TINU

What TINU is

TINU is a free, open-source macOS utility for creating bootable macOS installers through a graphical interface for Apple’s createinstallmedia utility. It checks for common errors during installer creation and works with installer apps containing createinstallmedia, including beta and newly released installers. TINU can format the destination drive or partition when needed, and offers integrated downloads from Apple for many macOS and OS X installer apps. It also includes an EFI partition mounter and automatic installation of Clover and OpenCore EFI folders. The project says it uses Apple’s official createinstallmedia method and describes the resulting installers as clean vanilla installers. Requirements include Mac OS X Yosemite or later, an installer app from Mavericks or newer, and a target drive or partition of at least 8 GB, with larger minimums for some installers. English and Italian are the listed languages. The Free plan costs nothing under GNU GPL v2 or later; support is not guaranteed. The repository has been archived and read-only since February 1, 2025. Its latest listed release is version 3.0.1, described as tested to work with macOS 13 Ventura. The project describes TINU as educational and demonstrative software, not intended for commercial purposes.

Who it suits

TINU suits macOS users creating bootable installers for educational or demonstrative use. Users need a compatible macOS installer app and a target drive or partition with sufficient space.

Limits

TINU is free under GNU GPL v2 or later. The project does not guarantee support, and some installers require a target drive larger than the stated 8 GB minimum.

Getting started

1. Open the TINU GitHub project page.
2. Use a Mac running Mac OS X Yosemite or later.
3. Have a macOS installer app from Mavericks or newer.
4. Connect a target drive or partition of at least 8 GB; some installers need more space.
5. Use TINU's graphical interface to create the installer.

Verdict

TINU provides a graphical route to creating bootable macOS installers, with formatting and EFI tools included. Its archived repository, support disclaimer, and stated system requirements are important considerations.