You can definitely boot your iMac from an external SSD. In fact, it can be a great solution to improve the performance and speed of your Mac. I have personally used this setup and can vouch for its effectiveness.
To boot your iMac from an external SSD, you will first need to have a compatible SSD and a suitable enclosure to house the SSD. Make sure to choose an SSD with fast read and write speeds to maximize the performance gains.
Once you have the external SSD and enclosure, follow these steps to set it up as your startup disk:
1. Connect the SSD to your iMac using the enclosure and a compatible cable, such as USB-C or Thunderbolt.
2. Power on your iMac and go to the Apple menu.
3. Select “System Preferences” and then choose “Startup Disk” from the preferences panel.
4. You should see a list of available startup disks. Select the external SSD from the list.
5. Click on the lock icon at the bottom left corner and enter your administrator password to make changes.
6. Once the external SSD is selected as the startup disk, restart your iMac.
After the restart, your iMac will boot from the external SSD instead of the internal drive. You’ll notice a significant improvement in speed and performance, as the SSD is much faster than traditional spinning hard drives. This can result in faster boot times, faster app launches, and overall snappier system responsiveness.
One of the major advantages of booting from an external SSD is that you can easily upgrade or replace it without opening up your iMac. This provides flexibility and allows you to take advantage of newer and faster SSD technology in the future.
Additionally, using an external SSD as your startup disk can free up valuable internal storage space on your iMac. You can keep your macOS installation and data on the external SSD, while using the internal drive for less frequently accessed files or backups.
It’s worth noting that while booting from an external SSD is a great solution for improving performance, it does come with some limitations. The speed of the SSD will be limited by the connection interface (e.g. USB-C, Thunderbolt) and the capabilities of your iMac’s ports. For the best performance, it’s recommended to use Thunderbolt or USB-C connections.
Booting your iMac from an external SSD is a fantastic way to enhance the speed and performance of your Mac. It’s a relatively straightforward process, and the benefits are well worth it. I highly recommend giving it a try if you’re looking to breathe new life into your iMac.