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Brief introduction: Creating a bootable clone of your Mac is a critical step for ensuring data security and system recovery. This process generates an exact replica of your Mac's startup disk, preserving all macOS configurations, applications, files, and settings. In this guide, we will explore how to create a bootable clone of Mac using Tatasoft Disk Clone for Mac and ensure your cloned system starts perfectly.

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In this article

Why Create a Bootable Mac Clone?

Create a bootable clone of Mac

A bootable macOS backup serves several crucial purposes:

  1. Disaster Recovery: In the event of a hard drive failure or data corruption, a bootable clone allows you to restore your system quickly without losing any data.
  2. macOS migration: Simplifies transferring your system to new drives or SSDs, offering faster speeds and improved storage capacity.
  3. Aportable macOS: Making a bootable clone of your system on an external drive, ensuring it can start up on any compatible Mac while maintaining all your settings and applications.
  4. Access to Files: With a bootable clone, you can easily access your files and applications even if your primary drive is not functioning.
  5. Safe testing‌: Enables risk-free testing of new macOS or configurations.

Preparing for Cloning Mac Startup Disk

Before making a bootable clone of your Mac, it’s important to ensure you have everything set up correctly.

1. Check Your Internal Drive

  • Free Up Space: Remove any unnecessary files or apps to make the macOS cloning process smoother and faster.

2. Selecting an External Drive

  • Choose the Right External SSD: Make sure your external drive has enough capacity to hold your macOS data.
  • Compatibility: Make sure the external drive is compatible with macOS and supports the APFS format for optimal performance.
  • Ensure the external SSD is properly connected and recognized by Disk Utility.

3. Backup Important Data

Cloning will erase the target drive. Double-check backups before proceeding. Always use Time Machine or a backup tool to safeguard critical files before cloning. This way, you’ll have a safety net in case anything goes wrong.

4. Download and Install a Reliable Mac Disk Clone Software

Tatasoft Disk Clone for Mac is a proven macOS disk cloning software that successfully creates bootable clones. It works with both Apple Silicon (M1-M4) and Intel Macs, compatible with macOS 10.13 or later.

  • Download the latest version of Tatasoft Disk Clone for Mac.
  • Install the Software:
    1. Open the downloaded file and follow the installation prompts.
    2. Drag the Tatasoft icon into your Applications folder.
    3. Launch the application once installation is complete.

Step-by-Step Guide to Create a Bootable Clone of Mac

Step1: Connect Your External SSD or HDD to Mac

  • Connect the Drive: Plug your external SSD into a compatible port (‌USB/Thunderbolt) on your Mac using a compatible cable.

Note: Cloning will erase all data on the external hard drive, so ensure any important data is backed up first.

Step 2: Launch Tatasoft Disk Clone for Mac

When first opening the software, grant it Full Disk Access in Privacy &Security.

Get Full Disk Access on Mac to create a bootable clone

Step3: Select the Source and Destination Drives

  • Switch to OS Clone to transfer your macOS to the external hard drive as a bootable backup. In this mode, the startup disk will be automatically set as the source.
  • Select the Destination Drive: Choose your prepared external SSD as the destination for the clone.

Select the external SSD to clone macOS to

Step 4: Initiate the macOS Cloning Process

  • Start Cloning: Click the Clone Now button to begin the cloning process. The software will copy all macOS data from your internal hard drive to the external SSD.
  • Monitor Progress: Keep an eye on the progress bar within Tatasoft to see how much of the process is complete.

Begin to make a bootable clone of Mac

After the cloning process is complete, verify the data on the external hard drive to ensure all data was copied accurately.

Complete to create a bootable clone for Macjavascript:void(0)

How to Boot from Cloned macOS

Apple Silicon Macs (M1/M2/M3/M4):

1. Restart your Mac.
2. Press and hold‌ the power button until "Loading Startup Options" appear.
3. Select ‌Options‌ (gear icon) > ‌External Drive‌.

Intel Macs

1. Restart‌ while holding ‌Option(⌥)‌ to open ‌Startup Manager‌.
2. Select the ‌cloned external drive to boot‌.

Choose to boot Mac from external hard drive

3. If you're using a Mac with the Apple T2 Security Chip, the external drive doesn’t appear:

  1. ① Boot into ‌Recovery Mode‌ (press and hold Command ⌘ + R immediately after you see the Apple logo).
  2. ② Select the user, click Next, then enter the administrator password.
  3. ③ Choose Utilities > Startup Security Utility from the menu bar > Allow booting from external or removable media.
  4. ④ Return to Startup Manager and select the external drive.

Allow booting from external drive on T2 Mac

Alternatively, to set the external hard drive as default, go to ‌choose Apple menu>System Settings> General > Startup Disk‌, choose the external drive, and click ‌Restart‌‌

Select external hard drive to boot by default

Tips for Successful Mac Bootable Clone

  1. Choose the Right File System‌:
    • For ‌newer Macs (2017 and later)‌, use ‌APFS (Apple File System)‌ as it's optimized for SSDs and offers better performance‌
    • For ‌older Macs (macOS Sierra or earlier)‌, use ‌Mac OS Extended (Journaled)‌ since APFS isn't supported‌
  2. Regular Updates: Make it a habit to update your bootable clone regularly to ensure all new data is captured.
  3. Test Your Clone: Occasionally boot from your cloned external drive to verify that it functions correctly.
  4. Use Reliable Cloning Software: Tools like Tatasoft disk cloning software are popular for creating bootable clones. Avoid interrupting the cloning process to prevent data corruption.

Tips:
1. When you boot the cloned macOS from external hard drive for the first time, log in to the system and wait about 20 to 30 minutes before using it.
2. Try to keep Ventura or Sonoma booted on the original computer after cloning.

Troubleshooting Mac Bootable Clone Failures

1. Cloning Process Fails

If the cloning process fails, troubleshoot by checking:

  • The connection of the external drive.
  • Available storage space on the external drive.
  • Restarting Tatasoft and retrying the cloning process.

2. Clone Not Bootable

If your cloned SSD is not bootable:

  • Ensure you selected the correct option in Tatasoft for creating a bootable clone.
  • Check your Mac’s startup disk settings to ensure the external drive is selected.
  • Recheck the file system compatibility‌ (APFS vs. Mac OS Extended)‌

3. Data Discrepancies

If you notice any discrepancies in the data:

  • Re-run the verification feature in Tatasoft to confirm all files were copied correctly.
  • If issues persist, consider repeating the cloning process or contact Tatasoft support team.

Conclusion

Creating a bootable backup of your Mac is a vital step for enhancing your system's performance and ensuring data safety. If your Mac’s internal drive fails, a bootable backup on an external drive allows you to quickly access your ready-to-use system‌ from the external disk. By utilizing Tatasoft Disk Clone for Mac, you can simplify the process of cloning mac hard drive to an external drive and ensure a seamless experience. Download it now and start creating your bootable clone to protect your valuable data and streamline your system recovery process.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Yes, creating a bootable clone is a safe way to back up your data, provided you follow proper procedures. It is a complete copy of your Mac's operating system and data stored on an external drive.

To create a bootable backup, you'll need an external drive with sufficient storage. Use macOS's Mac disk cloning tools like Tatasoft Disk Clone for Mac to clone your system disk to an external hard drive.

The time required varies based on the amount of data and the speed of your external drive, typically taking from a few minutes to several hours.

Yes, you can boot your cloned system from an external hard drive on different Mac computers, however The Mac you're booting into must be compatible with the macOS version installed on the external drive. Apple restricts macOS to specific hardware models‌.

Absolutely! After cloning, you can set the external SSD as your primary drive and boot your Mac from it: go to ‌ choose Apple menu > System Settings > General > Startup Disk‌, choose the external drive, and click ‌Restart

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Janet Bahorun

Janet Bahorun

a dedicated data recovery writer, has been a pivotal part of the Tatasoft team for over 4 years. Before this, he enriched IBM for 13 years as a Backup and Recovery: TSM Subject Matter Expert. A proud alumn...
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Ben Lee

Ben Lee

This article has been approved by Brett. Bett's dedication to excellence and his comprehensive knowledge of Windows and Mac technologies make her an essential part of any technical writing team. With a career marked by continuous learning and adaptation to new technologies, Bett remains at the forefront of the ever-evolving tech landscape.