macOS Catalina gives you more of everything you love about Mac. Experience music, TV, and podcasts in three all-new Mac apps. Enjoy your favorite iPad apps now on your Mac. Extend your workspace and expand your creativity with iPad and Apple Pencil. And discover smart new features in the apps you use every day. Now you can take everything you do above and beyond.
Apple removes the last macOS version when the new update is released. Because of problems with High Sierra, you can still download Sierra from Apple. You will need to find someone with a copy of El Capitan. The first, and most important thing you should do before upgrading to macOS Catalina (or updating any software, no matter how small), is to back up your Mac. How to back up your Mac; Next, it is not a bad idea to think about partitioning your Mac so you can install macOS Catalina in tandem with your current Mac operating system.
Check compatibility
If you're using one of these computers with OS X Mavericks or later,* you can install macOS Catalina. Your Mac also needs at least 4GB of memory and 12.5GB of available storage space, or up to 18.5GB of storage space when upgrading from OS X Yosemite or earlier.
MacBook introduced in 2015 or later
MacBook Air introduced in 2012 or later
MacBook Pro introduced in 2012 or later
Mac mini introduced in 2012 or later
iMac introduced in 2012 or later
iMac Pro (all models)
Mac Pro introduced in 2013 or later
* To upgrade from Lion or Mountain Lion, first upgrade to El Capitan, then upgrade to Catalina. To find your macOS version, Mac model, memory, and storage space, choose About This Mac from the Apple menu . If your Mac isn't compatible with macOS Catalina, the installer will let you know. View the complete list of compatible computers.
Make a backup
Before installing any upgrade, it's a good idea to back up your Mac. Time Machine makes it simple, and other backup methods are also available. Learn how to back up your Mac.
Get connected
It takes time to download and install macOS, so make sure that you have a reliable Internet connection. If you're using a Mac notebook computer, plug it into AC power.
Mac Os X Yosemite Update
Download macOS Catalina
If you're using macOS Mojave, get macOS Catalina via Software Update: Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click Software Update.
Or use this link to open the macOS Catalina page on the App Store: Get macOS Catalina. Then click the Get button or iCloud download icon.
Begin installation
After downloading, the installer opens automatically.
Click Continue and follow the onscreen instructions. You might find it easiest to begin installation in the evening so that it can complete overnight, if needed.
If the installer asks for permission to install a helper tool, enter the administrator name and password that you use to log in to your Mac, then click Add Helper.
Allow installation to complete
Please allow installation to complete without putting your Mac to sleep or closing its lid. Your Mac might restart, show a progress bar, or show a blank screen several times as it installs both macOS and related updates to your Mac firmware.
Stay up to date
Mac Os X Yosemite Update
Download macOS Catalina
If you're using macOS Mojave, get macOS Catalina via Software Update: Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click Software Update.
Or use this link to open the macOS Catalina page on the App Store: Get macOS Catalina. Then click the Get button or iCloud download icon.
Begin installation
After downloading, the installer opens automatically.
Click Continue and follow the onscreen instructions. You might find it easiest to begin installation in the evening so that it can complete overnight, if needed.
If the installer asks for permission to install a helper tool, enter the administrator name and password that you use to log in to your Mac, then click Add Helper.
Allow installation to complete
Please allow installation to complete without putting your Mac to sleep or closing its lid. Your Mac might restart, show a progress bar, or show a blank screen several times as it installs both macOS and related updates to your Mac firmware.
Stay up to date
After installing macOS Catalina, you will be notified when updates to macOS Catalina are available. You can also use Software Update to check for updates: Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click Software Update.
Or get macOS Catalina automatically
If you're using OS X El Capitan v10.11.5 or later and your App Store preferences or Software Update preferences are set to download new updates when available, macOS Catalina will download conveniently in the background, making it even easier to upgrade. A notification will inform you when macOS Catalina is ready to be installed. Click Install to get started, or dismiss the notification to install later. When you're ready to install, just open the file named Install macOS Catalina from your Applications folder.
Learn more
- If the installer shows a list of apps that are not optimized for your Mac, learn about 32-bit app compatibility, then choose whether to proceed with the installation.
- For the strongest security and latest features, upgrade to macOS Catalina. If you have hardware or software that isn't compatible with Catalina, you might be able to install an earlier macOS, such as Mojave, High Sierra, Sierra, or El Capitan.
- You can also use macOS Recovery to reinstall macOS.
Over time, technology has become simpler to use in general. Upgrading your operating system on your computer has also been simplified. Apple's latest operating system, OS X 10.10 Yosemite, features a design overhaul and new features that allows iOS and OS X devices to communicate with each other in new and exciting ways. If you haven't already upgraded, you may want to look into the new features of Yosemite before you make your decision considering that Yosemite can slow down older Macs. If you decide to upgrade, here is how you can do it.
Step 1: Backup Your Mac
Backing up your Mac is always a good idea, but is especially important before you do system updates. Backing up a Mac is very easy with Time Machine. Click here to learn how to back up your Mac with Time Machine.
Step 2: Check Your Current Operating System Version
If your Mac is running OS X Snow Leopard (10.6) with the latest updates (which include the App Store) or newer (10.7, 10.8, 10.9), you can head over to the App Store and click 'Updates' in the top-right hand corner of the menu bar.
To check which operating system your Mac is running, click on the Apple logo in the top-left hand corner of your desktop and select 'About This Mac'. The operating system version number will be displayed in the About This Mac window.
Step 3: Download the Update
In the Updates tab, you should be able to see a banner that mentions OS X Yosemite. If you do not see this update, search 'OS X Yosemite' in the search bar of the App Store. You should see a button which says 'Free'. Click this button and you will be prompted to authenticate using your Apple ID and password.
Yosemite is a large operating system update. It may take some time to download depending on your internet speed and connection, so do not update if you need to immediately use your computer because this process can take several hours to complete.
Step 4: Install the Update
Once the operating system is downloaded, you will be prompted with a window to install Yosemite.
Here, the installer will ask you a few things - one being your computer password. This password is your administrator password; the same one that you would enter to login to the desktop. Your computer password is not associated with your Apple ID.
Now, the computer will start the installation of Yosemite and will restart. During this process, it is important that you keep the computer connected to power so that there are no interruptions.
Once completed, explore the wonderful capabilities that OS X Yosemite has to offer.
NOTE ON UPDATING TO YOSEMITE
Depending on the model and specs of your Mac, you may not want to upgrade to OS X Yosemite. This is especially true for older Macs (Mid 2007 - 2010 or so). It is recommended to have 4GB of RAM or more to smoothly run Yosemite. Older Macs with less than 4GB of RAM may run slower on OS X Yosemite, especially upon boot-up. It is also important to know that once you've upgraded your operating system, it is difficult to revert back to previous versions. If you have an older Mac, we recommend checking out the new features of OS X Yosemite and only upgrading if they are ones you want. If you do not care about the new features and improvements in Yosemite, we recommend not upgrading as Yosemite frequently slows down older Macs.
Upgrade My Mac
There you have it! If you have any questions about Yosemite and whether or not you should upgrade, drop us a comment below or reach out to us via our web chat. If you have upgraded to Yosemite and want to revert back to a previous operating system, we can do that for $149. Our CityMac Apple Technicians will backup your machine, put a clean install of the operating system of your choice back on your Mac and finally, restore your data back to the machine.
