{"id":36392,"date":"2021-10-26T16:51:15","date_gmt":"2021-10-26T16:51:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/?p=36392"},"modified":"2022-04-22T16:12:18","modified_gmt":"2022-04-22T16:12:18","slug":"how-to-clean-install-macos-monterey-in-a-few-simple-steps","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/clean-install-macos-monterey.html","title":{"rendered":"How to Clean Install macOS Monterey in a few Simple Steps"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>macOS 12 Monterey is the name of Apple\u2019s latest operating system, an evolution of the current Big Sur platform that offers new features and tweaks to some of the Cupertino giant\u2019s most popular apps and services. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.apple.com\/newsroom\/2021\/10\/macos-monterey-is-now-available\/\">Apple released macOS 12 Monterey<\/a> on Monday, October 25.<\/p>\r\n<p><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-36432\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/how-to-clean-install-macOS-Monterey.jpg\" alt=\"how to clean install macOS Monterey\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/how-to-clean-install-macOS-Monterey.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/how-to-clean-install-macOS-Monterey-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/how-to-clean-install-macOS-Monterey-500x281.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/how-to-clean-install-macOS-Monterey-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/how-to-clean-install-macOS-Monterey-1536x864.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/p>\r\n<p>In this guide, we\u2019re going to walk you through the steps required to <b>clean install macOS Monterey<\/b>, including backing up your existing files and creating a bootable USB stick that will be used to perform the installation.<\/p>\r\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"why_perform_a_clean_install_of_macos_monterey\"><\/span>Why perform a clean install of macOS Monterey?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p>When we talk about a \u201cclean install\u201d of macOS Monterey, we mean erasing the main disk of all its files and then installing the new operating system on the freshly wiped drive.<\/p>\r\n<p>Typically, when you\u2019re offered an operating system upgrade from the Apple App Store, you&#8217;re encouraged to simply download the new version and to overwrite your existing setup, without wiping the entire disk and erasing your data.<\/p>\r\n<p><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-36430\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/install-macOS-Monterey.jpg\" alt=\"install macOS Monterey\" width=\"1599\" height=\"900\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/install-macOS-Monterey.jpg 1599w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/install-macOS-Monterey-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/install-macOS-Monterey-500x281.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/install-macOS-Monterey-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/install-macOS-Monterey-1536x865.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1599px) 100vw, 1599px\" \/><\/p>\r\n<p>There\u2019s absolutely nothing wrong with this \u201cstandard\u201d method of installation, but wiping the disk entirely and performing a true \u201cclean install\u201d will remove any potential problems, from outdated or third-party software. It will also remove any transient files and incorrect settings in your Library folder \u2014 things that could potentially cause issues days, weeks, and months down the road.<\/p>\r\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"will_you_risk_losing_any_of_your_files\"><\/span>Will you risk losing any of your files?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p>Does the idea of wiping your current operating system fill you with dread? Well, with our step-by-step guide, you needn\u2019t worry about losing any of your precious files, and we\u2019ll help you to create several backup options just in case things don\u2019t work out according to plan.<\/p>\r\n<p>Convinced? Great! Let\u2019s dive right in\u2026<\/p>\r\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"is_your_mac_compatible\"><\/span>Is your Mac compatible?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p>macOS Monterey is the first major release from Apple that will contain features that only work with the new Apple M1 chips found in the latest MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and Mac mini \u2014 and a further tier of features will only work on the more powerful 16 GB versions of those devices.<\/p>\r\n<p>You can still clean install macOS Monterey on an older Intel machine, but it\u2019s worth noting that most computers over 5-6 years old probably won\u2019t be compatible.<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"alert alert-success\" role=\"alert\">\r\n<p><strong>Here\u2019s the official list of supported devices:<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><strong>iMac\u200c<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Late 2015 onwards<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong>iMac\u200c Pro<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 2017 onwards<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong>Mac Pro<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Late 2013 onwards<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong>Mac mini<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Late 2014 onwards<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong>MacBook<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 2016 onwards<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong>MacBook Air\u200c<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 2015 onwards<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong>MacBook Pro<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 2015 onwards<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"step_1_backup_your_existing_installation\"><\/span><span style=\"border-radius: 6px; background: #041936; color: white; padding: 1px 5px;\">Step 1:<\/span> Backup your existing installation<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p>As you\u2019re going to completely clean install macOS Monterey, your computer\u2019s drive and all of the files stored on it will be completely wiped and replaced by the new operating system. As you can imagine, that means that before attempting to use your USB installer that you\u2019ll want to ensure that:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>All of your files and folders can be easily added back to your new install.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>You have a complete backup of your old installation in case something goes wrong.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"start_by_making_a_time_machine_backup\"><\/span>Start by making a Time Machine backup<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p>When you clean install macOS, ideally, you should always make backup copies of your Mac just in case something goes wrong. In fact, regardless of whether you\u2019re upgrading your operating system or not, it\u2019s still prudent to keep your system backed up at all times. Luckily, Apple\u2019s built-in Time Machine app makes this process extremely simple:<\/p>\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li>Plug in a USB hard drive with enough space for your backup.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Head to the settings panel.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Click the Time Machine icon.<img class=\"border-gray border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-36401 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/time-machine-settings-select.jpg\" alt=\"time machine settings select\" width=\"1200\" height=\"1006\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/time-machine-settings-select.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/time-machine-settings-select-300x252.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/time-machine-settings-select-500x419.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/time-machine-settings-select-768x644.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Click Select Disk.<img class=\"border-gray border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-36402 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/time-machine-select-backup-disk.jpg\" alt=\"time machine select backup disk\" width=\"1200\" height=\"842\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/time-machine-select-backup-disk.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/time-machine-select-backup-disk-300x211.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/time-machine-select-backup-disk-500x351.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/time-machine-select-backup-disk-768x539.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Select the disk you\u2019d like to use for backups.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p>That\u2019s all there is to it. Time Machine works silently in the background, storing snapshots of your system every hour for 24 hours, then daily backups for one month, and, finally, weekly backups for all previous months. Once the disk gets full, Time Machine will free up space by overwriting the oldest copies first.<\/p>\r\n<p>Once you have Time Machine up and running, you can click the Time Machine icon in the top right of the menu bar, then click \u201cback up now\u201d to ensure you have a recent backup of your computer.<\/p>\r\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"use_disk_drill_to_make_an_image_of_your_entire_disk\"><\/span>Use Disk Drill to make an image of your entire disk<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p>Disk Drill is a really handy (and free) app that allows you to recover lost or deleted data. The app also has a useful installer tool for making bootable macOS USB sticks, and it can even back up your entire disk to a .dmg image file.<\/p>\r\n<p><b>Read also:<\/b> <a href=\"\/howto\/recover-files-after-macos-monterey-update.html\">Recover Lost Files After a macOS Monterey Update<\/a><\/p>\r\n<p>Should something go wrong with your macOS Monterey install, you\u2019ll be able to quickly and simply restore your old setup from this .dmg file. Here\u2019s how to create the backup file:<\/p>\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li><a href=\"\/download.html\">Download<\/a>, install and open the Disk Drill app.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Click \u201cByte-to-byte Backup\u201d from the \u201cExtra Tools\u201d menu in the left column.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>You\u2019ll now be shown a list of available disks that can be backed up into a .dmg file. Select your main system disk and click the \u201cCreate backup\u201d button.<img class=\"border-gray border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-36403 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/byte-to-byte-backup-disk-drill.jpg\" alt=\"byte to byte backup disk drill\" width=\"1200\" height=\"730\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/byte-to-byte-backup-disk-drill.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/byte-to-byte-backup-disk-drill-300x183.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/byte-to-byte-backup-disk-drill-500x304.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/byte-to-byte-backup-disk-drill-768x467.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Once you\u2019ve named your file and selected a location to safely store the backup, clicking \u201csave\u201d will begin the creation process.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Once your file has been created successfully, you\u2019ll be ready to clean install macOS Monterey.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<div class=\"alert alert-info\" role=\"alert\">&#x1f4a1;\u00a0<span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">Disk Drill may not be able to maximize its data recovery if the drive is encrypted by M1 or T2 chips, which have added security features. Because of this, it\u2019s best to do your backup via Time Machine.<\/span><\/div>\r\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"step_2_download_the_macos_monterey_installer\"><\/span><span style=\"border-radius: 6px; background: #041936; color: white; padding: 1px 5px;\">Step 2:<\/span> Download the macOS Monterey Installer<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p>You can download the macOS Monterey installer from the App Store:<\/p>\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li>Launch the <a href=\"https:\/\/apps.apple.com\/us\/app\/macos-monterey\/id1576738294?mt=12\">App Store<\/a>.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Click the search bar, type in &#8220;macOS Monterey,&#8221; and hit Return.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Click macOS Monterey in the search results.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Click the Get button to download the macOS Monterey installer.\u00a0\u00a0<img class=\"border-gray border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-36404 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/macos-monterey-app-store-download.jpg\" alt=\"macos monterey app store download\" width=\"1202\" height=\"748\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/macos-monterey-app-store-download.jpg 1202w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/macos-monterey-app-store-download-300x187.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/macos-monterey-app-store-download-500x311.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/macos-monterey-app-store-download-768x478.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1202px) 100vw, 1202px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Wait for the download to finish.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p>The macOS Monterey installer is around 12 GB large, so it may take a while for it to finish downloading, depending on the speed of your internet connection.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"step_3_format_a_usb_flash_drive_for_macos_monterey_optional\"><\/span><span style=\"border-radius: 6px; background: #041936; color: white; padding: 1px 5px;\">Step 3:<\/span> Format a USB Flash Drive for macOS Monterey [Optional]<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p>Now that you have a copy of the macOS Monterey Installer sitting in your Applications folder, it\u2019s time to make a bootable USB stick. You\u2019ll need to find one with at least 16 GB of space, as the macOS Monterey Installer tips the scales at around 12-14 GB.<\/p>\r\n<p>Here\u2019s what you\u2019ll need to do to prepare the USB stick:<\/p>\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li>Plugin the USB stick.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>If you\u2019ve used the stick before, check for any important files that you might have forgotten.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Open the Disk Utility (found in the \/Applications\/Utilities\/ folder).<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Select your USB stick and click the \u201cErase\u201d button (from the list of icons at the top of the window).<img class=\"border-gray border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-36405 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/disk-utility-erase-usb.jpg\" alt=\"disk utility erase usb\" width=\"1874\" height=\"1164\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/disk-utility-erase-usb.jpg 1874w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/disk-utility-erase-usb-300x186.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/disk-utility-erase-usb-500x311.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/disk-utility-erase-usb-768x477.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/disk-utility-erase-usb-1536x954.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1874px) 100vw, 1874px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Make sure \u201cMac OS Extended (Journaled)\u201d is selected.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Name your stick \u201cMontereyUSB\u201d or something else that\u2019s easy to identify.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Click the \u201cErase\u201d button.<img class=\"border-gray border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-36406 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/erase-USB-monterey-confirm.jpg\" alt=\"erase USB monterey confirm\" width=\"1134\" height=\"570\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/erase-USB-monterey-confirm.jpg 1134w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/erase-USB-monterey-confirm-300x151.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/erase-USB-monterey-confirm-500x251.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/erase-USB-monterey-confirm-768x386.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1134px) 100vw, 1134px\" \/><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"step_4_install_macos_12_monterey_onto_your_usb_drive\"><\/span><span style=\"border-radius: 6px; background: #041936; color: white; padding: 1px 5px;\">Step 4:<\/span> Install macOS 12 Monterey onto your USB Drive<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p>Once your USB drive is freshly formatted, it\u2019s time to add the macOS Monterey installer that you downloaded earlier. This requires typing a few lines into the Terminal application \u2014 but don\u2019t worry, it\u2019s really simple!<\/p>\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li>Open up the Terminal (found in the \/Applications\/Utilities\/ folder).<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Paste the following command into the terminal window:<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<pre>sudo \/Applications\/Install\\ macOS\\ Monterey.app\/Contents\/Resources\/createinstallmedia --volume \/Volumes\/YOURUSBDRIVE --nointeraction<\/pre>\r\n<ol start=\"3\">\r\n\t<li>Replace YOURUSBDRIVE with the actual name of your USB drive.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Finally, hit the enter key and type your main admin account password.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p><img class=\"border-gray border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-36413 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/usb-installer-terminal-monterey.jpg\" alt=\"usb installer terminal monterey\" width=\"726\" height=\"494\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/usb-installer-terminal-monterey.jpg 726w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/usb-installer-terminal-monterey-300x204.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/usb-installer-terminal-monterey-500x340.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 726px) 100vw, 726px\" \/><\/p>\r\n<p>That\u2019s it! You\u2019ll be asked if you want to proceed with the installation, and if you agree, you\u2019ll see a percentage indicator in the Terminal window indicating the progress of the copy.<\/p>\r\n<p>After that\u2019s completed, you\u2019ll be the proud owner of a bootable macOS Monterey USB stick!<\/p>\r\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"alternative_method_disk_drill\"><\/span>Alternative method: Disk Drill<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p>If you\u2019re a little reluctant to fire up the Terminal, there is another method that you can use to install macOS Monterey in a few simple clicks:\u00a0<a href=\"\/\">Disk Drill.<\/a><\/p>\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li>Launch Disk Drill and select \u201cmacOS Installer\u201d from the left pane.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Select \u201cInstall macOS Monterey\u201d from the list of available options.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>If you can\u2019t see the correct file, there\u2019s an option to manually add it at the bottom of the window.<img class=\"border-gray border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-36415 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/disk-drill-macos-installer-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"disk drill macos installer\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1353\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/disk-drill-macos-installer-scaled.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/disk-drill-macos-installer-300x198.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/disk-drill-macos-installer-500x330.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/disk-drill-macos-installer-768x507.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/disk-drill-macos-installer-1536x1015.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Next up, select the USB stick you\u2019d like to use.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Click the \u201cCreate macOS Installer\u201d button at the bottom right of the window, but\u00a0<strong>remember that ALL data on the selected USB stick will be erased.<\/strong><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p>As you can see, the Disk Drill app makes the entire process extremely fast and simple, and it\u2019s especially handy to have around as we approach the next stage of the install process.<\/p>\r\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"step_5_clean_install_macos_monterey\"><\/span><span style=\"border-radius: 6px; background: #041936; color: white; padding: 1px 5px;\">Step 5:<\/span> Clean install macOS Monterey<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p>To begin to clean install macOS Monterey, you\u2019ll need to shut down your machine, then boot again from the USB stick that you created, rather than the main drive.<\/p>\r\n<p>Historically, this process was as simple as starting your machine whilst holding down the Option key and selecting the correct disk. Today, modern Macs require an extra security setting to be changed to allow the machine to boot using other media.<\/p>\r\n<p>This process is really simple, but it does vary slightly depending on the age of your machine.<\/p>\r\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_enter_recovery_mode\"><\/span>1. Enter recovery mode<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p>To alter your security settings, you\u2019ll first need to boot your machine in recovery mode:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><b>If you have a new M1-powered machine<\/b>, you can enter recovery mode by turning on your machine in the usual way, but keeping the power button held down until you see the Startup Options screen.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p><img class=\"border-gray border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-36407 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/m1-power-button.jpg\" alt=\"m1 power button\" width=\"1280\" height=\"720\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/m1-power-button.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/m1-power-button-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/m1-power-button-500x281.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/m1-power-button-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><b>For all other compatible Macs<\/b>, you can enter recovery mode by holding down Command-R before the Apple logo appears and the startup chime sounds.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p><img class=\"border-gray border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-36408 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/command-plus-r.jpg\" alt=\"command plus r\" width=\"1280\" height=\"720\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/command-plus-r.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/command-plus-r-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/command-plus-r-500x281.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/command-plus-r-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/><\/p>\r\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_update_your_startup_security_settings\"><\/span>2. Update your startup security settings<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p>Once your Mac is in recovery mode, you can update your security settings to allow the machine to boot from a USB stick. This procedure is also slightly different depending on the age of your machine:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><b>If you have an M1 Mac<\/b>, click on the gear icon (Options), then click Continue. Once you see the main recovery screen, click on Utilities in the top menu bar. Next, go to Utilities &gt; Startup Security Utility. Select your main drive and then click the Security Policy button. In the next window, select Reduced Security. You\u2019re now ready to shut down your Mac.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><b>For Intel Macs with the T2 chip<\/b>, you need to navigate to the same Utilities &gt; Startup Security Utility screen once in recovery mode. Press the button Enter macOS password, and enter your password again when the StartUp Security Utility window appears. Under Secure boot, select Medium security. Select Allow booting external media under the Allowed boot media. Then, close the window by clicking the red X icon. but after being prompted for a password, you\u2019ll need to select Medium Security, followed by \u201cAllow booting external media\u201d. Once the window is closed, the settings will be applied and stored. You can now shut down your Mac.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><b>For older Intel Macs without the T2 chip<\/b>, click Utilities and select Startup Security Utility located at the top bar menu. Check if the option \u201cFirmware Password Protection\u201d is in the off state. If it is on, turn off password protection.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_install_macos_monterey\"><\/span>3. Install macOS Monterey\u00a0<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p>After all the hard work, you&#8217;re now finally ready to begin the actual clean installation of macOS Monterey. Once again, you need to follow slightly different instructions depending on if you have a Mac with Apple Silicone or Intel.<\/p>\r\n<p><b>Mac with Apple Silicone (M1, M1 Pro, M1 Max)<\/b><\/p>\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li>Make sure the USB drive with macOS Monterey is connected to your Mac.\u00a0<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Turn off your Mac. Press and hold the power button until you see the Startup Options window.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Select Install macOS Monterey and click Continue.<img class=\"border-gray border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-36421 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/install-macos-monterey-startup-screen.jpg\" alt=\"install macos monterey startup screen\" width=\"1442\" height=\"922\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/install-macos-monterey-startup-screen.jpg 1442w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/install-macos-monterey-startup-screen-300x192.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/install-macos-monterey-startup-screen-500x320.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/install-macos-monterey-startup-screen-768x491.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1442px) 100vw, 1442px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>You will be presented with the macOS installer window. Close it by pressing Install macOS Monterey &gt; Quit Install macOS.<img class=\"border-gray border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-36422 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/quit-install-macos-monterey.jpg\" alt=\"quit install macos monterey\" width=\"656\" height=\"496\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/quit-install-macos-monterey.jpg 656w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/quit-install-macos-monterey-300x227.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/quit-install-macos-monterey-500x378.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 656px) 100vw, 656px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Click Quit to confirm. We need to do this to enter Disk Utility to erase your main system drive.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Select Disk Utility from the list of available options.<img class=\"border-gray border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-36423 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/disk-utility-startup.jpg\" alt=\"disk utility startup\" width=\"908\" height=\"828\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/disk-utility-startup.jpg 908w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/disk-utility-startup-300x274.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/disk-utility-startup-500x456.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/disk-utility-startup-768x700.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 908px) 100vw, 908px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Click the View button, select Show all devices, and then select your internal drive.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Click Erase and choose APFS. Confirm.<img class=\"border-gray border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-36424 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/disk-utility-erase.jpg\" alt=\"disk utility erase\" width=\"894\" height=\"466\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/disk-utility-erase.jpg 894w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/disk-utility-erase-300x156.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/disk-utility-erase-500x261.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/disk-utility-erase-768x400.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 894px) 100vw, 894px\" \/><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<div class=\"alert alert-warning\" role=\"alert\">&#x26a0;&#xfe0f;\u00a0Warning: this will erase all your content stored on the Mac. Internet connection will be required to reactivate M1 Mac after erasing.<\/div>\r\n<ol start=\"9\">\r\n\t<li>Your Mac will automatically restart and bring you to the activation screen. You need to have an internet connection to finish this process.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Click Exit to Recovery Utilities.<img class=\"border-gray border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-36419 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/activate-mac.jpg\" alt=\"activate mac\" width=\"741\" height=\"567\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/activate-mac.jpg 741w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/activate-mac-300x230.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/activate-mac-500x383.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 741px) 100vw, 741px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Shut down your Mac and press and hold the power button until you see the Startup Options window again,<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Select Install macOS Monterey and click Continue.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Install macOS Monterey by following the installation wizard.\u00a0<img class=\"border-gray border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-36420 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/macos-installation-progress.jpg\" alt=\"macos installation progress\" width=\"1468\" height=\"1156\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/macos-installation-progress.jpg 1468w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/macos-installation-progress-300x236.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/macos-installation-progress-500x394.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/macos-installation-progress-768x605.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1468px) 100vw, 1468px\" \/><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p><b>Macs with Intel processors (both with and without the T2 chip)<\/b><\/p>\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li>Make sure the USB drive with macOS Monterey is connected to your Mac.\u00a0<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Turn off your Mac. Start your Mac while holding down the Option key.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Choose the Install macOS Monterey boot option.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Then, enter your account password to access the macOS recovery menu.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Choose Disk Utility.<img class=\"border-gray border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-36423 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/disk-utility-startup.jpg\" alt=\"disk utility startup\" width=\"908\" height=\"828\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/disk-utility-startup.jpg 908w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/disk-utility-startup-300x274.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/disk-utility-startup-500x456.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/disk-utility-startup-768x700.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 908px) 100vw, 908px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Click the view button, and select Show All Devices.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Select your internal drive.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Click Erase. Make sure to keep the format as APFS. Confirm.<img class=\"border-gray border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-36424 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/disk-utility-erase.jpg\" alt=\"disk utility erase\" width=\"894\" height=\"466\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/disk-utility-erase.jpg 894w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/disk-utility-erase-300x156.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/disk-utility-erase-500x261.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/disk-utility-erase-768x400.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 894px) 100vw, 894px\" \/><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<div class=\"alert alert-warning\" role=\"alert\">&#x26a0;&#xfe0f;\u00a0Warning: this will erase all your content stored on the Mac.<\/div>\r\n<ol start=\"8\">\r\n\t<li>Your current macOS is now deleted. Close Disk Utility to go back to the Recovery window.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Click Install macOS Monterey and continue by following the installation wizard.<img class=\"border-gray border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-36420 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/macos-installation-progress.jpg\" alt=\"macos installation progress\" width=\"1468\" height=\"1156\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/macos-installation-progress.jpg 1468w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/macos-installation-progress-300x236.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/macos-installation-progress-500x394.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/macos-installation-progress-768x605.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1468px) 100vw, 1468px\" \/><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p>The installation will begin. Don&#8217;t be surprised if your Mac restarts a couple of times during the installation process. After about 30 minutes, the clean installation of macOS Monterey should be finished, and you can enjoy your pristine operating system.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"conclusion\"><\/span><b>Conclusion<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p>If you want to restore your Mac to its original state when you first started using it, a clean installation of the operating system is the only option. Without running a proper clean install, you risk keeping old data and application settings, which could drag down the performance of some applications and the operating system as a whole. As long as you take the necessary precautions to back up all personal files beforehand, this is a safe process that can help you restore some of the performance your Mac has lost over time.<\/p>\r\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"faq\"><\/span><b>FAQ<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n<div><section itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/FAQPage\">\r\n<div style=\"border-bottom: 00px solid rgb(213, 217, 217);\" class=\"panel panel-default faq-block\" itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Question\" role=\"tablist\">\r\n            <div class=\"panel-heading\" role=\"tab\" id=\"heading1\">\r\n                <div class=\"panel-title\" itemprop=\"name\">\r\n                    <a class=\"toggle-link transition-all collapsed\" role=\"button\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-item-1\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"collapse-item-1\"><h3 class=\"panel-title\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"how_do_i_do_a_clean_install_of_macos_monterey\"><\/span>How do I do a clean install of macOS Monterey?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>                   \r\n                    \t<svg class=\"transition-all panel-toggle\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\">\r\n                            <g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\">\r\n                                <path d=\"M7,7 L7,0 L9,0 L9,7 L16,7 L16,9 L9,9 L9,16 L7,16 L7,9 L0,9 L0,7 L7,7 Z\" fill=\"#000000\"><\/path>\r\n                            <\/g>\r\n                        <\/svg>\r\n                   <\/a>\r\n                <\/div>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n            <div id=\"collapse-item-1\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"heading1\" aria-expanded=\"false\" style=\"\">\r\n              <div class=\"panel-body\" itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\r\n<div itemprop=\"text\">\r\n                <p><\/p>\r\n<p>To perform a clean install of macOS Monterey, follow these steps:<\/p>\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li>Backup your current installation and any personal files<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Download the official macOS Monterey installer<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Format a USB flash drive for macOS Monterey<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Load the macOS Monterey installation files onto your USB drive<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Install the operating system from the drive<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n                <div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div>\r\n              <\/div>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div style=\"border-bottom: 00px solid rgb(213, 217, 217);\" class=\"panel panel-default faq-block\" itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Question\" role=\"tablist\">\r\n            <div class=\"panel-heading\" role=\"tab\" id=\"heading2\">\r\n                <div class=\"panel-title\" itemprop=\"name\">\r\n                    <a class=\"toggle-link transition-all collapsed\" role=\"button\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-item-2\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"collapse-item-2\"><h3 class=\"panel-title\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"can_i_delete_the_macos_monterey_installer\"><\/span>Can I delete the macOS Monterey installer?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>                   \r\n                    \t<svg class=\"transition-all panel-toggle\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\">\r\n                            <g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\">\r\n                                <path d=\"M7,7 L7,0 L9,0 L9,7 L16,7 L16,9 L9,9 L9,16 L7,16 L7,9 L0,9 L0,7 L7,7 Z\" fill=\"#000000\"><\/path>\r\n                            <\/g>\r\n                        <\/svg>\r\n                   <\/a>\r\n                <\/div>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n            <div id=\"collapse-item-2\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"heading2\" aria-expanded=\"false\" style=\"\">\r\n              <div class=\"panel-body\" itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\r\n<div itemprop=\"text\">\r\n                <p><\/p>\r\n<p>Once you\u2019re done with the reinstallation and no longer need the installer, it\u2019s safe to delete it. However, it\u2019s a good idea to keep the USB stick you\u2019ve prepared in case you need to reinstall the operating system in an emergency.<\/p>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n                <div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div>\r\n              <\/div>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div style=\"border-bottom: 00px solid rgb(213, 217, 217);\" class=\"panel panel-default faq-block\" itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Question\" role=\"tablist\">\r\n            <div class=\"panel-heading\" role=\"tab\" id=\"heading3\">\r\n                <div class=\"panel-title\" itemprop=\"name\">\r\n                    <a class=\"toggle-link transition-all collapsed\" role=\"button\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-item-3\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"collapse-item-3\"><h3 class=\"panel-title\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"how_do_i_reinstall_macos_big_sur_from_monterey\"><\/span>How do I reinstall macOS Big Sur from Monterey?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>                   \r\n                    \t<svg class=\"transition-all panel-toggle\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\">\r\n                            <g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\">\r\n                                <path d=\"M7,7 L7,0 L9,0 L9,7 L16,7 L16,9 L9,9 L9,16 L7,16 L7,9 L0,9 L0,7 L7,7 Z\" fill=\"#000000\"><\/path>\r\n                            <\/g>\r\n                        <\/svg>\r\n                   <\/a>\r\n                <\/div>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n            <div id=\"collapse-item-3\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"heading3\" aria-expanded=\"false\" style=\"\">\r\n              <div class=\"panel-body\" itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\r\n<div itemprop=\"text\">\r\n                <p><\/p>\r\n<p>If you want to downgrade to a previous version of macOS, like Big Sur from Monterey, you\u2019ll have to make sure to specifically download that version from the official repository, and then follow the above steps for installing from a flash drive.<\/p>\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li>Backup your current installation and any personal files<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Download the official macOS Big Sur installer<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Format a USB flash drive for macOS Big Sur<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Load the macOS Big Sur installation files onto your USB drive<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Install the operating system from the drive<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n                <div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div>\r\n              <\/div>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/section><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"macOS 12 Monterey is the name of Apple\u2019s latest operating system, an evolution of the current Big Sur platform that offers new features and tweaks to some of the Cupertino giant\u2019s most popular apps and services. Apple released macOS 12&#8230;","protected":false},"author":7868,"featured_media":36432,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2638],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-36392","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-mac-os-x-tips-troubleshooting"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How to Clean Install macOS Monterey: 5 Simple Steps<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"This guide explains in detail the steps required to clean install macOS Monterey on both M1- and Intel-based Macs.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/clean-install-macos-monterey.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How to Clean Install macOS Monterey: 5 Simple Steps\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"This guide explains in detail the steps required to clean install macOS Monterey on both M1- and Intel-based Macs.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/clean-install-macos-monterey.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Data recovery tips. Recover deleted files on Mac, Windows.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/how-to-clean-install-macOS-Monterey.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"900\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"David Morelo\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"How to Clean Install macOS Monterey: 5 Simple Steps\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"This guide explains in detail the steps required to clean install macOS Monterey on both M1- and Intel-based Macs.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Untitled-1.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@MoreloWrites\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@Cleverfiles\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"David Morelo\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"16 minutes\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"How to Clean Install macOS Monterey: 5 Simple Steps","description":"This guide explains in detail the steps required to clean install macOS Monterey on both M1- and Intel-based Macs.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/clean-install-macos-monterey.html","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"How to Clean Install macOS Monterey: 5 Simple Steps","og_description":"This guide explains in detail the steps required to clean install macOS Monterey on both M1- and Intel-based Macs.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/clean-install-macos-monterey.html","og_site_name":"Data recovery tips. Recover deleted files on Mac, Windows.","og_image":[{"width":1600,"height":900,"url":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/how-to-clean-install-macOS-Monterey.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"David Morelo","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_title":"How to Clean Install macOS Monterey: 5 Simple Steps","twitter_description":"This guide explains in detail the steps required to clean install macOS Monterey on both M1- and Intel-based Macs.","twitter_image":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Untitled-1.jpg","twitter_creator":"@MoreloWrites","twitter_site":"@Cleverfiles","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"David Morelo","Est. reading time":"16 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/clean-install-macos-monterey.html#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/clean-install-macos-monterey.html"},"author":{"name":"David Morelo","@id":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/#\/schema\/person\/cb572c3c6f21975a615fae2d1c5ce0c4"},"headline":"How to Clean Install macOS Monterey in a few Simple Steps","datePublished":"2021-10-26T16:51:15+00:00","dateModified":"2022-04-22T16:12:18+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/clean-install-macos-monterey.html"},"wordCount":2605,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/clean-install-macos-monterey.html#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/how-to-clean-install-macOS-Monterey.jpg","articleSection":["Mac OS X Tips &amp; Troubleshooting"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/clean-install-macos-monterey.html","url":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/clean-install-macos-monterey.html","name":"How to Clean Install macOS Monterey: 5 Simple Steps","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/clean-install-macos-monterey.html#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/clean-install-macos-monterey.html#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/how-to-clean-install-macOS-Monterey.jpg","datePublished":"2021-10-26T16:51:15+00:00","dateModified":"2022-04-22T16:12:18+00:00","description":"This guide explains in detail the steps required to clean install macOS Monterey on both M1- and Intel-based Macs.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/clean-install-macos-monterey.html#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/clean-install-macos-monterey.html"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/clean-install-macos-monterey.html#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/how-to-clean-install-macOS-Monterey.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/how-to-clean-install-macOS-Monterey.jpg","width":1600,"height":900,"caption":"how to clean install macOS Monterey"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/clean-install-macos-monterey.html#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"\u0413\u043b\u0430\u0432\u043d\u0430\u044f","item":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/fr\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"How to Clean Install macOS Monterey in a few Simple Steps"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/","name":"Data recovery tips. Recover deleted files on Mac, Windows.","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/#organization","name":"CleverFiles","url":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/dd-mac-1024-flat.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/dd-mac-1024-flat.png","width":512,"height":512,"caption":"CleverFiles"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/x.com\/Cleverfiles"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/#\/schema\/person\/cb572c3c6f21975a615fae2d1c5ce0c4","name":"David Morelo","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/web-fin-headshot-site-color-background-96x96.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/web-fin-headshot-site-color-background-96x96.jpg","caption":"David Morelo"},"description":"David Morelo is a professional content writer focused on the technology sector, with expertise ranging from consumer products to the latest tech innovations. His approach involves personally testing each product according to strict editorial standards before writing detailed reviews, guides, and articles. David brings firsthand experience with Mac, Windows, and iOS platforms to his work. With over six years in the field, David\u2019s writing helps readers get the most out of their tech products. His content is straightforward, making complex topics easy to understand, even for non-technical users. As Content Team Lead at CleverFiles, he specializes in making data recovery topics accessible. Education: David Morelo holds a Bachelor's degree in English for Education. Outside of his professional life, he enjoys spending time with his family, biking, and sharing memorable moments with friends. Experience: David Morelo is a writer who shares his expertise on various reputable technology platforms. You can check out his portfolio at davidmorelo.com. He is also the author at Maketecheasier, where he delves into technical topics. You'll find his work at handyrecovery.com, where he shares his knowledge of data recovery. In addition, David writes at pandorarecovery.com, where he shares his knowledge in software testing.","sameAs":["davidmorelo","https:\/\/x.com\/MoreloWrites"],"url":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/author\/david-morelo\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36392","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7868"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=36392"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36392\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":41415,"href":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36392\/revisions\/41415"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/36432"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36392"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36392"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36392"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}