Rufus Download for Mac

How to Create Bootable USB on Mac & Best Rufus for Mac Alternatives

Is there a Mac version of Rufus? The answer is No. Therefore, unless you install Windows on a Mac computer, you cannot use Rufus for Mac. Indeed, this tool is designed for Windows computers with both 32-bit and 64-bit operating systems. However, if you're not interested in the hassle of installation, there are great alternatives with similar functionality.

So there are two main methods to create a bootable USB drive using Rufus in your Mac computer.

  • Install Windows on Mac and install Rufus
  • Use alternative tool

How to install Windows on Mac and run Rufus?

Nowadays it's easier to run Windows on Mac computers. Installing Windows 10/ 11 on your Mac is useful for many reasons. It's also more affordable and convenient than buying a separate PC to use Windows on.

System Requirements

To run Windows on a Mac computer, here is what you require to have;

  • An Intel-based Mac (To make sure you have an intel-based Mac computer, click the Apple Logo > About This Mac > Processor > Intel Processor)
  • Free storage space 64GB
  • An appropriate power connection

Important:

  • Before you begin, however, it's a good idea to back up your drive with Time Machine before partitioning, just in case something goes wrong.
  • Mac computers with Apple Silicon are not supported.

With this in mind, those are the best ways to install Windows on Mac.

  1. Virtual Machine
  2. Apple Boot Camp

Virtual Machines

A virtual machine allows you to run Windows virtually on Mac computers. There are two best virtual machines for Mac users.

  • Parallels
  • VMware Fusion
  • Performs multiple tasks and Supports multiple languages ​​

Although VMware improved a lot, still, Parallels is the best way to run Windows on Mac computers. Because it is an easy-to-download, fast, and convenient tool to use.

So you can try Parallels from here to test it for free.

How to install Windows 11 automatically with Parallels

By using Parallels, you can create a Windows 11 virtual machine automatically with just a few clicks.

  1. First, install Windows 11 by running Parallels Desktop, then click on the Parallels icon in the Mac menu bar, Find the Control Center and click the +, Get Windows 11 from Microsoft, click the Continue button, and Install Windows.
  2. Once the process is over, you can get the Installation Complete prompt.
  3. And you’ll be offered the Microsoft EULA. Click I accept to finish the process.

How to install Windows 11 manually

To install a virtual machine to a Windows computer you need to download the official installation image from the below button. Now follow the below steps carefully.

  1. Click the Parallels Control Center + button to install a new virtual machine.
  2. Select Install Windows or other OS from DVD or Image and Continue
  3. If not recognized automatically, go to Windows 11 Installer .iso Image
  4. Follow instructions for the installation Assistant until the installation is complete.

So now you can run two operating systems that work similarly together.

Apple Boot Camp

This is the method to install Windows with visualizing software using Apple Boot Camp. But you can't use this method anymore because Apple was too lazy to update it for Windows 11. But although neither Apple nor Microsoft supports Windows 11 on macOS, other companies have stepped up to fill in the gaps, so it's always possible.

It is free on macOS, but you are restricted to using either Windows or Mac simultaneously.

Way to install Windows with Boot Camp Assistant

It is specially made for installing the Windows operating system on Mac. Follow the below steps to utilize it.

  1. Launch the Boot Camp Assistant and click Continue
  2. Choose the Windows ISO file
  3. Select the size of your Windows partitions by dragging the bar ​​
  4. Now click install and your computer will boot up
  5. Go through the Windows setup and enter the product key. If not continue
  6. Select language and other details, and log in to your Windows account if you have one.
  7. Now install and update Boot Camp on your computer.

If you want to switch back,

  1. Restart your computer
  2. Hold the Option key for 5 seconds, as soon as the screen goes black.
  3. Then have the option to boot up Windows or macOS
  4. Choose the partition you want

Also, there are some other ways to install Windows on a Mac computer.

  • Wine
  • Crossover
  • Frame
  • Windows 365
  • Remote Desktop Software

How to use Alternative tools to create a bootable USB on Mac

As you already know, Rufus is a great tool for creating bootable USB drives on Windows computers. And you have a Windows operating system installed on your Mac computer. However, if you don't want to have two operating systems on the same machine to access Rufus, you can use several alternatives to get the same Rufus functionality on a Mac.

Here are the three best alternatives for Rufus on Mac to create a bootable USB drive.

  1. Etcher
  2. UNetbootin
  3. UUByte ISO Editor

Etcher

Etcher is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux. This is a very easy-to-use and simple application. It's 100% free. Creating a bootable USB drive is easy with Etcher.

Download the Etcher tool and install it on your computer. Then open it and select the ISO file you want to use to create a bootable USB. Choose the USB drive and click the "Flash!" button. Etcher will then start creating a bootable USB. However, it cannot choose between GBR and MBR partition styles.

UNetbootin

UNetbootin works well on Mac, Ubuntu, and other Linux distributions. It is designed to create Linux-based bootable USB drives but works with macOS systems as well. It is a fast and easy-to-use tool. To use UNetbootin, download and run it. Select the ISO file to use and the destination disk to use. Click OK and UNetbootin will start to create your Mac bootable USB drive. It has no UEFI mode and doesn’t support SD cards.

UUByte ISO Editor

UUByte ISO Editor is another outstanding alternative to the Rufus tool which can create bootable ISO images from a Mac OS X installation disc or any other disc image file. You can also create ISO archives from external files or folders.

It is simple and loaded with value-added features. You can also add or extract files from ISO images. The only downside is that you have to manually download the ISO file to your Mac to create the image.

Final Words to Rufus Mac Download

Rufus is an excellent application to burn ISO to USB. Unfortunately, there is no Mac version yet. So, to burn ISO to USB on Mac, you need to install Windows on your Mac or use a third-party alternative. Go ahead and get the best Rufus based on your experience.