OpenCore Legacy Patcher for macOS installation guide
Jul 19, 2025 am 01:26 AMIf the device is not in the official Apple support list, you can install macOS on old Macs through OpenCore Legacy Patcher (OCLP). The specific steps are as follows: 1. Confirm the device compatibility, such as MacBook Pro, iMac or Mac mini around 2012, and check whether the motherboard chipset supports EFI mode; 2. Prepare a 16GB or larger USB drive and create a macOS installation USB drive, write to the image using official commands or third-party tools; 3. Download and run OCLP, select the target device for patching, automatically resolve kernel expansion and driver compatibility issues, and manually adjust patch options if necessary; 4. Insert the patched USB drive, press the Option key during restart to enter the boot management interface to select USB drive startup, and select the APFS partition format during installation; 5. After installation, reserve the USB drive for the first boot, and install the complete driver package according to the prompts, adjust the BIOS settings according to the situation, such as turning off Secure Boot or enabling the CSM module. The entire process requires flexibly adjusting the patch settings according to the specific situation of the equipment to avoid copying other people's configurations directly.
When installing macOS, if your device is not on the official Apple support list, you may need to use some tools to implement it. OpenCore Legacy Patcher (OCLP) is a very practical solution that allows you to install and run new versions of macOS on old or unofficially supported Macs. This article will talk about how to use this tool.

Preparation: Confirm whether your device is compatible
Before you start, find out if your Mac is suitable for OCLP. This tool is mainly aimed at Mac devices that have stopped official updates, such as MacBook Pro, iMac or Mac mini around 2012.

- Check your model year and model
- Confirm whether the motherboard chipset supports EFI mode
- Make sure there is at least one available USB port for making the boot disk
Some devices may also require additional patches or replacement of network cards to use certain functions normally. You can go to the OCLP official GitHub page to view support list and precautions.
Create a bootable installation USB drive
OCLP itself cannot directly install the system, you need to prepare a macOS installation USB drive first. You can use Apple's official createinstallmedia
command or third-party tools such as Install Disk Creator to complete this step.

The operation process is roughly as follows:
- Prepare a USB drive of 16GB or larger
- Download the macOS version image you want to install (recommended to use .dmg or .pkg format)
- Use the command line or tool to write the image to the USB flash drive
After completion, the USB drive can be used as the basic installation media. Next, you need to "patch" it with OCLP so that it can run on old devices.
Patch with OpenCore Legacy Patcher
After downloading and opening OCLP, the interface will automatically detect the current system version and hardware information. After clicking the "Patch" button, select the target device you want to patch (that is, your installation USB drive).
Key points:
- The patching process will automatically handle kernel expansion, driver compatibility and other issues.
- If your device has special needs (such as graphics card or network card issues), you can manually turn on the corresponding patch in the options
- After the patch is completed, the USB drive can be used as a bootable installation disk.
Some users may encounter black screen, restart failure, etc. At this time, it is recommended to return to the OCLP settings to turn off unnecessary driver add-ins, or try a different macOS version.
Installation system and subsequent configuration
Insert the patched USB drive, restart the Mac and hold down the Option key to enter the boot management interface. Select USB drive to boot to enter the macOS installer.
Some points to pay attention to during the installation process:
- APFS should be selected for partition format (if it is a newer version of macOS)
- Do not unplug the USB flash drive immediately after installation, as it may still be required to boot for the first time.
- It is recommended to install the complete driver package of OCLP after the first boot (usually prompted after the patch is completed)
Some devices may also need to adjust the BIOS settings after the first boot, such as turning off Secure Boot or enabling the CSM module. These settings vary by motherboard, and you can refer to the documentation provided by OCLP.
Basically these are the steps. Although it seems a bit complicated, most people can handle it as long as they take it step by step. The most important thing is to flexibly adjust the patch options according to your own device situation and not copy other people's settings.
The above is the detailed content of OpenCore Legacy Patcher for macOS installation guide. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!

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