Starting an M1 Mac from an external drive
EDITED BY HOWARD OAKLEY
EXPERT ADVICE
Our resident genius solves your Mac and iOS problems
Q What’s the best way to install Big Sur on an external SSD for my M1 MacBook Pro?
by ROGER BROWN
A This isn’t easy, as Apple’s installers don’t yet support all drives connected to M1 models. You’re most likely to succeed with an expensive Thunderbolt drive, a good branded USB-C model, or one connected through an external dock.