HELP! I Can't Run ISO File On Mac

macos tips
1

I have an ISO file but I can’t use it,
why and how?

2

Mac can open and mount ISO files , but it can’t run them like a application, you can:

  • Double-click the ISO or open it with DiskImageMounter to mount it as a virtual disk.
  • Use virtualization software to boot it.
3

In macOS,
you can mount ISO images using Disk Utility,
found in the /Applications/Utilities/ folder.
Once Disk Utility is open,
go to the File menu,
choose Open Disk Image,
and select your ISO file.
The ISO will then mount
and appear as a virtual disk on your desktop.

4

If you tried the virtual machines or opened it in Disk Utility, it still failed, let’s fix it:

  1. Make sure the ISO isn’t corrupted or incomplete.
  2. Re-download the file from a trusted source.
  3. Check file format compatibility with Terminal, you can convert it with hdiutil convert /path/to/file.iso -format UDRW -o /path/to/file.img.
  4. Download the DMG file, not the ISO file if you aim to download macOS or create a bootable USB.

For a safe and convenient download for macOS DMG files, iBoysoft DiskGeeker for Mac is a good one. You can download it, then click “Download Image” on the toolbar, choose the macOS version you want, and click “Get”.
DMG file is better than an ISO file for macOS installation.