Disc images are a fairly common packaging standard for large software programs. If you want to try out a new Linux distribution, for example, chances are you'll need to download a disc image in ISO format and burn it to a blank CD-ROM or DVD. But ever since I began using Mac OS X, I've been perpetually confused about how to burn ISO images. You can also burn ISO images from the command line by using the Terminal application. Just type hdiutil burn image.iso where image.iso is the name of the ISO image. (Remember, you have to be in the folder of the ISO image. Use the cd command to navigate to the folder containing the ISO image.).
Looking for the best ISO to USB burner for Mac? It's possible, but ISO is not native file type in Mac OS X or macOS environment, so you need to use workaround methods or employ a third-party ISO burning utility for Mac to get this done. This article covers three ways to burn ISO to USB stick on a Mac computer, powered by macOS Catalina, Mojave, High Serria and earier Mac OS X systems.
The first thing you need to know is that you can't use an ISO disk image file on a Mac, since Apple primarily uses the DMG format. However, if you merely want to burn ISO to a USB stick, that's definitely possible. The only thing you can't do is run an ISO file on an Apple computer. Let's look at the various ways to burn ISO to USB on a Mac machine.
Notice: There are different types of ISO images (Windows, Linux, Raspbian OS, etc.) and they apply different booting schemes. So basically, there is not a perfect software out there that can burn all ISO images successfully. You should try another suggestion if one failed.
Updates: If you have any question during ISO burning process, please check out the FAQ Part at the end of this article.
Part 1: How to Burn ISO to USB on Mac with Terminal Software
Terminal is Apple's command line equivalent of Command Prompt in Windows and Terminal in Linux. Using this command line utility, you can burn an ISO file to an external DVD or USB disk. If you did not t have any experience with text command, then this is not recommended because it is too risky to damage the local disk with wrong input. Terminal allows you to do several system-level operations, so don't input anything other than the commands specified in the process outline shown below:
Step 1: Click Terminal icon from the Dock. Or Go to the Applications folder on Mac and find the Terminal app in Utilities folder.
Step 2: Copy the ISO file in a convenient location so your command doesn't have to be too long. Saving it to desktop or downloads folder is usually a good idea. Make sure you remember the name of the ISO file because it will be used in the command.
Step 3: If your ISO file is in your Desktop, then run the following command (press Enter after typing the command): cd desktop
Step 4: Now run the following command (hit Enter after typing): hdiutil burn filename.iso
Step 5: Once you run the command, your ISO file will be burned to the USB drive in your default optical drive. If you haven't inserted a disk, you will be prompted to do so. There is no need to run the command again after inserting the USB.
Cons:
- Dangerous and not safe for beginners.
- Sharp learning curve.
- Bad support for USB 2.0 device.
- Lower success rate.
If you want to avoid any kind of command line work and if you're running one of the newer versions of macOS, then it's better to use a third-party software like the one described in Part 2 below.
Part 2: Easily Burn ISO to USB on Mac via UUByte ISO Editor (Bootable USB Creator)
Sofware being powered by a graphics user interface are always welcomed because of user friendly operation. So the second suggestion in here is UUByte ISO burner software called ISO Editor for Mac. It is popularly regarded as the best ISO burning software for Mac. It allows you to burn, extract, edit, copy and create ISO almost as if it was a native file format on Mac. The utility has been fully tested on a wide range of storage media brands as well as all versions of macOS and Mac OS X.
The biggest advantage is that you do not need any technical expertise whatsoever to use this software. It is highly intuitive, and in a matter of minutes you can burn your ISO to USB or DVD. More importantly, the USB is bootable in default. This flexibility makes it the most user-friendly Mac app for handling ISO disk images in a number of ways. The next section shows you how to easily and quickly burn any ISO file to a disk or drive to create bootable USB on your Mac.
Key Features of ISO Editor for Mac
- Designed by great UI.
- Powerful Burning options.
- Able to make bootable USB or DVD.
- Support the latest macOS Mojave and High Serria.
- Include other useful ISO tools such as edit, extract and create.
Step 1: Download UUByte ISO Burner for Mac
Download and install ISO Editor for Mac to your computer and launch the program. Click on the Burn module on the first page, which will take you to the ISO burning utility.
Step 2: Insert USB Drive on Mac and Import ISO Image
Insert a USB flash drive into your Mac. Select the ISO file to be burned to the media. If you want a different partition style or file system, make those changes on this page. If you don't know what they mean, leave them in default mode.
Step 3: Start Burning ISO to USB on Mac
Click Burn and the ISO file will be burned to USB drive in around 5 minutes. Please wait and be patient. Make sure the computer not going into sleep mode during the burning process.
UUByte ISO Editor for Mac boasts a 95% burn success rate, so no wasted disks or wasted time when you use this software. The software's reliability, flexibility and speed have made this the go-to Mac application for handling ISO disk image files.
Part 3: Disk Utility - The Default ISO to USB Buner (Solid for Old Macs)
Disk Utility is a built-in tool that comes with Mac OS X and macOS. Using this function, you can easily burn your ISO to a disk after mounting it. Disk Utility is primarily meant to view and repair hard drives and other drives, but also has added functionality. Follow the process below to get your ISO burned to a writable DVD or CD.
Step 1: Go to the Applications folder using Finder or by clicking the shortcut on the bottom right of your screen. From there, go into the Utilities folder and click on Disk Utility to launch the app.
Step 2: Open your ISO file and mount it as a virtual drive. This is done automatically when you click on File >Open Disk Image… in the top menu.
Step 3: When you see your ISO file in the left panel, that means it was mounted properly. You can now insert an USB and click on the Burn option to burn the target ISO file to the USB drive.
This method is only meant for OS X 10.10 and earlier versions. With Mac OS X 10.11 El Capitan, Apple removed the ability to burn ISO to a USB. If you have one of these higher versions, you can try the above methods.
Part 4: Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why file copying process failed?
The USB will be formatted to FAT32 in order to create a working Windows partition on Mac. This means you can not copy a file larger than 4GB. This is one of the biggest issue with FAT32 file system. We noticed that the latest Windows 10 ISO downloaded from Microsoft.com will over 5GB and the install.wim file is obviously larger than 4GB. That's why file copying process faile during burning process. The solution is to download an old version of Windows 10 from other sources.
Q: Why my USB drive is not bootable by using hdiutil command?
It is a common case for Windows ISO image because this command does not write Windows bootloader to USB drive. You have to format the drive to FAT32 first in Disk Utility.
Q: Can not select USB drive in UUByte ISO Editor?
If the USB drive could be recognized by Mac but not in UUByte ISO Editor, then it is highly possible that your Mac is in Dark Mode. To fix this, please switch to Light mode instead.
Q: Should I format USB stick to NTFS?
No. Mac can only see USB drive formatted with exFAT or MS-FAT. NTFS is not supported by Mac in default. So you can not write ISO image to NTFS USB on Mac. FAT32 is more recommended!
Q: How much time it takes for burning ISO to USB?
For high-speed USB drive (3.0 or 3.1), it can be done within 10 minutes. For low-speed USB drive, it takes much longers (more than 20 minutes).
Q: Can I use UNetbootin for burning Windows 10 ISO?
No. USB will not be bootable if you are using UNetbootin to burn ISO to USB on Mac.
Windows Iso Burner
Q: Can I use Etcher for burning Windows ISO?
No. You will receive 'Partition table missing' error when importing Windows ISO into Etcher app on Mac.
Summary
To be honest, Burning ISO to USB was not challenging at all on Mac in the past. But the situation was changed since the release of macOS. Many apps was not supported or updated to Catalina, Mojave or High Serria. So for the new Mac computer, UUByte ISO Editor is the best option out there in 2020.
If you have been dealing with softwares and operating systems for a period, then you must have come across an indispensible terminology as 'ISO image' or 'ISO file'. Do you ever wonder what do they mean exactly while working with them? Most of the users do not pay much attention to the detail of the file, but rather proceed with the procedures that lay ahead. Well that is not going to support you if you head on with intricate software and operating system issues for the long run. So it is better to know what ISO images really are.
ISO images are basically images containing information of a particular software or operating system you are so seeking in a compressed format. This menial format allows software vendors and IT companies to securely and conveniently share their products across the market without much difficulty. And ISO can be burned into DVD and USB for installing a operating system.
So if you ever run into a situation where your system has been compromised and you need to re-install or format it immediately, then you definitely need an ISO burner to burn ISO images to an optical disk (USB or DVD/CD). Mere copy paste of the file into the disk would not do the job. And this is what we are going to discuss in this article in detail.
Iso Image Burner For Mac Computers
Method 1: Burn ISO Image to DVD/CD with ImgBurn
ImgBurn is generally used for producing ISO image files as well as burning ISO files to discs. Apart from ISO images, it can also burn quite a huge number of file formats to discs like ISO, IMG, MDS, BIN & NRG files. Not only that, you can even use this tool to make ISO, IMG and BIN files from the existing files and folders in your computer. But it is only supported in almost all Windows platform, from Windows 95 to the latest Windows 8. Moreover, there are many exception features that are not available on free tools but be careful because ImgBurn will automatically install adware during the installation, so make sure to uncheck them and customize the installation process according to your requirement.
Step 1. Download and run the installer for Pismo File Mount Audit Package.
Step 2. After finishing the installation process, just right click on the ISO file and select 'Mount Image'.
Step 3. Within few seconds the mounting should be done and the icon of the ISO image will change that looks like as follows - You may now double click on the folder and it will open normally like the snapshot below.
Step 4. Now, select all the files and folders from the mounted image and copy it to a distinct folder. After copying is finished, go ahead and 'unmount' the ISO image file so that it can return to the ISO format.
Cons –
- It is an outdated version and might not support UEFI-basd Windows 10, 64 bit.
- Automatically install adware during the installation.
- Suitable for professionals.
- Doesn't support for RAW formats. This goes for ripping and also for burning.
Method 2: Burn ISO Image to Bootable DVD/CD with ISOGeeker
Due to the lackness of effective techniques and updates, ImgBurn didn't support the latest UEFI-based computer and windows 10 64 bit. On the contrary, TunesBro ISOGeeker has been released since the begining of the Windows 7 and totally different to the other tools. It can be able to burn a ISO image into a writable DVD, CD disk with also writing the ISO booting parameters, after the burning, your DVD/CD can be bootable on another computer. The whole burning procedure is done automatically and continuously without getting any errors like other tools, you don't need to make any settings. There are some other useful features included such as burning ISO, creating ISO, extracting ISO, editing ISO and copy image from Disc.
Needless to say, that this ISOGeeker is fully equipped with all the necessary features that has been missing in many of your attempted tools, and can really assure you of a full fledge output.
ISOGeeker - Directly Extrtact ISO Image Files without Burning
- All-in-one ISO tool including Burning, Extracting, Creating, Editing and making ISO from Disc.
- Two ways to burn: USB, DVD/CD
- It works for both MBR (legacy BIOS/CMS boot) modes and GPT (UEFI boot).
- Open and extract everything from a ISO file with one-click.
- C ompatible with all Windows OS, namely, XP/ Vista/ 7/ 8/ 10.
Step 1. Download ISOGeeker on to your computer (Windows and Mac vesrion are all available), then Install it accurately with installation wizard. Now open up the tool and from the main screen click on 'Burn' option.
Step 2. This part, you will first be required to select the ISO file that you want to burn into DVD/CD. Just click the browsing button to import your ISO image. If you're using a portable DVD/CD drive, then you need to connect your DVD or DVD drive into your computer. The program will recognize your DVD and list it in the box. Then click the Burn button to start writing ISO image to your DVD/CD.
Step 3. It will take few minutes to finish the burning process, kind your DVD/CD drive is connected during the burning. You'll see a progress screen while the data is written to the DVD/CD and finalizing
After burning, it will pops up a Windows saying 'Burn successfully!' and DVD/CD will be ejected. Then you can check the all the ISO files were burned into the disc, means it can be used to install operating system.
And it's all done. The whole process is very straight-forward, and for a full walkthrough on this.
Iso Image Burner For Mac Download
Conclusion:
Most ISO burning software may has a bit of legal trouble because they will remove macro copyright. But don't worry, TunesBro ISOGeeker never remove the copyright protection from any DVD/CD, it just write the ISO image to disc with legitimate control arithmetic, and never remove copyright protection. If you have a ISO installation file, it's highly recommend to using ISOGeeker to create a bootable DVD/CD fro ISO image right now, If your computer is in danger and requires urgent formatting due to malware invasion, then the newly created bootable disc will be helpful to you.