How to Install macOS Monterey | Clean Install Guide for macOS 12

Introduction to macOS Monterey

What is macOS Monterey? As an evolution of macOS Big Sur, macOS Monterey is the name of Apple's latest operating system, now available to everyone. By installing or downloading macOS Monterey, users can connect across multiple Apple devices, accomplish more, and boost productivity.

New features in macOS Monterey include: 1. Center Stage: Automatically adjusts the camera view during video calls to keep you centered. 2. Quick Notes: Create, access, and link notes quickly from any app for jotting down ideas on the go. 3. SharedPlay: Watch movies, listen to music, or share screen content with friends during FaceTime calls. 4. Spatial Audio: Experience cinema-like sound quality during FaceTime calls. 5. Focus Mode: Create custom focus modes based on your work or activities to filter notifications and stay focused. 6. Universal Control: Seamlessly switch between multiple Macs and iPads using one set of mouse and keyboard. 7. Safari Updates: Redesigned tab bar, tab groups, and enhanced privacy protection features. 8. AirPlay to Mac: Wirelessly stream audio and video from your iPhone or iPad to your Mac. 9. Live Text: Recognize text within images for copying, searching, or translating. 10. Picture-in-Picture: Minimize videos to a corner of the screen while performing other tasks. 11. Mail Privacy Protection: Prevent senders from tracking when you open their emails. 12. Translate: Directly translate entire web pages within Safari. These are some of the key new features of macOS Monterey, designed to enhance user experience and productivity.

Currently, macOS Monterey comprises six releases. The most recent one is macOS 12.6. As with any other versions, this iteration brings performance enhancements and improvements across various aspects. Apple refined the user experience from previous systems by introducing a new version of Safari, Universal Control, Share Play, and numerous other refinements in macOS Monterey.

The system requirements for installing macOS Monterey are as follows: 1. Mac models: macOS Monterey is compatible with the following Mac models for update: - MacBook Air (late 2013 and later) - MacBook Pro (late 2013 and later) - iMac (late 2013 and later) - iMac Pro (2017 and later) - Mac mini (late 2014 and later) - Mac Pro (2013 and later) 2. Operating system version: Your device must be running macOS Mojave 10.14 or later. 3. Storage space: You need at least 35.5 GB of available disk space to install macOS Monterey. 4. Connection: It is recommended to use a Wi-Fi connection for downloading the update, as the file size may be substantial. 5. Power: Ensure your device is connected to power during the installation process to avoid interruption due to low battery. 6. User permissions: You must have administrator privileges to install macOS Monterey. Please note that these requirements might change with Apple updates. It's best to visit the Apple website for the latest system requirements and compatibility information before attempting to install.

macOS Monterey is a significant release from Apple that introduces features for the new Apple M1 chips found in the latest MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and Mac mini models. Here's the list of devices that support macOS Monterey:

- iMac - Late 2015 and later - iMac Pro - 2017 and later - Mac Pro - Late 2013 and later - Mac mini - Late 2014 and later - MacBook - 2016 and later - MacBook Air - 2015 and later - MacBook Pro - 2015 and later

How to Download and Install macOS Monterey

Before downloading and installing macOS Monterey, make sure it's compatible with your Mac. When you do install it, back up your data and files, as you don't want to risk losing everything on your Mac. Here's a tutorial video on how to install macOS Monterey in four different ways.

• 00:00 - Opening and welcome.
• 00:15 - Downloading Monterey can be complicated.
• 00:44 - Method 1: Through System Preferences - Software Update.
• 03:02 - Method 2: Download from the Mac App Store.
• 03:50 - Methods 3 and 4 allow you to download previous versions.
• 03:56 - Method 3: One-step download of the Monterey Install Assistant.
• 06:55 - Method 4: Using the softwareupdate --fetch-full-installer command.

Download macOS Monterey

The macOS Monterey installer can be downloaded from the App Store:

Step 1: Activate the App Store.

Step 2: Click in the search field, type "macOS Monterey", and press Return.

Step 3: In the search results, select “macOS Monterey.”

Step 4. To download the macOS Monterey installer, click the Get button.

Step 5: Wait for the download to complete.

Create a bootable macOS Monterey USB drive to install Monterey

In this tutorial, you'll learn how to create a bootable USB Mac and install macOS Monterey from USB, making it easier to upgrade macOS 12 on multiple Mac devices.

Step 1: Insert the USB drive.

Step 2: If you have used the USB drive before, check for any important files that you might have forgotten about.

Step 3: Select your USB drive and click “Erase” to format the USB flash drive.

Step 4. Open Terminal on your Mac.

Step 5. In the Terminal window, type the following command: sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Monterey.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/YOURUSBDRIVE --nointeraction

Step 6: Finally, type the password for the root account and press [Enter].

A Step-by-Step Guide to a Clean Install of macOS Monterey

You should now shut down your Mac and boot from the USB installer drive instead of your primary hard drive to begin the clean installation of macOS Monterey.

Step 1: Connect your bootable installer USB drive to your Mac.

Step 2: Shut down your Mac.

Step 3. Hold down the Option or Alt key as your Mac starts up, and keep it held down until you see the Startup Disk selection screen.

Step 4: Select the bootable installation volume and click “Next”.

Step 5: In the Utilities window that appears, choose Install macOS.

Step 6: Click 'Next' to finish.

You can now proceed with a clean installation of macOS 12 Monterey.

How to upgrade and install macOS Monterey (macOS 12)

The upgrade to macOS 12 Monterey should be straightforward, because Apple has started releasing the new operating-system upgrade.

Step 1: Click the Apple menu and choose System Preferences.

Step 2: Select “Software Update” from the “System Preferences” menu. You should see an update for “macOS Monterey 12.”

Step 3: Click “Update Now” to start the installation process.

Step 4: If there aren't any updates, restart your Mac and open the Mac App Store.

Click it to download and install the operating system update, and then follow the on-screen instructions.

How to Retrieve Data When macOS Monterey Installation Fails

When installing or upgrading an operating system, there is a risk of losing all the data on your computer, including programs you've installed and any files you've created. There are a few ways you can recover this data. Your first option is to try using some free backup software. A reliable program will allow you to save your data so that you can restore it later. If you don't have a backup tool, backing up your data to cloud storage is another option. You can use Apple's iCloud to store your data online.

However, if you don't have a backup of your data and files, the other option is to try using a third-party recovery tool. There are many other recovery tools to choose from. But I recommend using tools Data Recovery Wizard for Mac.

• You can easily use this reliable recovery tool to restore deleted files on Mac. It immediately retrieves lost files when installation gets hindered on macOS Monterey.
• Data Recovery Wizard helps you recover files from Mac Trash if you accidentally delete files and folders and empty the Mac Trash.

After downloading the tool – Data Recovery Wizard for Mac, proceed with the guide.

Note: You can create a backup by first clicking on "Disk Backup" on the left. You can then restore data from the backup image when the disk is damaged or data on the disk is accidentally deleted or lost.

Step 1: Choose a location

Select the disk from which you lost data after upgrading to macOS Sonoma/Ventura/Monterey/Big Sur. Then, click “Search for Lost Files.”

Step 2: Search for the lost data after the scan.

Upon launch, Data Recovery Wizard for Mac will immediately scan the disk volume you select and display the scanning results in the left pane. Use File Type and File Path to locate your desired data on Mac.

Step 3: Recover data after updating macOS

Select the target files that were accidentally lost during or after the update, and click "Recover" to get them all back.

Frequently Asked Questions about Installing macOS Monterey

Here are four questions you might find interesting, with answers you can explore here.

1. How long does it take to install macOS Monterey?

It takes about 10 minutes to install macOS Monterey on a Mac. If the installation takes much longer, try restarting your Mac.

2. How to Install macOS Monterey on an Unsupported Mac?

While macOS Monterey patches could be used for this purpose, there's no straightforward way to install it on an incompatible Mac since it can't receive software updates directly from the Mac App Store.

Can I install macOS Monterey from a USB without an internet connection?

While a bootable installer doesn't require downloading macOS Monterey from the internet, it does need a connection to download firmware and other information specific to your Mac.

4. How do I reinstall macOS?

All installers, including those for macOS Monterey, macOS Big Sur, and macOS Catalina, can be found in the Mac App Store. You can create the installer using the appropriate Terminal command for each version of macOS.

Conclusions

In summary, downloading and installing macOS Monterey is a relatively straightforward process. You might need to read the instructions carefully to avoid issues and follow all the steps. Once the installation is complete, you'll be able to enjoy all the new features and improvements that macOS Monterey offers.

If you've experienced data loss and your Mac won't boot into Recovery Mode, you may also want to seek out tools designed specifically for the job.