OpenCore Install Guide

# Getting started with OpenCore

Before we can jump head first into making an OpenCore based system, we need to go over a few things.

# Prerequisites

  1. [CRUCIAL] Time and patience.
    • Don't start working on this if you have deadlines or important work. Hackintoshes are not something you should be relying on as a work machine.
  2. [CRUCIAL] KNOW YOUR HARDWARE
    • Your CPU name and its generation
    • Your GPUs
    • Your storage devices (HDD/SSD, NVMe/AHCI/RAID/IDE configuration)
    • Your laptop/desktop model if from an OEM
    • Your Ethernet chipset
    • Your WLAN/Bluetooth chipset
  3. [CRUCIAL] A BASIC KNOWLEDGE OF COMMAND LINES AND HOW TO USE A TERMINAL/COMMAND PROMPT
    • This is not just [CRUCIAL], this is the basis of this whole guide. We can't help you if you don't know how to cd to a directory or delete a file.
  4. [CRUCIAL] A machine that is compatible as seen in the Compatibility section.
  5. [CRUCIAL] A minimum of:
    • 16GB USB if you're going to use macOS to create the USB
    • 4GB USB if you're going to use Windows or Linux for USB creation
  6. [CRUCIAL] An Ethernet connection (no WiFi dongles, Ethernet USB adapter may work depending on macOS support) and you must know your LAN card's model
    • You must either have a physical Ethernet port, or a compatible macOS Ethernet dongle/adapter. In case you have a compatible WiFi card (opens new window), you can also use that.
      • Note the majority of WiFi cards are not supported by macOS
    • For people who can't use ethernet but have an Android phone, you can connect your Android phone to WiFi and then tether it using USB with HoRNDIS (opens new window).
  7. [CRUCIAL] Proper OS Installation:
    • Be it:
      • macOS (a fairly recent one would be better)
      • Windows (Windows 10, 1703 or newer)
      • Linux (Clean and properly functioning, with Python 2.7 or later)
    • For Windows or Linux users, 15GB of free space on the drive you're working on. On Windows, your OS disk (C:) must have at least 15GB of free space.
    • For macOS users, 30GB of free space on the system's drive.
    • Most tools used in this guide will also require Python installed (opens new window)
  8. [CRUCIAL] Latest BIOS installed
    • In most cases, updating your BIOS will provide the best support for macOS
    • The exception to this are MSI 500-series AMD motherboards, read more at Motherboard Support

Hardware Limitations ⟶