How to Create a Disk Image on Mac

Don’t classify disk images as old news just yet! Instead, follow in the footsteps of many IT professionals who still use them for various purposes like cloning a system, protecting sensitive data, and distributing software.

Arm yourself with the knowledge of how to create a disk image on a Mac and the best tools for fixing errors on disks, and this file format will never let you down.

Read this guide to check off the first part.

How to Create a Disk Image for Storage

Mac’s Disk Utility is the utility to use for anything disk image-related. Access it in three simple steps:

1. Navigate to the Finder on your desktop and click on the “Go” tab.
2. Select “Utilities” from the drop-down menu.
3. Double-click the “Disk Utility” icon.

From there, you can create an empty disk image for storage in several formats (sparse disk image, sparse bundle disk image, read/write disk image, and DVD/CD master).

Which format is the best for you? It depends on your needs and available storage space. Do you have limited space? Go for something like a sparse disk image that only takes as much space as there’s data in it. Don’t have to worry about storage? Feel free to create a read/write disk image that grows with every new addition.

Select the disk image format that works best for you during Step 8 of the creation process below:

1. Go to “File” and choose “New Image.”
2. Click on the “Blank Image” option.
3. Type in a filename for your disk image (the name appearing in the Finder before opening the image).
4. Choose where to save your disk image.
5. Enter the name for your disk image under the “Name” field (the name appearing on your desktop after opening the image).
6. Go to the “Size” field and enter your disk image’s size.
7. Click on the “Format” menu and select your disk’s format. Use the APFS or APFS formats for Mac computers with a solid state drive (SSD) using macOS 10.13 or later. Older macOS versions require different formats.
8. Choose a format for your image by clicking on the “Image Format” menu.
9. Select a partition layout in the “Partitions” menu.
10. Click “Done” to finalize the process.

And there you go; you’ve created a disk image file. Find it in the location from Step 4, while the disk icon will await on the desktop and the Finder sidebar.

How to Create a Secure Disk Image

Sure, protecting your data’s privacy and security should always top your list of priorities. But when confidential documents and information come into play, you must go the extra mile. In this case, the “extra mile” refers to creating an encrypted disk image.

But don’t let this additional technical aspect intimidate you. Follow Steps 1 to 7 from the previous section on creating a “regular” disk image, and you’re half-way there.

All that’s left to do is the following:

1. Navigate to the “Encryption” pop-up menu and choose your preferred encryption option.
2. Type in the password you want to use to unlock the disk image. (Remember to store this password securely, as there’s no opening the disk image without it!)
3. Enter the password again to confirm it, and click on the “Choose” button.
4. Under the “Partitions” menu, select the “GUID Partition Map” option.
5. Choose the “Read/Write” option for your disk image format.
6. Click on “Save.”
7. Press “Done” to complete the process.

With a secure disk image created, gather the confidential documents and lock them away. But be careful; there are still ways to access this information even after placing it in the disk image.

How?

For starters, a malicious actor can go after the original documents. Avoid this scenario by deleting the original documents as soon as their copies reach the disk image (and don’t forget to empty the trash too!).

Also, anyone with access to your Mac can find this secure disk image. Eject the disk image immediately after filling it up, and the problem is solved!

But then, how will you access these files?

Simply double-click on the disk image, and it will appear on your desktop. Type in your password, and do with your files as you please. You can choose only to read them. Or, you can add, remove, or edit them just as you would with a regular disk.

Creating Disk Images Made Easy

One look at the numerous steps required to create a disk image on Mac, and anyone who isn’t particularly tech-savvy might get intimidated. But trust us when we say this – you can’t go wrong if you carefully follow our guide. Fill out a few fields and click on some buttons, and you’ll have your disk image in no time.