in the top toolbar.
– Choose a name for your USB drive (e.g., “Windows 11 Install”) and select “ExFAT” as the format.
– Click the “Erase” button to format the drive. This will erase all existing data on the USB drive.
4. Mount the Windows 11 ISO:
– Locate the downloaded Windows 11 ISO file on your Mac (usually in the “Downloads” folder).
– Double-click the ISO file to mount it. It will appear as a virtual disk in Finder.
5. Use Terminal to Create the Bootable USB Drive:
– Open the Terminal application. You can find it in “Applications” > “Utilities” > “Terminal.”
– In Terminal, type the following command to identify the USB drive’s device name:
diskutil list– Look for your USB drive in the list. It should be labeled something like “/dev/diskX” where X is a number (e.g., /dev/disk2).
6. Unmount the USB Drive:
– In Terminal, use the “diskutil unmountDisk” command to unmount the USB drive. (Replace “/dev/diskX” with the device name of your USB drive):
diskutil unmountDisk /dev/diskX7. Copy the Windows 11 ISO to the USB Drive:
– In Terminal, use the “dd” command to copy the Windows 11 ISO to the USB drive. Replace “/path/to/windows11.iso” with the actual path to your ISO file and “/dev/diskX” with the device name of your USB drive:
sudo dd if=/path/to/windows11.iso of=/dev/diskX bs=1mBe very careful when using the “dd” command, as it can erase data if used incorrectly. Double-check the device name to ensure you’re writing to the correct drive.
8. Create the Bootable USB Drive:
– Wait for the “dd” command to complete. This may take some time, depending on the USB drive’s speed and the size of the ISO file.
– Once the process is finished, Terminal will display a message indicating the number of bytes copied.
9. Eject the USB Drive:
– After the “dd” command completes successfully, eject the USB drive safely using the following command:
diskutil eject /dev/diskXConclusion
Congratulations! You’ve successfully created a bootable Windows 11 install USB drive using only Microsoft and Apple supplied tools and utilities. You can now use this USB drive to install Windows 11 on your Mac using Boot Camp or on a PC.
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