How to Create a Bootable Hackintosh Installation USB Drive
The first step in installing macOS on a PC and creating your own Hackintosh is to create a bootable USB with macOS on it. This requires a working Mac that has access to the Mac App Store, a USB thumb drive, and some time. It isn’t difficult, but it is a little time consuming, and it’s important to make sure that you get each step exactly right. Scroll to the bottom to see a full list of what you need to build a Hackintosh. If you have your Mac and a USB thumb drive ready, then you can follow these instructions to make a bootable macOS USB:
How to Install macOS on a PC Using the Installation USB
After you have successfully created your macOS installation USB, you will need to remove it from your Mac and plug it into the PC that you want to turn into a Hackintosh. This is a fairly long process that involves formatting the drive in your PC and performing a clean installation of macOS. If you don’t want to format or erase your drive, you’ll have to remove it and install a different one before you proceed. Here’s how to install macOS on your PC:
Finish Setting Up Your Hackintosh
Your PC has macOS installed at this point, and it will probably work to one degree or another depending on the specific hardware that you used. You may find that some peripherals don’t work quite right, the graphics aren’t displayed correctly, or that there are other issues. Even if your new Hackintosh seems to work, the final step of installing macOS on a PC is to run the free MultiBeast tool from Tonymacx86. This app configures your macOS installation to work seamlessly with your PC hardware, so skipping this step is not advisable.
What You Need to Build a Hackintosh
Building a Hackintosh is a multi-step process that isn’t exceptionally difficult, but it is time-consuming, and it’s also very precise. While you can technically build a Hackintosh without any specialized knowledge or experience, having a background in PC building and some knowledge of macOS helps. This is the hardware and software you need before you can build a Hackintosh:
macOS compatible hardware: Obtain and assemble computer hardware that’s compatible with macOS. If you aren’t sure if your hardware will work, check sources like Tonymacx86.com, the OSx86 Project, Hacktintosh.com, and the Hackintosh subreddit. A working macOS computer: You need a working modern macOS computer with the App Store to download a fresh copy of macOS. A USB drive: A 16GB or 32GB drive is preferred. UniBeast and MultiBeast: These are free tools available from Tonymacx86.
Why Make a Hackintosh?
There are a lot of reasons to make a Hackintosh instead of just buying a Mac, but the primary factor is cost. You can build a Hackintosh with more powerful specifications than any Mac for less money. If you prefer macOS over other operating systems, but you want to save some money by putting together your own system, then building a Hackintosh is an attractive option. The downside is that Apple doesn’t support this procedure, and they have even actively discouraged it. You won’t be able to get tech support for macOS on your PC, and Apple may block services like Facetime and iMessage on your custom Hackintosh as well. If you’re willing to risk it, then you stand to save some money and have a much greater level of control over your hardware choices than you would with an off the rack Mac.
