DFU Blaster Pro Admin Guide

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DFU restores on Apple Silicon Macs provides a quick and easy way to restore the current or a prior version of macOS. However, putting a Mac into DFU mode using keyboard shortcuts requires a complicated series of key presses. With DFU Blaster Pro, you can put a Mac into DFU mode with the press of a single button. Plug in a Mac via the DFU port, press a button, and the Apple Silicon Mac goes into DFU mode, it’s as easy as that. This is great for restoring a single device or hundreds.

Free versus Paid features

DFU Blaster Pro has a trial to test all the features in the app. After the trial expires, the DFU and Restart buttons will continue to work for restarting and putting devices into DFU mode that are plugged into the DFU port on the Mac system running DFU Blaster Pro.

To enable all the functionality of DFU Blaster Pro, click the Buy Now button in the top banner.

Methods for Restoring Apple Silicon Macs

Apple Silicon Macs are restored by putting a target Mac into DFU mode and restoring macOS provided by Apple using Apple Configurator from the App Store. Apple Configurator can restore macOS either using the command line tool inside Apple Configurator or using the GUI of Apple Configurator. Apple Configurator can restore multiple Macs at the same time that are in DFU mode. DFU Blaster Pro provides a fast and easy way to put Macs in DFU mode and kick off restoring macOS.

Requirements:

  • Apple Configurator from the Mac App Store
  • DFU Blaster Pro from Twocanoes Software
  • USB-C cable (white USB-C power cable from Apple is acceptable)
  • Identify DFU Port on Mac
  • Optional: Acroname USBHub3c with additional USB-C cables. DFU Blaster Pro can put a Mac plugged into any port into DFU mode and start restoring.
  • Optional: 3rd party Hub with additional USB-C cables. 3rd party hubs require the Mac to be put into DFU mode with Automatic DFU in DFU Blaster Pro before plugging the Mac into the 3rd party hub for restoring.

Allow accessories to connect to Mac

You can change this setting if you prefer not to manually approve new devices or accessories when you connect them.

  1. On your Mac, choose Apple menu  > System Settings, then click Privacy & Security  in the sidebar. (You may need to scroll down.) 
  2. Click the pop-up menu next to “Allow accessories to connect,” then choose Automatically When Unlocked or Always to allow accessories to always connect without manual approval.

One-to-One Connection

The simplest, most direct way to restore an Apple Silicon Mac. The Mac running DFU Blaster Pro and Apple Configurator are plugged directly into the target Apple Silicon Mac with the DFU port.

DFU Mode for a single Mac

DFU Blaster Pro can put any Apple Silicon Mac into DFU mode with a USB-C connection. Connect the admin Mac running DFU Blaster Pro to the target machine via the DFU port, generally the port closest to a hinge or the ethernet port, and select DFU Mode. The Mac will show under Available Devices in DFU Mode.

Automatic DFU and Restore

Automatically put a device(s) into the DFU or Restore Automatically to seamlessly restore Macs.

Automatic DFU

DFU Blaster Pro can detect when a Mac is plugged into the DFU port and automatically put it into DFU mode. Turn on Automatic DFU in DFU Blaster Pro using the USB-C cable plugged into the DFU port on the Admin machine. Plug the USB-C cable into any Apple Silicon Mac system’s DFU port, and your target Mac will instantly be put into DFU mode. Repeat for all Apple Silicon Mac systems.

Restore Automatically

DFU Blaster Pro can detect when a machine is in DFU and automatically start the restore as soon as it is plugged in. Turn on Restore Automatically in DFU Blaster Pro. Plug your machine in DFU mode or turn on Automatic DFU, and it will restore the latest macOS version that is compatible with the hardware. In Settings, you can select a path to Custom IPSW if you need to install an older macOS.

Restoring Multiple Macs at Once

Multiple Mac systems in DFU mode can be restored simultaneously using DFU Blaster Pro Restore and Apple Configurator, a USB hub typically used to attach multiple Mac systems to a Mac. DFU Blaster Pro can send a command to an Apple Silicon Mac system plugged into an Acroname USBHub3c to put it into DFU mode, and the Mac System will be ready to restore with Apple Configurator. Before attaching the Macs to a 3rd party hub, they must be put into DFU mode first. DFU Blaster Pro can be used with Automatic DFU to put the Mac systems into DFU mode quickly and easily.

Acroname USBHub3c

Restore up to 5 Macs simultaneously, increasing the efficiency of deployments. Connect the admin machine to Port 0 on the Acroname USBHub3c. When connected to the Acroname USBHub3c, the admin machine does not need to be connected to the DFU port. Connect up to 5 machines to ports 1-5 on the hub via the DFU port. Once the machines are connected, Open DFU Blaster Pro on the admin machine and select Show Acroname USBHub3c Window. The connected Macs can now be put into DFU mode, Restart or Recovery from the Acroname USBHub Window. This operation can be selected for individual Macs or multiple devices at once. Once in DFU mode, the devices can be restored with Apple Configurator or DFU Blaster Pro Restore.

Third-party Hubs

DFU Blaster Pro integrates seamlessly with your existing setup. If you already have USB hubs for deploying other Apple devices, DFU Blaster Pro can detect any Apple Silicon Mac systems in DFU mode plugged into 3rd party USB hubs and restore them.

To restore multiple Mac systems with a third-party hub, the target Macs need to be in DFU mode. Using a one-to-one connection, turn on Automatic DFU, and plug each target Mac into the Admin machine via the DFU ports. Once in DFU mode, the machines can be connected to a third-party hub for mass restore with Apple Configurator or DFU Blaster Pro Restore.

Find Serial Number

DFU Blaster Pro can display the serial numbers of any Apple Silicon Mac system without the username and password. Serial numbers are displayed when the machine is in Recovery or at the Startup Assistant. From available devices, select the machine and then Recovery. The serial number will appear in the list of devices at the bottom of the DFU Blaster Pro window. A bar code, such as a QR code, will also be displayed so property tags can be scanned and printed easily.

Tools

DFU Blaster Pro can copy and export the serial number from the DFU Blaster Tools menu. Select the Mac(s) in the available devices list in the Tools menu and copy or export the serial information.

Boot to Recovery Manually

  1. On your Mac, choose Apple menu  > Shut Down. Wait for your Mac to shut down completely. A Mac is completely shut down when the screen is black and any lights (including in the Touch Bar and keyboard) are off.
  2. Press and hold the power button on your Mac until the system volume and the Options button appear.
  3. Connect a USB-C cable from the DFU port on the Mac system running DFU Blaster Pro and the DFU port on the target system.

Restore Apple Devices in DFU mode

DFU Blaster Pro can restore any macOS version to a compatible Apple Silicon Mac. Using macOS downloaded from Apple in IPSW format, this IPSW file can be selected and restored to multiple Mac systems at once. It doesn’t matter what macOS version is installed on the target device. DFU Blaster Pro can restore the earlier or later version to the target Mac.

Factory Default Restore

To install the latest macOS compatible with your Mac, select the Mac(s) under Available Devices you want to restore and then select Restore.
Note: The restore will fail if your current macOS running DFU blaster is an earlier version than the factory default.

Custom IPSW Restore

Install any macOS by selecting the Settings icon, use Custom IPSW, and then the path to the IPSW. Select the Mac(s) under Available Devices and then select Restore.

Use Event Script

Add an event script to export computer information on attached devices. Go to Settings, select Use Event Script, and then select the path to the script.

When the script is called, it passes the following arguments:

Arg 1: Operation

  • restoreStarted
  • restoreCompleted
  • restoreCancelled
  • deviceAttached
  • deviceRemoved

Arg 2: Success or Failure

Arg 3: Device Information

  • restoreStarted: Device Info
  • restoreCompleted: Array of ECID of devices
  • restoreCancelled: Array of ECID of devices
  • deviceAttached: Device Info
  • deviceRemoved: Device Info

Device Info includes: vendor, serialNumber, usbAddress, productName, ecid. Some values may not be populated.

Find a sample event script (/Applications/DFU Blaster Pro.app/Contents/Resources/event.sh) to display the serial numbers in the log (~/Library/Logs/dfu_blaster_restore.log).

Uninstall

To uninstall DFU Blaster, you can use the uninstaller included in the installation package.

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