What Hard Drive Format For Mac Mojave

How to Format a Hard Drive on Mac: Formatting is a very simple procedure which is operated in a similar way for all sorts of storage media. So, whether you wish to format the internal hard drive, external drive, or a USB flash drive, the procedure is the same for all. Here is the step by step guide you need to follow to format the hard disk on Mac.

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Behold, the day has come! Apple’s macOS 10.14 Mojave is out and available as a free download now

Let's start with a quick overview of what you get in the new system and why it's worth installing:

  • A couple of new applications – News, Stocks, Voice Memos, and Home.
  • Safari will prevent ads tracking you around.
  • Dark mode is finally here.
  • Automatic desktop cleaning.
  • Gallery View in Finder for more convenient work.

Clean install is a bit different from a regular upgrade. You’d usually simply roll the new macOS right over your old one. You get a new desktop wallpaper and all your applications and files right where you left them. Including the ones you don’t want anymore, and including some system junk left from the previous OS.

Which is why if you feel like there’s a need for a purge — in the best meaning of this word — among your files and system leftovers, it makes more sense to run an clean install. The usual reasons are: system jut has started to affect your Mac’s performance, you need to make sure your old data is cleared, you’re selling a Mac or passing it to a new owner.

Or maybe (and we get you) you just want that freshly-bought Mac experience again.

If you did a clean install of macOS High Sierra last year, here's some good news: it's pretty much the same. If you haven't, another good news: we'll take you through it step by step.

How to prepare your Mac for the clean install

Before you do anything, check that your Mac is able to run Apple's new operating system. If you were able to run the previous macOS High Sierra with no visible issues, you're probably fine. But just in case, double-check. We'll also give you main requirements below.

To complete the clean install procedure, you'll need:

  1. macOS Mojave Installer, available from the Mac App Store.
  2. A 16GB or larger USB flash drive
    Notice: USB drive is needed for a clean install on your Mac’s startup drive. If you plan to clean install macOS on a non-startup drive, you don't need it
  3. Go for a system cleanup and backup your data - this will allow you to easily return your Mac to the condition it was in before you installed macOS
  4. And an hour or two to spare.

Make sure your Mac is ready to Mojave

First of all, check that your Mac is compatible with new macOS. Here's a list of Macs that can run the Mojave:

  • MacBook Pro: mid-2012 or newer
  • MacBook: early-2015 or newer
  • MacBook Air: mid-2012 or newer
  • iMac: late-2012 or newer
  • iMac pro: late-2017 or newer
  • Mac Mini: late-2012 or newer
  • Mac Pro: later-2013 or newer
    although some mid-2010 and mid-2012 models have Metal-capable GPU, so it's worth checking

You'll need at least 4 GB of free space on drive. Not too much but keep that in mind before you start.

  • Required memory: 4GB or more
  • Require disk storage: 16GB
  • Prepare Mac for the upgrade - clean up disk drive and backup data

Choose the right way to clean install macOS 10.14

There are a few ways to correctly run a clean install and they mainly depend on how your Mac hard drives are structured. Now, if your Mac has one single drive, not broken into parts, and it is the drive where every file you own is stationed, as well as your system, they your only choice is to clean install on the startup drive.

Keep in mind: if you proceed to do it on your startup drive, all your files and data will be permanently removed. To keep them safe, you’ll need a backup, we’ll tell you how to do it, no worried.

If your hard drive is partitioned (broken into volumes), or you have another drive, you can clean installing on a non-startup drive. This way your files are preserved, since it’s a more lenient way of OS upgrade. Only the system gets cleared and reinstalled with a new one, while the rest of the drive is left intact.

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If you don’t know which one you have, go with the first option, startup drive.

How to clean install macOS Mojave on a startup disk drive

Make sure you’ve got everything ready to clean install Mojave and let’s get down to business. It’s going to be easy because we’ll take you step by step through the safest way to do it.

We’re going to mention a few applications you’ll need during the process. Worry not, you won’t need to look them up on the web, and all of the apps are available on Setapp. It’s a subscription collection of Mac apps, you can use any app in there once you download it on your Mac. It has a weekly free trial, so go ahead and sign up.

Since clean installation involves wiping your Mac’s main drive, it’s vital that you back it up immediately before you start. And since some of those files are junk, backing them up would be, well, unadvisable. So it’s usually a good idea to remove extra files before the backup with a Mac cleaner, like CleanMyMac. Run it and give your High Sierra a polish before clean installing Mojave.

1: Clean up your Mac

Time to remove every junk-looking thing you can find — old movies and media files, apps you never use, cache and system trash, duplicate files that you accidentally copied a few times. All the hard-drive-space-eaters, all have to go.

This might sound like a lot of work but it’s actually about 10 minutes when you have the right software. Open CleanMyMac

and run a full scan. This will remove system junk, old caches, and random unused files. To get rid of apps use the Uninstaller tab, and for the big media files run the Large & Old Files search.

Mac

You've probably enjoyed the ability to store images in the cloud and keep all of them despite limited space, which means you've got a lot to clean among your photos. To spot and erase those repeating images, try Gemini app. It's made to find duplicate and similar files or folders on your hard drive, so you can delete them and retrieve precious storage space.

2: Backup your data

When all of the extra files are gone and all you’ve got left on drive is what you actually need, time to back it all up. Use Get Backup Pro for the job. It’s better than Apple’s native Time Machine. Also, move your photos and document into the cloud (iCloud, Dropbox, whatever your choice is) or to an external drive, like a USB stick.

And, create a bootable clone, in case of tech issues during the upgrade. This way you’ll be able to go back to where you started easily. Plus, a cloned drive lets you quickly copy files to your new system.

Another tip: if you have any specifically customized apps that took time to set right, make screenshots of app settings. And keep a record of license codes for the apps you’ve bought to restore them when reinstalled.

By the way, if you get Setapp subscription we mentioned before — the problem with license codes will become a thing of the past. All the apps inside are fully active and packed in one suite. No separate purchases, paid upgrades, and so on.

Vista

3: Create a bootable macOS Mojave installer

Notice: Apple usually gets protective over previous versions and removes the installer once the next macOS is out. Which is why you might want to grab the High Sierra installer before its gone from the app store (if the link is still active, you're lucky).

Why you might need it: in case the new macOS Mojave refuses to behave on your Mac or you just don't like it, or any other problem occurs and you'll need to downgrade and clean install High Sierra back to your Mac, that's when the installer comes in handy. It's a corner case but better safe than sorry, right? Anyways, now that you have your High Sierra backup plan, you can process.

  1. Download new macOS from the App Store.
  2. When it’s finished, the installer will launch. As soon as it does, select File and Quit (or keyboard shortcut Command-Q) so it doesn’t install. The installer will remain in your Applications folder.
  3. Plug in the USB stick and launch Disk Utilities. It’s a good idea to use a USB stick to put the bootable installer onto. It will need to be at least 8GB in size.
  4. Click the Erase tab and make sure Mac OS Extended (Journaled) is selected in the format tab.
  5. Give the USB stick a name then click Erase.
  6. When it’s finished, click Done and close Disk Utility.
  7. Launch Terminal either by searching for it in Spotlight or navigating to the Utilities folder in Applications.
  8. Type, or paste, the following command into Terminal, where [YOUR DRIVE NAME] is the name you gave the installer drive when you formatted it:
    sudo /Applications/Install macOS Mojave.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/[YOUR DRIVE NAME] --applicationpath /Applications/Install macOS Mojave.app
    Notice: Remember to replace [YOUR DRIVE NAME] with the name of your installer disk. You probably remember the only difference with clean installing High Sierra is changing the name of the app.
  9. Hit Return.
  10. Type in your admin password and wait.
  11. When the process is finished, the word Done will appear in the Terminal window.
  12. You can then quit Terminal.
  13. Success! Enjoy Mojave, good-bye High Sierra.

4: Install Mojave 10.14 on your startup disk drive

Make sure you backup your Mac to keep your important files, before taking next step, that erase your Mac’s Startup drive.

To erase your Mac’s main drive:

  1. Go to System Preferences
  2. Сlick Startup disk and choose the installer you just created.
  3. Restart your Mac and hold down Command-R to boot into recovery mode.
  4. Take your bootable USB and connect it to your Mac.

When the macOS Utilities screen appears, follow these steps:

  1. Select Reinstall a new copy of macOS.
  2. Click Continue, then click Continue again when the next window appears.
  3. Agree to the terms and conditions, then select your Mac’s internal drive.
  4. Click Install.
  5. Wait for macOS Mojave to install and your Mac to restart.

After the reboot, your Mac will require setting up like a new one. Imagine you just bought it and proceed to fill in all the gaps — WiFi, iCloud with Apple ID, Dropbox, accounts, passwords. Could take a while but remember, it was worth it.

Once the initial process is done, you can start stocking up on software. To reinstall the apps from Setapp, go to setapp.com to get Setapp installer or download Setapp here.

It makes sense to only install those applications you need right now. Other apps can be downloaded later. You don’t need too much clutter on your fresh system.

How to clean install macOS Mojave on a non-startup drive

Just as last year when we were doing the clean instal of High Sierra, you don’t need a backup for this option, it’s safer and faster than the previous way but only available to you if you have an extra drive or your drive is broken down into volumes.

Here’s how to instal your new macOS on the non-startup disk.

1. Erase your non-startup disk drive

Before you install the new OS on it, you need to erase all data on the drive you’ve chosen for it.

To completely remove data with Disk Utility choose the volume you’d like to clean up and click Erase.

If you still need some info from that drive, you can use an app like Chronosync Express to sync it with another drive and keep the files.

2. Download the macOS Mojave Installer from the Mac App Store

To download the macOS Mojave installer, go to the Mac App Store > Updates tab and choose Mojave installer (Here is a direct link.) When it's ready, it's going to launch automatically. You will need to quit it at this point, we're not running it this way.

You don’t need to create a specific bootable drive, use the installer you've just downloaded and install the new macOS 10.14 onto the other drive you have.

3. Install macOS Mojave to your non-startup drive drive

Find the Mojave installer in your Applications folder and launch it. You’ll be offered to choose your target drive for the installation, change it from startup to the one you need. To do it, click Show All Disks and find the needed volume on the list. Finish the installation by simply following the instructions. Your OS is now ready, time to set it up. You’ll have to undergo the same process as if the Mac was totally new.

When you have the system ready, you can start filling it with applications. If you don’t enjoy looking for every app’s licence code, get Setapp. There are 120+ pro apps of high quality, all packed in one suite. Saves time and money and covers hundreds of daily Mac tasks.

These might also interest you:

Source: iMore

  • Prepping your Mac for Sale

It is that time again. Time to decide whether to keep or replace your Mac laptop or desktop computer. If you are reading this article, chances are you've already come to the decision to replace your Mac with the newes model (or maybe you just got a new Mac as a present!), and you're thinking about selling your old one.

The first thing you should do before hitting the streets to sell your old Mac is clear it of any and all personal data. You don't want to accidentally sell your computer to a stranger when you are still logged into iCloud.

The next step is to reinstall the Mac's operating system so that the new owner can get started without having to figure out how to start up in recovering mode. Believe me, that can be a pain.

If you're going through the process of erasing your old Mac and reinstalling the operating system, we've got some common troubleshooting tips to help you out. Don't forget to follow the additional steps if you're selling a MacBook with Touch ID.

Clean the Mac of your personal data before erasing it

If you're about to sell your old Mac, the one thing you don't want to do is to give away the data you've been storing on it all these years. It's a security and privacy thing for you, but it's also important for the buyer. If you leave behind anything that needs to be logged into with a password, that buyer is going to have to track you down and get your password in order to change ownership. A completely fresh-from-scratch Mac is the best way to do this.

Step 1: Back up your Mac

If you already have your new Mac on hand, you can transfer all of your data from your old Mac or use an older Time Machine backup. If you don't have your new Mac yet, well ... then you probably shouldn't be selling your old one yet. But, if you really don't think you'll need your old computer before getting your new one, just make sure to back up your data so that nothing happens to it before you get what you need onto your new Mac.


Step 2: Sign out of everything

The software you have on your Mac is licensed to you, which means it doesn't get transferred to the new owner of your computer (except the operating system). In order to avoid complications with the new owner attempting to download and install software that is licensed by you, make sure to sign out of everything your personal information is connected to.

How to sign out of iTunes (macOS Mojave and older)

  1. Open iTunes on your Mac.
  2. Click Account in the Menu bar on the left side of your screen.

  3. Click on Sign Out.

    Source: iMore

How to sign out of iMessage

  1. Open Messages on your Mac.
  2. Click Messages in the Menu bar at the top left corner of your screen.
  3. Click Preferences from the drop-down menu.
  4. Select your iMessage account.

  5. Click on Sign Out.

    Source: iMore

How to sign out of iCloud

  1. Click on the Apple icon in the upper-left corner of your Mac's screen.
  2. Click System Preferences from the drop-down menu.

  3. Click on Apple ID (on macOS Mojave and older, click on iCloud).

    Source: iMore

  4. Un-tick the box for Find My Mac.
  5. Enter your system password when prompted.
  6. Click on Sign Out.
  7. Click Remove data from this Mac when prompted.

Step 3: Unpair your Bluetooth devices

If you're keeping your Bluetooth devices, you don't want to leave them paired to a Mac that you're getting rid of. It isn't really that important of a step, but if you sell your old Mac to, say, a roommate or someone living in the same house as you, you may experience accidentally connecting back to it.

  1. Click on the Apple icon in the upper-left corner of your Mac's screen.
  2. Click System Preferences from the drop-down menu.
  3. Click on Bluetooth.
  4. Hover over the device you want to unpair.
  5. Click on the X next to the device.

Note: If you're unpairing a keyboard, trackpad, or mouse on a desktop Mac, be sure to have a wired one plugged in or you won't be able to type or use a curser and you'll have to repair it all again.

Step 4: Erase your hard drive

Once your data is backed up and you've signed out of everything that might connect your old Mac to your personal information, you can erase everything on it by reformatting the hard drive.

What Hard Drive Format For Mac Mojave Pdf

  1. Restart your Mac.
  2. While the startup disc is waking up, hold down the Command+R keys simultaneously. Your Mac will boot into macOS Recover.
  3. Select Disk Utility.

  4. Click on Continue.

    Source: iMore

  5. Click on View.
  6. Click on Show all Devices.
  7. Find your Startup disk (it should be named 'Machintosh HD' unless you renamed it) in the sidebar.
  8. Select the data disk under the startup disk.
  9. Click Edit.
  10. Click Delete APFS Volume from the menu bar or click the Remove button in the disk utility bar.
  11. Confirm by clicking Delete when prompted.

Repeat this process for all data disks under your startup disk. Do not use Delete Volume Group. Once you've deleted all of your data drives, you'll move on to erasing your startup disk.

  1. Select your Startup Disk (it should be named 'Machintosh HD' unless you renamed it) in the sidebar.
  2. Click the Erase button at the top of the Disk Utility window.
  3. If your Mac is using HFS+, select Mac OS Extended (Journaled) from the format list. If your Mac is using APFS, select APFS from the format list. See Troubleshooting for more information on which format to select.
  4. If Scheme is available, select GUID Partition Map.

  5. Click Erase.

    Source: iMore

  6. After the process is complete, select Quit Disk Utility from the Disk Utility drop-down menu in the upper left corner of the screen.

    Source: iMore

Source: Christine Romero-Chan / iMore

After you erase your hard drive it will be ready for a clean installation of the operating system. You should already be in the Utilities window after erasing your Mac. If not, restart your computer and hold down Command and R at the same time until you see the Apple logo.

Make sure to reinstall macOS through Recovery Mode, holding down Command+R. You may be asked to sign in with your Apple ID.

If you get stuck during reinstallation, see our troubleshooting section for additional help.

Note: Make sure your Mac is connected to the internet in order to verify the software. You'll be asked to do so during the installation process.

If, while reinstalling macOS, you're asked to enter a password, enter the password you use to unlock your Mac, not your Apple ID.

  1. Restart your Mac.
  2. While the startup disc is waking up, hold down the Command+R keys simultaneously. You're Mac will boot into macOS Recover.
  3. Click on Reinstall macOS (or Reinstall OS X where applicable) to reinstall the operating system that came with your Mac.
  4. Click on Continue.
  5. Select your hard drive ('Machintosh HD), when asked to select your disk.

  6. Click on Install to install the latest operating system that was on your Mac. Your Mac will restart after the installation is complete.

    • Make sure you don't close the lid on a MacBook or put your Mac to sleep during this reinstallation period, even if it takes a while. If the computer goes to sleep, it will stop the installation process from continuing and you'll have to start over. Your screen will go blank, show the restart Apple logo, and show a progress bar several different times.
  7. Hold down Command and Q after the installation is complete. Do not follow the setup instructions. Leave that part for the new owner.

  8. Click Shut Down to shut down your Mac.

    Source: iMore

Your Mac is now clean and ready for a new owner. They will complete the setup instructions to get started using the Mac, as well as download the latest macOS operating system that is available and supported on their Mac.


Troubleshooting erasing your hard drive or reinstalling macOS

What Hard Drive Format For Mac Mojave Drive

I've gotten a lot of very specific questions about issues some readers have with erasing or reinstalling macOS (usually reinstalling). Sometimes, the easiest way to fix issues with reinstalling macOS is to start by holding Shift+Option+Command+R which will put your Mac into an alternate version of Recovery Mode that allows you to install the original macOS that came with your Mac. From here, you can either keep that operating system and let the new owner update to their preferred macOS, or go through the macOS update process.

If, during the macOS reinstallation process, the installer doesn't see your disk or says you can't install the operating system on the disk, you may need to try erasing your hard drive again. Restart your Mac and hold down Command+R to bring up Recovery mode and repeat Step 4.

Since macOS changed to APFS, some readers have struggled with which format option to choose when erasing their disk. Here are some other possible troubleshooting issues from Apple's support document that may help you.

Are you formatting the disk that came built into your Mac?

If the built-in disk came APFS-formatted, don't change it to Mac OS Extended.

Are you about to install macOS High Sierra or later on the disk?

If you need to erase your disk before installing High Sierra or later for the first time on that disk, choose Mac OS Extended (Journaled). During installation, the macOS installer decides whether to automatically convert to APFS—without erasing your files:

  • macOS Mojave and Catalina: The installer converts from Mac OS Extended to APFS.
  • macOS High Sierra: The installer converts from Mac OS Extended to APFS only if the volume is on an SSD or another all-flash storage device. Fusion Drives and traditional hard disk drives (HDDs) aren't converted.

Are you preparing a Time Machine backup disk or bootable installer?

Choose Mac OS Extended (Journaled) for any disk that you plan to use with Time Machine or as a bootable installer.

Will you be using the disk with another Mac?

If the other Mac isn't using High Sierra or later, choose Mac OS Extended (Journaled). Earlier versions of macOS don't mount APFS-formatted volumes.

To learn which format is currently in use, use any of these methods:

  • Select the volume in the Disk Utility sidebar, then check the information on the right. For more detail, choose File > Get Info from the Disk Utility menu bar.
  • Open System Information and select Storage in the sidebar. The File System column on the right shows the format of each volume.
  • Select the volume in the Finder, then choose File > Get Info from the menu bar. The Get Info window shows the Format of that volume.

If you're still having trouble with either erasing your hard drive or reinstalling macOS, please reach out to us in the forums. We have a wonderful community of Apple users that are happy to help someone in need.

Any questions?

Is there anything about resetting your Mac to prepare it for sale that you need help with? Let me know in the comments and I'll get you squared away.

Updated May 2020: Updated for macOS Catalina.

macOS Catalina

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