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Just as Apple regularly updates its iOS mobile operating system, the company also periodically updates its OS X operating system for its Mac computers. If you own an iMac, Mac mini, MacBook. Upgrade to macOS Mojave. If you don’t have broadband access, you can upgrade your Mac at any Apple Store. Learn more about how to upgrade to macOS Mojave. IPad Air or later, iPad or later, or iPad mini or later; a Mac computer with OS X Lion 10.7.5 or later; or a PC with Windows 7 or Windows 8 (Outlook 2007 or later or an up-to-date.
The classic OS X 10.12, or rather macOS upgrade, introduced tons of features anyone would still want on their Mac. Why? Because, it's well-tested and secure. Now we'll take a quick look at the legendary macOS Sierra upgrade. (In case you want to upgrade your Mac to macOS 10.13 High Sierra, check out this guide.)
First and foremost, it brought Siri to your Mac. This is great news for everyone who’s already used to her help on iOS. Then, there’s Watch unlocking for Mac, there’s one-click Apple Pay, tabs in apps, and cross-device copypasting. Just to name a few.
So, if you were on the fence about upgrading to Sierra, and in fact, any newer OS, go right ahead. Your Mac deserves a refreshment.
LEARN MORE: macOS High Sierra 10.13 - The New Features That Matter
How to upgrade macOS: Sierra 10.12 compatibility list
As with the previous versions, macOS Sierra is available for a limited list of Mac models.
Here are the models of Macs that are compatible with macOS 10.12 and can upgrade to Sierra:
Here are the models of Macs that are compatible with macOS 10.12 and can upgrade to Sierra:
MacBook Pro | MacBook Air | Mac mini |
Mid 2010 or newer | Late 2010 or newer | Mid 2010 or newer |
Mac Pro® | MacBook | iMac |
Mid 2010 or newer | Late 2009 or newer | Late 2009 or newer |
Does order matter when you upgrade macOS?
If your current operating system is OS X Lion (10.7), you can skip a few versions, and upgrade directly to macOS High Sierra. To upgrade to Sierra from, say, Mavericks, you’ll have to consequently upgrade to Yosemite and then to El Capitan first.
Check Your macOS for Sierra Compatibility
These OS versions can upgrade to Sierra:
- OS X Mountain Lion v10.8
- OS X Mavericks v10.9
- OS X Yosemite v10.10
- OS X El Capitan v10.11
Here’s how to find out which OS version you’re running now:
- Click Apple icon in the top left corner.
- Choose About this Mac.
- There you have it, in capital letters.
Memory (RAM): 2 GB (preferably 4 GB)
Sierra is pretty lightweight, so you only need 2 GB of RAM to upgrade. Cool, eh?
Sierra is pretty lightweight, so you only need 2 GB of RAM to upgrade. Cool, eh?
Disk space: 8 GB of free space on drive.
In the same About this Mac menu select 'Storage' tab. In front of the multi-colored bar, you will see the phrase, 'X.XX GB free out of XX.XX GB.' If you don't have at least 8 GB of free space, you should delete some old files.
In the same About this Mac menu select 'Storage' tab. In front of the multi-colored bar, you will see the phrase, 'X.XX GB free out of XX.XX GB.' If you don't have at least 8 GB of free space, you should delete some old files.
Before you update macOS, don’t forget to:
Clean up your Mac
This is essential if you want a fast and effortless update, and glitchless work of your new macOS. And it’s also pretty easy. To give your Mac a cleanup, you need to get rid of system junk, uninstall extra apps, and clean some old caches. If that sounds like a lot of work, you can get a Mac cleaner like CleanMyMac for the job.
How to update your Mac: Clean it up first
- Launch it.
- Hit Scan to find all the extra files you can delete.
- Press Run.
As you can see, I have 8.56 GB worth of caches, obsolete language files, broken downloads. You'll feel great getting rid of them.
That will give your Mac a basic system cleanup, but CleanMyMac is going to come in handy after the update as well. It monitors your Mac’s health, helps you speed up the system and remove unnecessary apps (Trashing doesn’t fully uninstall apps, by the way).
That will give your Mac a basic system cleanup, but CleanMyMac is going to come in handy after the update as well. It monitors your Mac’s health, helps you speed up the system and remove unnecessary apps (Trashing doesn’t fully uninstall apps, by the way).
Back up your Mac
This is basic common sense before any Mac software update you’d like to undertake. Why? Well, because sometimes updates happen less smoothly than you’d like them to. To make sure you have all your information and files saved up neatly, you need a backup. To back up your Mac, you need to activate Time Machine.
- Open your Applications folder.
- Choose Time Machine.
- 'Select Backup Disk…'
Note: You may need to first choose to 'Set Up Time Machine.' - Choose where you'd like to store your backup.
- Both an external drive or an Airport Time Capsule fit.
- Switch the toggle on the left, from 'OFF' to 'ON.' Right beneath the name of your storage device, you'll see 'Oldest backup,' 'Latest backup,' and 'Next backup' — Your backup will begin within 5 minutes. To speed it up, click the arrow clock icon next to the Date & Time at the top-right of the menu bar and select 'Back Up Now.'
How to download macOS Sierra (or newer macOS) and install it
MacOS Sierra is available since September 20, 2016. If you’re thinking “That’s cool, but how do I update my Mac to it?”, no worries, it’s quite simple.
To download any new macOS and install it you’ll need to do the next:
- Open App Store.
- Click Updates tab in the top menu.
- You’ll see Software Update — macOS Sierra or newer OS
- Click Update.
- Wait for macOS download and installation.
- Your Mac will restart when it’s done.
- Now you have a new OS
We hope this guide has been of use, and don’t forget to clean up your Mac and back it up before you get the classic macOS! Cheers.
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Just as Apple regularly updates its iOS mobile operating system, the company also periodically updates its OS X operating system for its Mac computers. If you own an iMac, Mac mini, MacBook, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, Mac Pro, or Xserve, regularly updating your computer with the newest operating system is a great way to ensure that your device always has the latest apps, features, and security enhancements.
While Apple previously charged users for its desktop operating system software, in October 2013, the company announced that OS X Mavericks would be made available for free from the Mac App Store. This free upgrade tradition continued in 2014 with Apple’s latest desktop operating system, OS X Yosemite. However, before you visit Apple’s website to download the latest version of OS X, there are several steps you should take first to ensure the upgrade process goes as smoothly as possible.
Check your Mac hardware
First, you will want verify that your Mac hardware is compatible with the latest version of OS X. Due to the rapid pace of advancement in computer hardware development, there is a limit to the backward compatibility of Apple’s latest operating system with certain older Mac computers. Here are the computers that are compatible with OS X Yosemite, according to Apple’s website.
![Update Update](/uploads/1/2/5/8/125843711/110892949.jpg)
- iMac (Mid 2007 or newer)
- MacBook (Late 2008 Aluminum, or Early 2009 or newer)
- MacBook Pro (Mid/Late 2007 or newer)
- MacBook Air (Late 2008 or newer)
- Mac mini (Early 2009 or newer)
- Mac Pro (Early 2008 or newer)
- Xserve (Early 2009)
Source: Apple.com
Check your Mac software
Now that you’ve determined that your Mac hardware is compatible with OS X Yosemite, it’s time to check what version of OS X your Mac is running in order to determine how to update your software. To see what OS X version your computer is running, click the Apple icon at the top left of your screen and select About This Mac, then click More Info. Listed beneath your computer’s serial number will be the version of OS X that your Mac is running. According to Apple, the following versions of OS X can be directly upgraded to OS X Yosemite:
- OS X Snow Leopard (v10.6.8)
- OS X Lion (v10.7)
- OS X Mountain Lion (v10.8)
- OS X Mavericks (v10.9)
In addition to the operating system versions listed above, there are also several older versions that can be upgraded through a multi-step process.
- Older versions of OS X Snow Leopard
If you are running any version of OS X Snow Leopard that is older than the 10.6.8 update, you will need to update to the latest version before you can download OS X Yosemite. This can be initiated by clicking the Apple icon at the top left of your screen and selecting the Software Update option. Choose to upgrade to OS X Snow Leopard 10.6.8.
- OS X Leopard
If you are running OS X Leopard, you will need to upgrade to the latest version of OS X Snow Leopard before you upgrade to OS X Yosemite. Fortunately, despite having come out more than five years ago, Apple still offers Snow Leopard. However, since Snow Leopard was released before Apple instituted its free desktop operating system policy, you must pay to get the upgrade from Leopard to Snow Leopard. Snow Leopard software is available for purchase for $19.99 from the Apple Store.
Other requirements
At this point, you have verified that your Mac hardware is compatible with OS X Yosemite and have made sure that you are running OS X Snow Leopard 10.6.8 or later. However, before you initiate your OS X Yosemite download at the Mac App Store, please note these basic system requirements as highlighted by Apple.
- 2GB of memory
- 8GB of available storage
- Some features require an Apple ID; terms apply.
- Some features require a compatible Internet service provider; fees may apply.
For a detailed overview of the core technologies in OS X Yosemite, browse this documentation from Apple.
Download OS X Yosemite
Now that you’ve made sure that your Mac hardware and software is compatible with OS X Yosemite and have checked your basic system requirements, you’re ready to download. Simply follow the link to the OS X Yosemite download page at the Mac App Store and follow the onscreen instructions to get your free software upgrade. If you don’t have broadband Internet access, you can also upgrade your software by bringing your Mac into any physical Apple Store.
Follow Nathanael on Twitter@ArnoldEtan_WSCS
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