How to create an ISO file from a USB stick on Mac?

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How to create an ISO file from a USB stick on Mac?

I want to create an ISO file from a USB stick.

AI search is ridiculous... I've tried a dozen different variations of "How do I create an ISO file from a USB drive on a Mac" and it always thinks I'm asking for the other direction! 🙄

Anyway, I have a bootable USB stick. I want to create an ISO file from that USB stick. I do not want to write an ISO file to this USB stick!

Can someone please tell me how to do this on a Mac?

Thanks.

MacBook Pro 16″, macOS 26.2

Posted on Feb 10, 2026 7:08 PM

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Answer 1

Feb 10, 2026 8:03 PM in response to Laurence5905

See this:

Create a disk image using Disk Utility on Mac - Apple Support

Scroll down to the section, "Create a disk image from a folder or connected device," and in Step 6 choose the Hybrid image (HFS+/ISO/UDF) format option.

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Answer 2

Feb 10, 2026 8:08 PM in response to Laurence5905

I recently did this in High Sierra from a DVD (because my old MacBook 2010 has the only DVD drive in the household) but I guess it goes the same way with a USB flash drive:

Disk Utility > File > New Image > Image from Folder... > [select root folder] > hybrid image (HFS+/ISO/UDF) as .dmg.

I then copied the .dmg to Windows 10 (VMware Fusion 25H2), changed its suffix to .iso, and mounted it via right-click (another option is to Connect it to VMware's CD/DVD Drive). I had a Windows app that insisted the .exe was launched from a DVD drive. YMMV.

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Answer 3

Niel

Community+ 2026

Level 10

746,733 points

Feb 10, 2026 7:11 PM in response to Laurence5905

Choose Utilities from the Finder's Go menu, open the Disk Utility, and create an image of it.

(262729)

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Answer 4

Feb 11, 2026 9:53 AM in response to Laurence5905

Is this USB stick just a simple data drive or is it a bootable USB stick (if so, what OS does it boot)?

Is this meant to be used only on Macs, or with a Windows or Linux system?

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