Downloading and installing a new OS gives you the opportunity to do some major house cleaning if you so desire. If you feel like you'd like a fresh start with macOS Catalina, you can always opt to do a clean install: Just follow the steps below, even if you've already installed macOS California.
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Make sure you understand the difference between a clean install and a standard install before you get started.
Separately, Mac users running Mojave or High Sierra will find new Security Updates available for those respective operating systems. Additionally, iOS 13.3.1 and iPadOS 13.3.1 were released as updates, along with watchOS 6.1.2 for Apple Watch, and tvOS 13.3.1 for Apple TV. How to Download & Install MacOS Catalina 10.15.3 Update.
Note: If you are reading this article on the Mac you want to perform the clean install with, switch to another device or print this page before continuing so you can read along as you go.
Step 1: Back up your Mac
This process will erase whichever OS you're currently using from your hard drive entirely. That means any files, programs, or documents you have will be deleted. To save your files, put them on an external hard drive or a cloud-based program like Dropbox, OneDrive, or iCloud. If you don't save these important files off your computer, you will lose them.
Step 2: Create a bootable drive of macOS Catalina
Before you erase your current operating system, download macOS Catalina from the Mac App Store. You'll need a copy of macOS Catalina to perform a clean install later on. If you don't create a bootable drive for macOS Catalina, you may have to install an older Mac operating system first and then upgrade to macOS Catalina afterward.
Step 3: Erase your hard drive
Step 4: Reinstall a new copy of macOS Catalina
Questions?
Any questions about performing a clean install? Let us know below in the comments.
Updated September 2019: Updated for macOS Catalina's public release.
macOS CatalinaMainU.S. and Afghan forces successfully captured insurgents using an iPhone app
When their specialist kit failed, soldiers turned to an iPhone to get the job done.
Possible Fixes for High SierraYou should try each, one at a time, then test to see if the problem is fixed before going on to the next.Be sure to backup your files before proceeding if possible. Shutdown the computer, wait 30 seconds, restart the computer. Start the computer in, then restart normally. This is slower than a standard startup.
Repair the disk by booting from the Recovery HD. Immediately after the chime hold down the Command and R keys until the Utility Menu appears. Choose Disk Utility and click on the Continue button. Select the indented (usually, Macintosh HD) volume entry from the side list. Click on the First Aid button in the toolbar. Wait for the Done button to appear. Quit Disk Utility and return to the Utility Menu.
Restart the computer from the Apple Menu. Create a New User Account Open Users & Groups preferences.
Click on the lock icon and enter your Admin password when prompted. On the left under Current User click on the Add + button below Login Options. Setup a new Admin user account. Upon completion log out of your current account then log into the new account. If your problems cease, then consider switching to the new account and transferring your files to it -. Reinstall OS X by booting from the Recovery HD using the Command and R keys. When the Utility Menu appears select Reinstall OS X then click on the Continue button.
Erase and Install OS X Restart the computer. Immediately after the chime hold down the Commandand Rkeys until the Apple logo appears. When the Utility Menu appears:.
Select Disk Utility from the Utility Menu and click on Continue button. When Disk Utility loads select the drive (out-dented entry) from the Device list. Click on the Erase icon in Disk Utility's toolbar.
A panel will drop down. Set the Format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.). Click on the Apply button, then wait for the Done button to activate and click on it. Quit Disk Utility and return to the Utility Menu. Select Install OS X and click on the Continue button.Possible Fixes for High SierraYou should try each, one at a time, then test to see if the problem is fixed before going on to the next.Be sure to backup your files before proceeding if possible. Shutdown the computer, wait 30 seconds, restart the computer. Start the computer in, then restart normally.
This is slower than a standard startup. Repair the disk by booting from the Recovery HD.
Immediately after the chime hold down the Command and R keys until the Utility Menu appears. Choose Disk Utility and click on the Continue button.
Select the indented (usually, Macintosh HD) volume entry from the side list. Click on the First Aid button in the toolbar. Wait for the Done button to appear.
Quit Disk Utility and return to the Utility Menu. Restart the computer from the Apple Menu. Create a New User Account Open Users & Groups preferences. Click on the lock icon and enter your Admin password when prompted. On the left under Current User click on the Add + button below Login Options. Setup a new Admin user account. Upon completion log out of your current account then log into the new account.
If your problems cease, then consider switching to the new account and transferring your files to it -. Reinstall OS X by booting from the Recovery HD using the Command and R keys. When the Utility Menu appears select Reinstall OS X then click on the Continue button. Erase and Install OS X Restart the computer. Immediately after the chime hold down the Commandand Rkeys until the Apple logo appears.
When the Utility Menu appears:. Select Disk Utility from the Utility Menu and click on Continue button. When Disk Utility loads select the drive (out-dented entry) from the Device list. Click on the Erase icon in Disk Utility's toolbar. A panel will drop down. Set the Format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.).
Click on the Apply button, then wait for the Done button to activate and click on it. Quit Disk Utility and return to the Utility Menu. Select Install OS X and click on the Continue button. With situations like this, make you want to reconsider Apple products and OS. In my PC life if an install got corrupt, all I have to do is reformat and start over. Not so with my early 2011MBP.
Upgraded many versions of the High Sierra under the beta program until last one in early January killed all of my joy. MBP downloaded the upgrade, went through the installation said had 40 minutes to go and poof dreaded white screen of death. Tried every possible option and solution for a failed install with no success. It appears that my install files are locked. Next option is replacing the hard drive and do a fresh install. Who makes an OS that you can't do a recovery from when booting from a USB or DVD?Job well done Apple. Possible Fixes for High SierraYou should try each, one at a time, then test to see if the problem is fixed before going on to the next.Be sure to backup your files before proceeding if possible.
Shutdown the computer, wait 30 seconds, restart the computer. Start the computer in, then restart normally. This is slower than a standard startup. Repair the disk by booting from the Recovery HD. Immediately after the chime hold down the Command and R keys until the Utility Menu appears. Choose Disk Utility and click on the Continue button.
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Select the indented (usually, Macintosh HD) volume entry from the side list. Click on the First Aid button in the toolbar. Wait for the Done button to appear. Quit Disk Utility and return to the Utility Menu.
Restart the computer from the Apple Menu. Create a New User Account Open Users & Groups preferences. Click on the lock icon and enter your Admin password when prompted. On the left under Current User click on the Add + button below Login Options. Setup a new Admin user account.
Upon completion log out of your current account then log into the new account. If your problems cease, then consider switching to the new account and transferring your files to it -. Reinstall OS X by booting from the Recovery HD using the Command and R keys. When the Utility Menu appears select Reinstall OS X then click on the Continue button. Erase and Install OS X Restart the computer.
Immediately after the chime hold down the Commandand Rkeys until the Apple logo appears. When the Utility Menu appears:. Select Disk Utility from the Utility Menu and click on Continue button.
When Disk Utility loads select the drive (out-dented entry) from the Device list. Click on the Erase icon in Disk Utility's toolbar. A panel will drop down.
Set the Format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.). Click on the Apply button, then wait for the Done button to activate and click on it. Quit Disk Utility and return to the Utility Menu. Select Install OS X and click on the Continue button.Possible Fixes for High SierraYou should try each, one at a time, then test to see if the problem is fixed before going on to the next.Be sure to backup your files before proceeding if possible. Shutdown the computer, wait 30 seconds, restart the computer.
Start the computer in, then restart normally. This is slower than a standard startup. Repair the disk by booting from the Recovery HD. Immediately after the chime hold down the Command and R keys until the Utility Menu appears. Choose Disk Utility and click on the Continue button.
Select the indented (usually, Macintosh HD) volume entry from the side list. Click on the First Aid button in the toolbar. Wait for the Done button to appear. Quit Disk Utility and return to the Utility Menu. Restart the computer from the Apple Menu. Create a New User Account Open Users & Groups preferences. Click on the lock icon and enter your Admin password when prompted.
On the left under Current User click on the Add + button below Login Options. Setup a new Admin user account. Upon completion log out of your current account then log into the new account. If your problems cease, then consider switching to the new account and transferring your files to it -. Reinstall OS X by booting from the Recovery HD using the Command and R keys. When the Utility Menu appears select Reinstall OS X then click on the Continue button. Erase and Install OS X Restart the computer.
Immediately after the chime hold down the Commandand Rkeys until the Apple logo appears. When the Utility Menu appears:. Select Disk Utility from the Utility Menu and click on Continue button.
When Disk Utility loads select the drive (out-dented entry) from the Device list. Click on the Erase icon in Disk Utility's toolbar. A panel will drop down. Set the Format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.). Click on the Apply button, then wait for the Done button to activate and click on it.
Quit Disk Utility and return to the Utility Menu. Select Install OS X and click on the Continue button. I have MacBook Pro early 2011.
With situations like this, make you want to reconsider Apple products and OS. In my PC life if an install got corrupt, all I have to do is reformat and start over. Not so with my early 2011MBP. Upgraded many versions of the High Sierra under the beta program until last one in early January killed all of my joy. MBP downloaded the upgrade, went through the installation said had 40 minutes to go and poof dreaded white screen of death.
Tried every possible option and solution for a failed install with no success. It appears that my install files are locked.
Next option is replacing the hard drive and do a fresh install. Who makes an OS that you can't do a recovery from when booting from a USB or DVD?Job well done Apple. Apple Footer.This site contains user submitted content, comments and opinions and is for informational purposes only.
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