Bootable Kali USB Mac

To create a bootable Kali Linux USB from macOS using the terminal, we will use the dd utility. It is a powerful command that works flawlessly; however, you must be extremely careful to select the correct disk to avoid wiping your Mac’s data. If you make a mistake, you could delete your partition, and you will regret it. Double-check every step before proceeding.

Follow these steps with precision:

1. Prepare the Image (Convert to .img)

macOS sometimes handles image files better if they are converted from .iso to .img. Run this in your terminal:

hdiutil convert -format UDRW -o /Users/lmoreno/Downloads/kali.img /Users/lmoreno/Downloads/kali-linux-2025.4-installer-amd64.iso

(This will create a file named kali.img.dmg. macOS automatically appends the .dmg extension).

2. Identify the USB Drive

The first step is to identify the path assigned to your USB drive when inserted. In my case, it is /dev/disk5, as shown in the image below. This step is crucial because using the wrong path will result in data loss. Verify the path carefully; you can unplug and replug the USB to see which path disappears and reappears.

3. Unmount the USB

To write to the /dev/disk5 disk, we must first “release” it from the operating system so it is not in use.

diskutil unmountDisk /dev/disk5

4. Flash the Image to the USB (The Critical Step)

We will use dd. Note that we use /dev/rdisk5 (with an ‘r’ at the beginning) because “raw” mode is significantly faster on macOS.

Warning: This command will erase everything on /dev/disk5.

sudo dd if=/Users/lmoreno/Downloads/kali.img.dmg of=/dev/rdisk5 bs=1m status=progress

• sudo: It will prompt for your Mac password.
• if: The source file (Input File).
• of: The destination (Output File), which is your USB drive.
• bs=1m: Sets the block size for faster writing.

5. Eject the USB

Once finished (it may take a few minutes and the terminal prompt will reappear), macOS might display a message saying “The disk is not readable.” This is normal, as macOS does not recognize Linux partition formats. Click “Ignore” or use this command to eject it safely:

diskutil eject /dev/disk5

Now you can install it on another computer:

1. Connect the USB to the target computer (while powered off).
2. Power it on and repeatedly press the Boot Menu key (commonly F12, F10, F8, or Esc, depending on the manufacturer).
3. Select the USB drive (it should appear as “UEFI: USB Partition” or similar).
4. When the Kali menu appears, select Graphical Install.

That’s it, Happy Hacking!