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. It is a major upgrade to macOS and includes plenty of new features and updates. However, a big question that many MacBook, iMac, or even Mac Mini users will now have is if their device supports this new version. To help you get an answer, we have prepared a list of all macOS Catalina-supported devices. Supported devices from mid-2012 or later.
A fresh start is not a challenge in the Mac universe. Quite the opposite, getting a macOS upgrade every September marks a surge of new features and functionality enhancements—all coming right your Mac’s way.
Apple introduced the perks of macOS 10.15 at the 2019 WWDC, and lots of features have been tested and discussed since then. A dual monitor available with the Sidecar feature, the Photos app update, and a brand-new iTunes made the show this year. Lots of features migrate from iOS, the others appear for the first time. If you’re wondering why Catalina is worth an upgrade, check the full list of killing features here.
Mac Os Catalina On Macbook Pro 2012 Charger
Traditionally, there are two stages at which you can try macOS Catalina before it’s officially released. Starting June, there’s a developer beta available, and about a month later—a public one.
Ready to dive in? Give us a second to get you ready.
Take all your apps to macOS Catalina
Get Setapp, a suit of Mac apps that strengthen your macOS. When you decide to upgrade, your curated apps will travel with you.
A few things before you switch to Catalina
Your to-do list for the upcoming upgrade:
- Ensure your device is compatible. As usual, there’s a limited number of Apple devices that support macOS 10.15. It’s not too different from what we had last year, but take a look anyway. Sometimes the reason why you can’t upgrade lies on the surface:
- MacBook Air (2012 or newer)
- MacBook (2015 or newer)
- MacBook Pro (2012 or newer)
- Mac Pro (2013 or newer)
- Mac mini (2012 or newer)
- iMac (2012 or newer)
- iMac Pro (all models)
- Say goodbye to 32-bit apps. Mojave was the first macOS to stop admitting 32-bit apps to the App Store and the last to support them. In Catalina, you’ll have to limit your Mac to 64-bit applications only. Once you install macOS 10.15, you’ll be warned about 32-bit apps not working on your Mac any longer. CleanMyMac X will help you quickly filter applications by 32-bit and get rid of them:
- Backup valuable data. When we’re too excited, we tend to rush things. Remember though, that a new macOS means a new start—wiping away the past. To keep your data safe, create a backup before upgrading. You can use Apple’s in-built Time Machine or more advanced tools like Get Backup Pro if you want a bootable backup.
- Clean up your Mac. You need to free up some space for your new macOS. Even if you have enough, running a cleanup is a nice way to start a clutter-free life in Catalina. From redundant apps to caches and leftovers, you can remove any unnecessary items with CleanMyMac X.
How to install a developer beta of macOS Catalina
Downloading and installing macOS Catalina developer beta is an easy deal if you have a Developer account. Can you use snapchat on macbook. Here’s how it works:
- Go to developer.apple.com and click Account in the top menu bar.
- Sign in with your account credentials.
- Select Downloads > Install Profile.
- Find and launch the installer in your Downloads folder.
- Open the PKG file and agree to the installation.
- If required, verify the account by entering your system password or with Touch ID.
- Find the update in System Preferences.
- Click Upgrade Now to install the beta.
Test macOS 10.15 on a partition
If you’re not ready to give up Mojave just yet, you can install Catalina on a partition. Basically, it allows to split your disk into two parts, so that your computer can run two operating systems at the same time.
To install Catalina on a partition, go to Applications > Utilities > Disk Utility. Your disk will be the first on the list under “Internal.” Select the disc and navigate to Partition tab. Click the plus button to split your disk, name your partition, and customize the size if needed. Click Apply and you’re ready to drive. Or, rather, double drive.
Catalina Mac Pro 2010
Clean install macOS Catalina on Mac
If you’re determined to give your Mac a new life, run a clean install of Catalina. In contrast to a regular install which puts macOS on top of your startup disk content, a clean installation cleans everything up. Risky as it sounds, a clean install enables a healthier life for your macOS. Just make sure you don’t lose anything in the shuffle:
- Create a safe bootable backup of your disk with Get Backup Pro.
- Connect a clean and reformatted external hard drive or a USB stick.
- On the disk, create a bootable installer.
- Erase your startup disk with Disk Utility and boot from the new one.
- When installing macOS Catalina, choose your new disk as the install location.
If you decide to go with a regular install, note that all the clutter from your disk will be transferred to the new operating system. So we recommend to make use of CleanMyMac X smart scanning before you upgrade.
Download and install Catalina Public Beta
A developer beta opens up an early access to all the features. The problem is it’s not free. To get your hands on Catalina with a developer account, you have to pay a yearly fee of $99. Therefore, you might want to wait for Apple to make it public.
Arriving in July, a public beta of Catalina is available at beta.apple.com/sp/betaprogram/. Once there, it takes a couple of steps to upgrade:
- Log in with your Apple ID.
- Navigate to Enroll your Mac section and click on “Download the macOS Public Beta Access Utility.”
- Once downloaded, run the installer.
- Open System Preferences. You’ll find the public beta update under Software Update (macOS Catalina beta).
- Click Upgrade now to download the installer. Go through the installation if you want to put beta on your current Mac, or quit to create a bootable USB install drive first.
The pitfalls of Catalina beta
To put it shortly, it’s buggy. Just like any other macOS beta, Catalina can slow down your Mac, freeze, or hinder the work of some apps. It’s ok.
There are a couple of things you can fix, though:
- If you have issues with Sidecar: Ensure your iPad runs on the new iPadOS beta. The feature won’t work on iPadOS 12.
- If an app doesn’t open: Hope you remember, 32-bit apps are dead in Catalina. So if some of your software doesn’t work on the new macOS because of 32-bit architecture, look for alternatives.
- If iCloud doesn’t work properly: Try to close and reopen a document, or download files manually if iCloud Drive fails to load them.
Once you notice imperfections, help to fix them. Beta users can report bugs through Apple’s in-built Feedback Assistant app.
Hopefully, Catalina is worth an upgrade for you. If not, you can downgrade anytime to continue your journey with Mojave. If an operating system doesn’t solve some of your tasks, let Setapp cover the needs. It’s a curated collection of Mac apps that helps you with screenshots, PDF editing, file management, and tons of other jobs—150 at the very least.
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The macOS Catalina Patcher is an application that lets you install and run macOS 10.15 on unsupported hardware, meaning you can get macOS Catalina installed in an old Mac!
The macOS Catalina Patcher is an application that lets you install and run macOS 10.15 on unsupported hardware. The program can download the latest version from Apple servers and create a bootable flash drive from it.
To create media using macOS Catalina, you need to specify the location of the installer and select the media (at least 16 GB).
Before you start, make sure you have:
- Access a Mac that can be used to download and create a bootable USB installation drive.
- The drive should be at least 16GB in size and formatted in Mac OS Extended (Journaled) format.
- Back up your data on the Mac where you want to install Catalina.
Macbook Pro 2012 Catalina
Finally, please note that this process depends on patches and hacks, and you may still experience issues running macOS Catalina without any errors on unsupported old Macs.
Officially, macOS Catalina is only supported on the following Mac models as they have a graphics processor that supports Apple Graphics API Metal.
- MacBook (Early 2015 or later)
- MacBook Air (Mid 2012 or later)
- MacBook Pro (Mid 2012 or later)
- Mac mini (Late 2012 or later)
- iMac (Late 2012 or later)
- iMac Pro (2017)
- Mac Pro (Late 2013 or later)
With the macOS Catalina Patcher tool, you can install operating systems on the following Macs:
- Early 2008 or newer Mac Pro, iMac or MacBook Pro
- Late 2008 or newer MacBook Air or aluminum all-in-one MacBook
- Early 2009 or newer Mac Mini or white MacBook
- Xserve in early 2008 or later
How to get into a macbook pro without password. However, even the Patcher tool does not support the following Macs:
- Mac Pro, iMac, MacBook Pro, and Mac Mini 2006-2007
- 2006-2008 MacBook
- 2008 MacBook Air
Text version:
Create patched macOS Catalina USB installer
After checking if your Mac is supported, follow these steps:
1. Download the latest version of macOS Catalina Patcher from here (http://dosdude1.com/catalina/). Because developers continue to update applications with the latest patches and hotfixes, always download the latest version.
2. Run the application and click Continue.
3. On the next screen, click Download a Copy. We will use this option because we will create a bootable USB drive installer.
4. The installer is about 8GB in size, so it may take some time to complete the download.
5. When finished, you will be given the choice of installation method. Ftp file upload software. Here, insert the plug-in into the USB flash drive and click 'Create a bootable installer'.
6. After creating the drive, plug it into an unsupported Mac and install macOS Catalina in it. Turn on your Mac and hold down the Option key. You will see the startup manager. Use the arrow keys to select the bootable USB drive and click Return.
7. When you boot into the macOS recovery environment, make sure to use Disk Utility to format the internal drive (the drive used to install macOS Catalina) to APFS. This step is required if you want to update from a very old macOS version that does not support APFS.
8. The next step will use the 'Reinstall macOS' option to begin the installation process. Let the installation process complete. During this process, you may see some command line messages. These are perfectly normal and are part of the installation process created by the developer to ensure compatibility.
9. After the installation is complete, shut down your Mac and then restart it using the USB drive again. The reason for this is that you can apply an installed patch to ensure that Catalina works properly on your system.
10. After returning to the macOS recovery environment, click on the option that says 'macOS Post Install.' By default, the installer will select all the correct patches required by your Mac. Click Apply Patch and complete the process.
Mac Os Catalina On Macbook Pro 2012 13
11. After applying the patch, select the option that says 'Force Cache Rebuild' and click 'Restart'.
Macos Catalina Mac Pro 2012
12. The Mac will restart, and you should be able to set up macOS Catalina.