How to Burn a CD Multiple Times on a Mac

Don't have any CD-RWs laying around? Does it seem like a waste of space to put only a couple of files on a CD-R? Using Apple's Disk Utility, you can keep the disk open and ready to accept more files as you need to add them. Here is how.

Things You'll Need

• Apple Computer running Mac OS X
• Blank CD-R

Instructions

1. Create a new folder by opening the Finder, right-clicking and selecting "New Folder," and give it a good descriptive name.

2. Add the files you want to burn onto a CD-R into this folder. If they're files you want to keep, make sure you copy them into the new folder instead of moving them.

3. Open your "Applications" folder and double-click the "Utilities" folder.

4. 

   Double-click "Disk Utility" to open the program.

5. Click on "File," then select "New."

6. 

   Click "Disk Image from Folder."

7. 

   When the dialog box pops up, find the folder you created earlier and click the "Image" button on the lower right-hand corner.

8. Select where you'd like to save the disk image of the folder you've created. Placing it on the desktop may be an easy way to locate the image later, but if you plan on keeping this disk image to burn multiple CDs, keep it elsewhere to leave your desktop clutter-free.

9. Click the "Save" button and leave all the other options untouched. You may change the name of the folder before you hit the "Save" button, or leave it as it is.

10. 

    Select the newly-created disk image, which should appear in the left column of the Disk Utility window.

11. 

    Click the "Burn" button on the top of the Disk Utility window.

12. 

    Insert a blank CD-R.

13. 

    Click the down-arrow button to the right of "Burn Disc In" to display the options.

14. 

    Click the checkbox next to "Leave disc appendable," click the "Burn" button, and Disk Utility will burn your disk.

15. 

    To add more files later, repeat the steps above. Just add the new files to the folder you created initially and remove the old files since those are already on your CD-R. On the last step, the "Burn" button will show as "Append" since you're adding files to a disc you've already burned.

Tips & Warnings

• These "open" CD-Rs may not play in your home stereo system if you're using them to add music.