Clean install your Mac without hesitation

Checklist for clean install your Mac. For full article see: Medium

0. Requirement

• An external drive with available space larger than your Mac for Time Machine and backup data
• An USB larger than 16GB for bootable disk

1. Backup Data

• Backup your Mac with Time Machine, just in case anything go wrong
  • Connect to your Time Machine drive and run a full backup for your Mac
• Backup Software Data and Configuration
  • Check installed Software
    • Dump a list installed via homebrew to Brewfile file with brew bundle dump
    • Check apps in Application folder and compare with Brewfile
    • For apps found only in Application folder, brew cask search {app_name}
    • For apps found only in Brewfile, google and find if you need it anymore
  • Keychain Access
    • Turn on iCloud Keychain sync
  • Safari
    • Turn on iCloud Safari sync
    • Backup Browse History from ~/Library/Safari/History*
  • iTunes
    • Backup iTunes Library folder iTunes from ~/Music
    • Deauthorize Apple ID from iTunes
  • Photos
    • Turn on iCloud Photo Library
    • Backup Photos Library file Photos Library.photoslibrary from ~/Pictures
  • Messages
    • Turn on iCloud Messages sync
    • Backup History from ~/Library/Messages
  • Voice Memos
    • Turn on iCloud sync
  • Notes
    • Turn on iCloud Notes sync
  • Fonts
    • Backup Fonts
  • 1Password
    • Enable Sync
    • Backup backup files from ~/Library/Group\ Containers/2BUA8C4S2C.com.agilebits/Library/Application\ Support/1Password/Backups
  • Day One
    • Enable Sync
  • Money Pro
    • Enable Sync
    • Manually backup from iOS app
  • dotfiles
    • ~/.ssh
• Backup Personal Data
  • ~/Desktop
  • ~/Documents
  • ~/Downloads
  • ~/Movies
  • ~/Music
  • ~/Pictures

2. Create macOS Bootable USB and Clean install macOS

• Bootable USB
  • Download macOS Mojave
  • Format USB drive with Mac OS Extented (Journaled) format and Untitled name
  • Create bootable macOS USB with sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Ventura.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/Untitled --nointeraction
• Backup everything again
  • Connect your Time Machine drive and run a full backup of your Mac
• Make sure you have these ready
  • Your Mac was properly backed up
  • Your dotfiles was ready
  • Your personal data was ready
• WARNING: YOU ARE GOING TO DELETE EVERYTHING ON YOUR MAC IN THE NEXT STEP!!! You won’t be able to to open your Mac until macOS is installed.
• Format and Install your Mac
  • Plug in the bootable USB
  • Restart & hold down the Option(⌥) key
  • Choose Install macOS Mojave(the bootable USB)
  • Select Disk Utility from the menu and erase you Startup Disk(usually named Macintosh HD) with APFS
  • Go back to the main menu; select Install macOS and choose your HDD when prompted

3. Migrate Backup Data

• dotfiles
  • git clone dotfiles repository, run ./install via dotbot
• Migrate Software data
  • Safari
    • Migrate history
  • iTunes
    • Migrate iTunes Library
    • Authorize Apple ID to iTunes
  • Photos
    • Migrate Photos Library
  • Messages
    • Migrate Message folder
  • Voice Memes
    • Enable Sync
  • Notes
    • Turn on iCloud sync
  • Fonts
    • Migrate Fonts
  • 1Password
    • Enable Sync
    • Migrate backup files
  • Day One
    • Enable Sync
    • Migrate backup files
  • Money Pro
    • Enable Sync
  • dotfiles
    • ~/.ssh
• Migrate static files
  • ~/Desktop
  • ~/Documents
  • ~/Downloads
  • ~/Movies
  • ~/Music
  • ~/Pictures
• Restore Settings
  • System Preferences
    • General
      • Recent items: None Documents, Apps, and Servers
    • Desktop & Screen Saver
      • Start after 2 Minutes
    • Dock
      • Minimize windows into application icon: on
      • Automatically hide and show the Dock: on
    • Mission Control
      • Group windows by application: on
      • Hot Corners
        • Top Right: Desktop
        • Bottom Left: Start Screen Sleep
    • Security & Privacy
      • Require password immediately
      • Turn on FileVault
      • Turn on Firewall
      • Enable location for Weather, Siri
      • System Service: Show location icon in menu bar
    • Keyboard
      • Specify shortcuts for Spotlight, Input Method, Show Notification
      • Add Zhuyin to input sources
      • Dictation: add English, Chinese
    • Trackpad
      • Turn on Look up & data detectors, Tap to click, App expose
      • Tracking speed: 3/4
    • Time Machine
      • Select backup drive
      • Show icon in menu bar
  • Finder
    • New finder window show Home folder
    • Sidebar: Movies, Music, Pictures, Home folder
  • Safari
    • Search engine: DuckDuckGo
    • Show full website address, Status Bar
    • Show Develop menu in menu bar
  • iTunes
    • iCloud Music Library: on
  • Photos
    • iCloud Photo Library: on
  • Sublime Text 3
    • Install Package Control via https://packagecontrol.io
    • Install Package Syncing