Although Apple makes new software updates available to as many older devices as possible, there are always some reasons why it may not be in your best interest to install the latest and greatest, even if your Mac is compatible. Is my Mac compatible? If you have the following model of Mac, you can download and install macOS Mojave:. MacBook (Early 2015 or newer). MacBook Air (Mid 2012 or newer).
MacBook Pro (Mid 2012 or newer). Mac mini (Late 2012 or newer). iMac (Late 2012 or newer). iMac Pro (2017). Mac Pro (Late 2013, plus mid-2010 and mid-2012 models with recommended Metal-capable GPU) If your Mac is older than any of the models listed above, it isn't compatible with macOS Mojave. In order to use features like phone calling from your Mac, Handoff, Auto Unlock, Camera Continuity, and Apple Pay on the Web, you'll want to make sure you have an iPhone 6 or newer running iOS 10 or later or an Apple Watch running watchOS 3 or later. These devices aren't necessary to use Mojave, but they are necessary to use the Continuity features between macOS, iOS, and watchOS.
MacBook (Early 2015 or newer) MacBook Air (Mid 2012 or newer) MacBook Pro (Mid 2012 or newer) Mac mini (Late 2012 or newer) iMac (Late 2012 or newer) iMac Pro (2017) Mac Pro (Late 2013, plus mid-2010 and mid-2012 models with recommended Metal-capable GPU) If your Mac is older than any of the models listed above, it isn't compatible with macOS Mojave. The macOS High Sierra 10.13.6 Supplemental Update 2 improves the stability and reliability of MacBook Pro with Touch Bar (2018) computers, and is recommended for all users.
Continuity Camera requires iOS 12 or later and macOS Mojave or later. Do you meet the requirements to use all of macOS Mojave's new features? If not, you may want to think about whether it is worth the effort to install it. Any Mac older than 2012 doesn't get many of the Continuity features, like Handoff, AirDrop, Universal Clipboard on your Mac, and Apple Pay on the Web.
Are these cross-device features important to you? Maybe it's time to upgrade your Mac. I'm ready to try it out, but what if I don't like it?
Upgrading to a new software system, especially on a computer, can be a big upheaval that causes stress and confusion. You might be excited about macOS Mojave after reading about everything it can do, but quickly decide that it's not right for you. The first, and most important thing you should do before upgrading to macOS Mojave (or updating any software, no matter how small), is to back up your Mac.
Next, it is not a bad idea to think about partitioning your Mac so you can install macOS Mojave in tandem with your current Mac operating system. That way, you can get used to the changes while still having access to what you are familiar with. It will also make it easier to simply delete the software if you know you don't want to use Mojave at all. If you've downloaded macOS Mojave on your main hard drive, you're not out of luck.
You can always downgrade back to your previous operating system. I'm just going to go for it! It's not always such a good idea to download a huge update on Day One. There are a number of factors that can give you a negative experience right out of the gate, which might leave a bad taste in your mouth. Hundreds (or even thousands) of people will hit the download button the exact moment they hear that macOS Mojave is available to the public, which could put a strain on the servers and make it take a really long time for you to complete the process.
With changes in macOS Mojave, it also means that some third-party apps will need to be updated for compatibility. Not all developers will have their updates ready right away. If there are any apps that you just can't live without, you might be forced to.
Live without until they are updated. The best way to see if your must-have apps are going to be ready for macOS Mojave is to visit the companies' websites or check their social media feeds. Proceed with caution If, after reading everything I suggested, you still think you are ready to upgrade to macOS Mojave, then, by all means, go for it! I've been using it for a couple of months now, and frankly, I love it. Just make sure you've got a current backup of your Mac, just in case something goes wrong. Updated September 2018: Updated for macOS Mojave.
Thus far I am very disappointed with macOS Sierra. I have a MacBook Pro late 2011 (2.5 Ghz intel core i5, 4 gb ram) which was running great on El Capitan. Updated today to macOS Sierra and my computer is so slow now, honestly shocked because it's the slowest its ever been. Applications take much longer to open, Siri isn't even worth using due to how slow it is.
Everything went so well when I had upgraded to El Capitan, I thought I would have similar results this time around. Anyone else on a 2011 MacBook Pro with better results than me? I'm on a mid-2011 MacBook Air (so significantly less horsepower than your MBP) and I've not noticed any slowdowns as you've described. Now, I always make a practice of doing several reboots over a few days (rather than just let my Mac go to sleep when I'm not using it), as I've found that helps Apple's OS get its ducks in a row - and maybe that helps. Boots are marginally longer, but beyond that. The only other caveats here I have is that I don't use a lot of power / processor hungry apps and, being an Air, I have a SSD, rather than a HDD - so I don't know if those issues are playing into your's there - but firedept10's comment above suggests that its not a SSD/HDD issue?
Hi Bazza1, I have a question for you. How about battery on a mid-2011 MacBook Air? How long is Air working on a Sierra?Hi Dmitry - In truth, I don't use my Air as often as I once did on battery alone (though my battery's health and number of cycles left on it is still pretty good) - so I can't really give you a comparison.
And I never really kept track of how long it ran with previous OSs and I've not really had enough of an opportunity to run it 'dry' on Sierra yet. Sorry I can't offer guidance there. My early-2011 MacBookPro is running at a glacial pace on Sierra.
I actually didn't even realize that I was upgrading the system, or I wouldn't have done it! In that same vein of knowing so little as to be dangerous, I don't know what HDD or SDD is. This Mac is an old one from work that I'm using at home, and I would love to not have to invest in a new one, if that's possible. Thanks for being smart people on this site!HDD is a hard disk drive, the 'old' traditional spinning hard drive. The newer computers often come with an SSD, or solid state drive, which is much like a memory card in your camera. No spinning drives, just near instant read/write access. Performance is quite a bit better.
You can see for yourself when I changed my 2011 Mac Mini HDD with an SSD. See this thread. Robertk328 - Thabks for the explanation! I wouldn't be able to do that changeout myself, but it's very good to know what to ask someone else for!
That's an amazing result and would be so much better than the molasses brick I currently own. I'll look around for a place that can do this work.It will make a big difference. If you're curious, here's a video: Depending on your comfort level you may be able to do it. A backup is a must. But if you have a local place willing to do it, it could be worth it. Just get a decent SSD (i.e. Samsung EVO) and enjoy!
MacOS Sierra it's not working for me! The features is great and i don't see big differences in speed, but the battery flows in 1,5 hours MAX. Before the upgrade, battery was holding 3-4hrs!
Wtf now, really? I can't get used to the noise of the fans. After the upgrade by the time i open it, they are working all the time as like i'm rendering a video in Cinema 4D.
It was the worst experience i have had with Apple. I'm talking about MacBook Pro early 2011, 2.3GHz Intel Core i5, 4GB ram, SSD HD Samsung EVO 750.
How can i downgrade my Macbook and which was running great for similar Macbooks? Thus far I am very disappointed with macOS Sierra.
I have a MacBook Pro late 2011 (2.5 Ghz intel core i5, 4 gb ram) which was running great on El Capitan. Updated today to macOS Sierra and my computer is so slow now, honestly shocked because it's the slowest its ever been. Applications take much longer to open, Siri isn't even worth using due to how slow it is. Everything went so well when I had upgraded to El Capitan, I thought I would have similar results this time around. Anyone else on a 2011 MacBook Pro with better results than me?
I'm on a early-2011 MacBook pro and I've not noticed any slowdowns as you've described, but my battery flow very quickly and the fans working all the time. If you replace your hdd with a ssd the macbook will boot and work a lot faster! It will blow your mind! This samsung EVO 850 500GB is really good It is also trim enabled. On your macbook pro 2011 you can enable trim. There are a lot of tutorials on the internet how to do this. Trim keeps your flash memory appropriately cycled so that you can achieve faster read and write speeds, as well as a longer lifespan for your SSD.Pretty sure Sierra allows you to enable Trip without having to go through any hoops, unless I read fake news.
Also, I'm not sure splurging on an expensive 500GB SSD is worth it for a machine that old, when you can get by with a $100 Evo or Intel SSD at 240-256GB Capacity which has 400MB R/W speeds. Get the cheaper SSD, and use that extra money to upgrade the RAM. And possibly replace the battery, if you can get that done on the cheap. Once the machine is open, it costs almost nothing extra in labor to do that. You'd basically only be paying for the part. I'm on a early-2011 MacBook pro and I've not noticed any slowdowns as you've described, but my battery flow very quickly and the fans working all the time.Old Machine, likely with some dust in it, which is built with lots of components that generate quite a bit of heat compared to today's notebook computers.
That's normal, especially after quite a few years of ownership. Also depends on what type of applications you're running, as well. A friend of mine has a 2011 MacBook Pro, and she's done nothing but complain about performance and beach balls since upgrading to Sierra.