In the 1980s, Apple Computer Inc. (now Apple Inc.) abandoned its popular Apple II series of microcomputers to introduce the Apple Macintosh computer with an innovative graphical user interface (GUI) to the Mac OS. Discover the innovative world of Apple and shop everything iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Mac, and Apple TV, plus explore accessories, entertainment, and expert device support. If you purchased your Mac with OS Catalina (10.15.x) or Big Sur (11.xx.x) already installed, you can skip the uninstall part above and follow the instructions below. 6 'high level' steps needed, follow down the page to make this a painless systematic process.
macOS Big Sur elevates the most advanced desktop operating system in the world to a new level of power and beauty. Experience Mac to the fullest with a refined new design. Enjoy the biggest Safari update ever. Discover new features for Maps and Messages. Get even more transparency around your privacy.
Chances are, your Mac can run macOS Big Sur
The classic OS X 10.12, or rather macOS upgrade, introduced tons of features anyone would still want on their Mac. 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.). Head over to “System Preferences” on your Mac from the Dock or Apple menu This will open a new window on your Mac. Here, click on “Dock & Menu Bar” which is the third option in the menu located right next to Desktop & Screen Saver settings. Here, you’ll find the Control Center items on the left pane.
The following models are supported:
MacBook (2015 or later)
MacBook Air (2013 or later)
MacBook Pro (Late 2013 or later)
Mac mini (2014 or later)
iMac (2014 or later)
iMac Pro (2017 or later)
Mac Pro (2013 or later)
To see which model you have, click the Apple icon in your menu bar and choose About This Mac.
Make sure you’re ready to upgrade.
Before you upgrade, we recommend that you back up your Mac. If your Mac is running OS X Mavericks 10.9 or later, you can upgrade directly to macOS Big Sur. You’ll need the following:
OS X 10.9 or later
4GB of memory
35.5GB available storage on macOS Sierra or later*
Some features require an Apple ID; terms apply.
Some features require a compatible internet service provider; fees may apply.
Upgrading is free and easy
Upgrading from macOS Catalina 10.15 or Mojave 10.14?
Go to Software Update in System Preferences to find macOS Big Sur. Click Upgrade Now and follow the onscreen instructions.
Upgrading from an older version of macOS?
If you’re running any release from macOS 10.13 to 10.9, you can upgrade to macOS Big Sur from the App Store. If you’re running Mountain Lion 10.8, you will need to upgrade to El Capitan 10.11 first.
If you don’t have broadband access, you can upgrade your Mac at any Apple Store.
OS X 10.9 or later
4GB of memory
35.5GB available storage on macOS Sierra or later*
Some features require an Apple ID; terms apply.
Some features require a compatible internet service provider; fees may apply.
For details about your Mac model, click the Apple icon at the top left of your screen and choose About This Mac. These Mac models are compatible with macOS Big Sur:
MacBook (2015 or later)
MacBook Air (2013 or later)
MacBook Pro (Late 2013 or later)
Mac mini (2014 or later)
iMac (2014 or later)
iMac Pro (2017 or later)
Mac Pro (2013 or later)
Siri
Requires a broadband internet connection and microphone (built-in or external).
Hey Siri
Supported by the following Mac models:
MacBook Pro (2018 or later)
MacBook Air (2018 or later)
iMac Pro (2017 or later)
Dictation, Voice Control, and Voice Memos
Requires a microphone (built-in or external).
Spotlight Suggestions
Requires a broadband internet connection.
Gestures
Requires a Multi-Touch trackpad, Force Touch trackpad, Magic Trackpad, or Magic Mouse.
Force Touch gestures require a Force Touch trackpad.
VoiceOver gestures require a Multi-Touch trackpad, Force Touch trackpad, or Magic Trackpad.
Photo Booth
Requires a FaceTime or iSight camera (built-in or external) or USB video class (UVC) camera.
FaceTime
Audio calls require a microphone (built-in or external) and broadband internet connection.
Video calls require a built-in FaceTime camera, an iSight camera (built-in or external), or a USB video class (UVC) camera; and broadband internet connection.
Apple TV
High dynamic range (HDR) video playback is supported by the following Mac models:
MacBook Pro (2018 or later)
iMac Pro (2017 or later)
Mac Pro (2019) with Pro Display XDR
Dolby Atmos soundtrack playback is supported by the following Mac models:
MacBook Air (2018 or later)
MacBook Pro (2018 or later)
Sidecar
Supported by the following Mac models:
MacBook (2016 or later)
MacBook Air (2018 or later)
MacBook Pro (2016 or later)
Mac mini (2018 or later)
iMac (late 2015 or later)
iMac Pro (2017 or later)
Mac Pro (2019)
Supported by all iPad models with Apple Pencil support:
12.9-inch iPad Pro
11-inch iPad Pro
10.5-inch iPad Pro
9.7-inch iPad Pro
iPad (6th generation or later)
iPad mini (5th generation)
iPad Air (3rd and 4th generation)
Continuity Camera
Requires an iPhone or iPad that supports iOS 12 or later.
Continuity Sketch and Continuity Markup
Requires an iPhone with iOS 13 or later or an iPad with iPadOS 13 or later.
Handoff
Requires an iPhone or iPad with a Lightning connector or with USB-C and iOS 8 or later.
Instant Hotspot
Requires an iPhone or iPad with cellular connectivity, a Lightning connector or USB-C, and iOS 8.1 or later. Requires Personal Hotspot service through your carrier.
Universal Clipboard
Requires an iPhone or iPad with a Lightning connector or with USB-C and iOS 10 or later.
Auto Unlock
Requires an Apple Watch with watchOS 3 or later or an iPhone 5 or later.
Approve with Apple Watch
Requires an Apple Watch with watchOS 6 or later or an iPhone 6s or later with iOS 13 or later.
Apple Pay on the Web
Requires a MacBook Pro or MacBook Air with Touch ID, an iPhone 6 or later with iOS 10 or later, or an Apple Watch with watchOS 3 or later.
Phone Calling
Requires an iPhone with iOS 8 or later and an activated carrier plan.
SMS
Requires an iPhone with iOS 8.1 or later and an activated carrier plan.
May S Digi Adventure Mac Os X
Home
Requires an iPhone with iOS 12 or later and a configured Home app.
AirDrop
AirDrop to iOS and iPadOS devices requires an iPhone or iPad with a Lightning connector or with USB-C and iOS 7 or later.
AirPlay
AirPlay Mirroring requires an Apple TV (2nd generation or later).
AirPlay for web video requires an Apple TV (2nd generation or later).
Peer-to-peer AirPlay requires a Mac (2012 or later) and an Apple TV (3rd generation rev A, model A1469 or later) with Apple TV software 7.0 or later.
Time Machine
Requires an external storage device (sold separately).
Maps electric vehicle routing
Requires an iPhone with iOS 14 and a compatible electric vehicle.
Maps license plate restrictions
Requires an iPhone running iOS 14 or an iPad running iPadOS 14.
Boot Camp
Allows Boot Camp installations of Windows 10 on supported Mac models.
Exchange Support
Requires Microsoft Office 365, Exchange 2016, Exchange 2013, or Exchange Server 2010. Installing the latest Service Packs is recommended.
Windows Migration
Supports OS X 10.7 or later and Windows 7 or later.
App Store
Available only to persons age 13 or older in the U.S. and many other countries and regions.
Photos
The improved Retouch tool is supported on the following Mac models:
MacBook Pro (15-inch and 16-inch models) introduced in 2016 or later
iMac (Retina 5K models) introduced in 2014 or later
iMac (Retina 4K models) introduced in 2017 or later
iMac Pro (2017 or later)
Mac Pro introduced in 2013 or later
Apple Books
Apple News
App Store
Automator
Calculator
Calendar
Chess
Contacts
Dictionary
DVD Player
FaceTime
Find My
Font Book
Home
Image Capture
Launchpad
Mail
Maps
Messages
Mission Control
Music
Notes
Photo Booth
Photos
Podcasts
Preview
QuickTime Player
Reminders
Safari
Siri
Stickies
Stocks
System Preferences
TextEdit
Time Machine
TV
Voice Memos
Activity Monitor
AirPort Utility
Audio MIDI Setup
Bluetooth File Exchange
Boot Camp Assistant
ColorSync Utility
Console
Digital Color Meter
Disk Utility
Grapher
Keychain Access
Migration Assistant
Screenshot
Screen Time
Script Editor
Sidecar
System Information
Terminal
VoiceOver Utility
Arabic
Catalan
Croatian
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Traditional Chinese (Hong Kong)
Czech
Danish
Dutch
English (Australia)
English (UK)
English (U.S.)
Finnish
French
French (Canada)
German
Greek
Hebrew
Hindi
Hungarian
Indonesian
Italian
Japanese
Korean
Malay
Norwegian
Polish
Brazilian Portuguese
Portuguese
Romanian
Russian
Slovak
Spanish
Spanish (Latin America)
Swedish
Thai
Turkish
Ukrainian
Vietnamese
Every day, Macworld brings you the essential daily news and other info about all things Apple. But staying on top of that torrent of information can be a constant challenge. One solution: the Macworld digital magazine.
In the May issue
In the May issue, we look back at Mac OS X, which shipped 20 years ago. See its evolution and how macOS will steer Apple for the next 20 years. Find out how worried you should be about your M1 Mac’s SSD lifespan. Learn how to consolidate mail from multiple Macs.
Also in this month’s issue:
• MacUser: How Apple flips the switch and keeps bringing in new customers. Plus, the latest rumors on the Apple Car project
• MacUser Reviews: PDF Squeezer 4, OWC Thunderbolt 3 mini Dock
• iOS Central: Can Apple handle the great responsibility that is the App Store? Also, what Wi-Fi 6E means for the future of the iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Apple’s A15 processor: How fast will it be?
May S Digi Adventure Mac Os 11
• Working Mac: Does a Time Machine drive need to be always on with a Mac? Troubleshooting tips for using an old iMac as an external display for a Thunderbolt 3 Mac
• Playlist: Studio One 5 Professional review: A top-notch, unique competitor for Logic X
May S Digi Adventure Mac Os Catalina
• Mac 911: How to share a password via AirDrop from iOS 14, iPadOS 14, or macOS. What you need to do to prepare your digital assets in case of death.
Read your issues on Mac or PC
You can read any issues as part of your subscription through a browser on Mac or PC. Simply go to this link. Click on the icon in the upper right (a box with an arrow in it). Existing app users should click on ‘Already have an account?’ below the sign up form and then log in there with your Macworld digital magazine app credentials. From there you will have access to all issues that are part of your subscription. If you visit the link with a Chrome browser, you can download the Macworld desktop reader app for reading offline, or on a larger screen.
Take note
Check out the responsive view on our platform. While in the issue, swipe to an article page (for example, MacUser), tap the screen to reveal the app menu, go to the bottom menu, and tap the text icon (bottom right). To go back to PDF view, tap the PDF icon in the same location.
You’ll need your email and subscription password to access your issues on the new platform. If you haven’t created a password for your subscription, follow the steps below.
To set up your account with a password for the Macworld digital magazine
While connected to Wi-Fi, go to the Macworld app on your device. Tap the ‘Account’ icon in the bottom right. upper left menu > My Account.
If you’re a Digital Subscriber:
Tap the ‘Sign In’ option.
Tap the ‘Sign Up’ button.
Enter your email address and create a password. Keep your password somewhere safe.
Tap the ‘Continue’ button.
Go to ‘Library’ tab.
Enjoy!
If you’ve subscribed from within the app (in-app purchase):
Tap ‘Restore Purchases’.
Tap ‘Restore’.
Go to the ‘Library’ tab.
Download your prior pruchases
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From a desktop, go to macworld.com/customer_service to create a password for your subscription.
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