How to Create a macOS Tahoe Installation USB

[tonymacx86]

Here's a quick guide to create a macOS 26 Tahoe Installation USB. Please note, this guide is not universal, and may not work for all systems.

STEP 1: Download macOS Tahoe

1. Download macOS Tahoe from Mac App Store OR
2. Download macOS Tahoe using gibMacOS

The Application Install macOS Tahoe will appear in /Applications.

STEP 2: Prepare Bootable USB Drive
This step extracts the Installer contents, then installs bootloader to the USB stick. Alternately use Bootabler to create USB installer.

1. Insert the USB drive
2. Open /Applications/Utilities/Disk Utility
3. Highlight the USB drive in left column
4. Click on the Partition tab
5. Click Current and choose 1 Partition
6. Click Options...
7. Choose GUID Partition Table
8. Under Name: type USB (You can rename it later)
9. Under Format: choose Mac OS Extended (Journaled)
10. Click Apply then Partition
11. Open /Applications/Utilities/Terminal
12. Type the following, enter password and hit enter. This command completely erases the USB, then creates native installer media from the Install macOS Application.

sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Tahoe.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/USB /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Tahoe.app --nointeraction

Upon completion, the USB will be renamed Install macOS Tahoe

​

13. Download OpenCore Bootloader 1.0.5 or higher from the official downloads section.
14. Install OpenCore EFI using the USB's EFI partition (Install macOS Tahoe) as the target volume.
15. Navigate to /EFI and configure your config.plist, apply necessary kexts & SSDTs. To mount your EFI partition, use EFI Mounter 3.1, OCAuxiliary Tools (OCAT), EFI Mounter or the like.

Your macOS Installation USB is now finished.

This thread is not a Help thread! Post your question(s) as a standalone thread in the Tahoe Desktop Support forum section.

EDITED:
2025-11-12 for addition of helpful EFI tools and links
2025-09-15 for official macOS Tahoe release

 

[suren6791]

It works for me on my Gigabyte Z890 AI Top.

 

[suren6791]

Just to add, some builds if not all, need to disable WEG and just have the basic kexts to get Tahoe installed via USB. For me, what worked was just having the latest Lily, VirtualSMC, NootRX and USBMap enabled. Everything else was turned off. You HAVE to have your USB ports remapped to work on Tahoe else you will get stuck

 

[jzrodriguez98]

Important details about Tahoe beta:
You need to include in the EFI folder the apfs_aligned.efi in your drivers and disable apfs jumpstart in the config file to prevent issues with FileVault after installing Tahoe.

 

[suren6791]

Important details about Tahoe beta:
You need to include in the EFI folder the apfs_aligned.efi in your drivers and disable apfs jumpstart in the config file to prevent issues with FileVault after installing Tahoe.

This Public Beta version asks during setup if you want to enable FileVault so could just say No during setup.

 

[jzrodriguez98]

This Public Beta version asks during setup if you want to enable FileVault so could just say No during setup.

I heard that but in my case it didn’t happen. In my EFI I considered the details I included in my previous post, maybe that’s why.

 

[Bustycat]

13. Download OpenCore Bootloader 1.5.0 or higher from the official downloads section.​

It is supposed to be 1.0.5 or higher.

 

[esafeddie]

Sorry to be such a kill joy but some will find the Tahoe installation quite easy (just by pure luck??!!).
Others and quite a lot will be in a world of hurt.

If you thought Sonoma and Sequoia was difficult, you'll find Tahoe is in a class of it's own at being the 'B' word to install from the get go.

As it is our last Intel offering, they made it quite difficult for our machines.
As if things were not bad enough not having WIFI, they have now removed Audio also.

You now need to use a OCLP hybrid app to patch Audio.
Good luck to all in their Tahoe install attempt.

 

[Cosmix]

... they have now removed Audio also.

The Acidanthera team is aware of this ( AppleHDA.kext removing )

Add macOS 26 note to README · acidanthera/AppleALC@1a58099

Native macOS HD audio for not officially supported codecs - Add macOS 26 note to README · acidanthera/AppleALC@1a58099

github.com

From Dortania's documentation : https://dortania.github.io/OpenCore-Post-Install/universal/audio.html

=================================

Checking this on one clean-installed Tahoe system :

So, yes :

No milk today, it seems a common sight

Cheers

 

[esafeddie]

The Acidanthera team is aware of this ( AppleHDA.kext removing )

Add macOS 26 note to README · acidanthera/AppleALC@1a58099

Native macOS HD audio for not officially supported codecs - Add macOS 26 note to README · acidanthera/AppleALC@1a58099

github.com

View attachment 593535


From Dortania's documentation : https://dortania.github.io/OpenCore-Post-Install/universal/audio.html

View attachment 593536
=================================

Checking this on one clean-installed Tahoe system :

View attachment 593537

So, yes :


Cheers

Already patched mine. Everything working apart from Wi-Fi and dependants. For me it was not easy install but then again, I was an early adopter from day one.