Installing Big Sur: A Step-by-Step Guide

When you've finished downloading the macOS Installer, you'll find a DMG file in your ~/macOS-Installer/ folder. This file is called Install_macOS_11.1-20C69.dmg, for example. The process of downloading this entire 8GB+ macOS installer takes some time, so it's recommended to read the rest of this guide while you wait.

If you need a specific version of macOS, you can select it by typing the corresponding number next to it. To do this, open a terminal window and copy and paste the following command: `mkdir -p ~/macOS-installer & cd ~/macOS-installer & curl > installinstallmacos.py & sudo python installinstallmacos.py`

This will give you a list of macOS installers that you can use.

To get started with installing Big Sur, you'll need to follow these steps:

1. If you've already mapped your USB ports and disabled XhciPortLimit on your Mac, you can boot into macOS 11.3+ without any issues.

2. From a Mac that meets the requirements of the OS version you want to install, go directly to the App Store and download the desired OS release.

Alternatively, if you need a specific OS release or are unable to download from the App Store:

1. Go to the App Store on your Mac and download the desired OS release.

2. Continue with setting up the installer.

Important Notes

* With macOS 11.3 and newer, XhciPortLimit is broken, resulting in boot loops. To avoid this issue, it's recommended that you map your USB ports before installing Big Sur.

* For users running macOS 12 or above, it's highly advisable to map your USB ports using USBToolBox before installing the OS.

This method allows you to download macOS 10.13 and newer. If you need to download an older version of macOS (10.12 or below), please see the 'Downloading macOS: Legacy OS' guide.

You can skip this step if you're only creating a bootable OpenCore stick and not installing the OS. To start, you'll want to grab a copy of Big Sur. While you don't need a fresh install of macOS to use OpenCore, some users prefer having a fresh slate with their boot manager upgrades.

After downloading the installer, head to 'Setting up the EFI' to finish setting up your installation.

Big Sur instal