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Reinstall from macOS Recovery
Mar 18, 2009 Support Communities / Mac OS & System Software / Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question. Installing software from the Web Today, the most common way to get new software is to download it from the Internet. Applications like Microsoft Office and Adobe Photoshop can now be purchased and downloaded right to your computer. You can also install free software this way.
macOS Recovery makes it easy to reinstall the Mac operating system, even if you need to erase your startup disk first. All you need is a connection to the Internet. If a wireless network is available, you can choose it from the Wi-Fi menu , which is also available in macOS Recovery.
1. Start up from macOS Recovery
To start up from macOS Recovery, turn on your Mac and immediately press and hold one of the following sets of keys on your keyboard. Release the keys when you see an Apple logo, spinning globe, or other startup screen.
Command (⌘)-R
Reinstall the latest macOS that was installed on your Mac (recommended).
Option-⌘-R
Upgrade to the latest macOS that is compatible with your Mac.
Shift-Option-⌘-R
Reinstall the macOS that came with your Mac, or the closest version still available.
You might be prompted to enter a password, such as a firmware password or the password of a user who is an administrator of this Mac. Enter the requested password to continue.
When you see the utilities window, you have started up from macOS Recovery.
2. Decide whether to erase (format) your disk
You probably don't need to erase, unless you're selling, trading in, or giving away your Mac, or you have an issue that requires you to erase. If you need to erase before installing macOS, select Disk Utility from the Utilities window, then click Continue. Learn more about when and how to erase.
3. Install macOS
When you're ready to reinstall macOS, choose Reinstall macOS from the Utilities window. Then click Continue and follow the onscreen instructions. You will be asked to choose a disk on which to install.
- If the installer asks to unlock your disk, enter the password you use to log in to your Mac.
- If the installer doesn't see your disk, or it says that it can't install on your computer or volume, you might need to erase your disk first.
- If the installer is for a different version of macOS than you expected, learn about macOS Recovery exceptions.
- If the installer offers you the choice between installing on Macintosh HD or Macintosh HD - Data, choose Macintosh HD.
Please allow installation to complete without putting your Mac to sleep or closing its lid. During installation, your Mac might restart and show a progress bar several times, and the screen might be empty for minutes at a time.
If your Mac restarts to a setup assistant, but you're selling, trading in, or giving away your Mac, press Command-Q to quit the assistant without completing setup. Then click Shut Down. When the new owner starts up the Mac, they can use their own information to complete setup.
macOS Recovery exceptions
The version of macOS offered by macOS Recovery might vary in some cases:
- If macOS Sierra 10.12.4 or later has never been installed on this Mac, Option-Command-R installs the macOS that came with your Mac, or the closest version still available. And Shift-Option-Command-R isn't available.
- If you erased your entire disk instead of just the startup volume on that disk, macOS Recovery might offer only the macOS that came with your Mac, or the closest version still available. You can upgrade to a later version afterward.
- If your Mac has the Apple T2 Security Chip and you never installed a macOS update, Option-Command-R installs the latest macOS that was installed on your Mac.
- If you just had your Mac logic board replaced during a repair, macOS Recovery might offer only the latest macOS that is compatible with your Mac.
If you can't get macOS Recovery to offer the installer you want, you might be able to use one of the other ways to install macOS.
Other ways to install macOS
- You can also install macOS from the App Store or Software Update preferences. If you can't install macOS Catalina, you might be able to install an earlier macOS, such as macOS Mojave, High Sierra, Sierra, El Capitan, or Yosemite.
- Or create a bootable installer disk, then use that disk to install macOS on your Mac or another Mac.
For years, early adopters and beta testers would partition their Mac's hard drive in order to test a new or beta version of macOS. Partitioning your hard drive actually creates a separate container on your hard drive that is limited in its abilities.
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If your Mac uses APFS, you can actually create a volume right on your current hard drive instead. This allows your hard drive to manipulate your available storage temporarily as you need it. It makes testing new or beta operating systems much easier to do and easier to remove when you're done testing them out.
IMPORTANT: The developer beta of Big Sur is currently experiencing some issues with installing and updating versions including and most importantly, installing Big Sur onto separate volumes.
From Apple's developer support notes for Dev beta 2:
You might be unable to install macOS Big Sur 11 beta onto additional volumes. (63677460, 64445236)
If macOS Big Sur 11 beta is installed into the same APFS container as previous versions of macOS, system software updates can no longer be installed on the previous versions of macOS. (64411484)
If you are installing the developer beta of macOS Big Sur, we highly recommend going with partitioning your hard drive not creating a volume.
Before you start
The most important thing to do before making any changes to your hard drive is to back it up. Seriously. Back it up. Please. Time Machine is the easiest way to back up your data if you don't already have another system in place.
Second, make sure you have enough free disk space to properly run a secondary operating system. Shoot for at least 30GB free, though I recommend closer to 50GB if you have it available.
What's the difference between a disk partition and a volume?
A partition and a volume act in very similar ways, but creating a volume allows for flexibility of storage needs while creating a partition separates storage with a specific amount and does not adjust for each drive's needs.
What is a partition?
Partitioning your Mac is basically splitting your hard drive into separate, usable systems. It makes it possible to run two separate operating systems on one device, like Windows and macOS, or two versions of macOS (like Catalina and Big Sur).
Note: If you want to run Windows on your Mac, Apple's Boot Camp assistant will automatically make a partition for you. Here's how to install Windows.
It is important to note that partitioning your hard drive also splits up your available hard drive space. Each partition will take up a portion of your usable storage. So, if you are running low on storage capacity on your hard drive, we don't recommend partitioning.
If you are running a Mac using HFS+ file system (prior to macOS Catalina) you must partition your hard drive. If your Mac uses APFS, Apple recommends creating a volume instead.
What is an APFS volume?
An APFS volume creates a similar container to be used the same way as a partition, but it mounts it within your main hard drive. This allows the volume the flexibility to grow or shrink in storage size as needed. You don't have to worry about running out of temporary space while installing macOS, for example, because it will grab the necessary space from your main drive and then put it back when it's done. You can manually select size limiters for a volume if you're worried about one drive overtaking another's space.
If your Mac uses APFS, Apple recommends creating a volume instead of a partition.
How to add an APFS volume on Mac
You can test the beta of Big Sur on your Mac without having to change anything on your daily driver by creating a volume that acts as a separate drive so you can install a completely different operating system. This allows you to switch between OSes using the Startup Disk option.
- Open Finder from your Mac's dock.
- Select Applications.Source: iMore
- Scroll down and open the Utilities folder.
- Double-click on Disk Utilities to open it.Source: iMore
- Select your APFS drive (Should be called Macintosh HD) from the sidebar.
- Enter a name for the volume.Source: iMore
- Select the type of APFS format you want. I recommend just APFS.
- Click Add.Free software to clean fix mac. CNET Download provides free downloads for Windows, Mac, iOS and Android devices across all categories of software and apps, including security, utilities, games, video and browsers.Source: iMore
You have the option of selecting a specific size that you want the volume to be, which will guarantee this volume will always have the reserve size you want. However, APFS volumes are designed to allocate disk space as needed. If you're worried about running out of disk space on either your main drive or the new volume, you can select a minimum/maximum volume size. After completing Step 7 above:
- Click Size Options.
- Enter a Reserve size to ensure that the new volume will always have a minimum amount of space.
- Enter a Quota size to ensure your main drive never runs out of space.Source: iMore
- Click OK.
- Click Add.OpenShot™ was created in 2008, in an effort to build a free, simple, open-source video editor for Linux. It is now available on Linux, Mac, and Windows, has been downloaded millions of times, and continues to grow as a project! OpenShot Video Editor is a free, open-source video editor for Windows PC. OpenShot can take your videos, photos, and music files and help you create the film you have always dreamed of. Easily add sub-titles, transitions, and effects.Source: iMore
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How to create a partition on your Mac
- Open Finder from your dock.
- Select Applications.Source: iMore
- Scroll down and open the Utilities folder.
- Double-click to open Disk Utility.Source: iMore
- Select your hard drive in the Disk Utility window. It will be the first drive on the list. It might be named 'Fusion,' or 'Macintosh HD.'
- Click on the Partition tab. You will be prompted to either add an APFS volume or a Partition.
- Click Partition.
- Click the Add partition button it looks like a plus (+) symbol.
- Change the size of the partition you wish to use by dragging the resize controls. The used space is represented in blue.
- Name the new partition.
- Specify which file system format you want to use. If you're running macOS 10.13 or higher, you'll want APFS. If you are running macOS 10.12 or older, you'll want Mac OS Extended.
- Click apply.
Disk Utility will check the disk and make changes. This will take several minutes.
How to switch partitions or volumes
You can switch to the new partition, install the current macOS, and then download and install macOS Catalina from there.
- Click the Apple icon in the upper-left corner of your screen.
- Select System Preferences from the drop-down menu.
- Select Startup Disk.
- Click the Lock in the lower left corner of the window to unlock and make changes.
- Enter your system admin password.
- Click OK.
- Select your partition drive.
- Click Restart.
You can also restart your Mac and press the Option Key when you hear the startup chime. This will take you to the Startup Manager and you can select your drive from there.
You will then be asked to install macOS. This will install the latest available macOS onto the partitioned hard drive. You may have to install an older version of macOS before updating it to the more recent version you want to run.
If you are testing a beta version of macOS, you'll first install whatever the current version is. Then, you can then install the macOS beta.
How to download the beta of macOS Big Sur
Once you've updated your partitioned Mac with macOS Catalina, you can download and install the beta of macOS Big Sur. For the developer beta, you need a developer account and some patience. Developer betas are often a bit complicated to install. We've got a guide to help you out.
Any questions?
Do you have any questions about installing a partition or downloading a new operating system onto a partitioned drive? Let us know in the comments. If you're having trouble partitioning your hard drive, be sure to check out our forums for help!
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Updated June 2020: Updated for the developer beta of macOS Big Sur.
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