The latest macOS operating system is now available. It is called Catalina or macOS 10.15. Like all new major operating system releases, it has many new features and is free to install on existing hardware. In this blog, I will tell you how to prepare your Mac for installation.
Let me begin by recommending that you do NOT install Catalina – at least not yet. A new major operating system release is a big deal and I always recommend that you wait until one or two bug releases have been made available.
Supported Macs
These are the computers that you can install Catalina on if and when you are ready to proceed:
Supported Apps
One of the major implications of Catalina is that 32-bit applications will no longer run. You might have noticed some warning messages appearing on your current macOS regarding this inevitability. To see a list of 32-bit applications currently installed on your Mac, follow these steps:
1) Go to the Apple menu and select About This Mac
2) Click on System Report
3) Navigate to the Software tab and select Applications
4) Click the 64-bit column to sort the column. If the row shows No, then that application will not run on Catalina. Your only choice in that case is to see if the developer has an updated 64-bit version or find a suitable alternative.
Storage
You can check on your storage situation by going back to About This Mac and selecting the Storage tab. In general, you should have about 15% of your main hard drive empty. Catalina will take up about 15 to 20 gb of free storage. So, if you don’t have at least 15% plus 20gb free, you need to get busy deleting.
Backup
Before beginning the installation process, make sure you have a current backup. Use of Apple’s Time Machine and an external hard drive is the simplest way to create a robust backup.
Installation
The simplest way to install Catalina is to either go to System Preferences and select “Software Update” or go to the Apple Store and find it there.
There are many new features in Catalina you will find interesting. Just Google “macos catalina features” to learn all about them. One more warning: in Catalina iTunes is gone and has been replaced with three different applications: Music, Apple TV, and Podcasts.
Good luck!
Let me begin by recommending that you do NOT install Catalina – at least not yet. A new major operating system release is a big deal and I always recommend that you wait until one or two bug releases have been made available.
Supported Macs
These are the computers that you can install Catalina on if and when you are ready to proceed:
- 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)
Supported Apps
One of the major implications of Catalina is that 32-bit applications will no longer run. You might have noticed some warning messages appearing on your current macOS regarding this inevitability. To see a list of 32-bit applications currently installed on your Mac, follow these steps:
1) Go to the Apple menu and select About This Mac
2) Click on System Report
3) Navigate to the Software tab and select Applications
4) Click the 64-bit column to sort the column. If the row shows No, then that application will not run on Catalina. Your only choice in that case is to see if the developer has an updated 64-bit version or find a suitable alternative.
Storage
You can check on your storage situation by going back to About This Mac and selecting the Storage tab. In general, you should have about 15% of your main hard drive empty. Catalina will take up about 15 to 20 gb of free storage. So, if you don’t have at least 15% plus 20gb free, you need to get busy deleting.
Backup
Before beginning the installation process, make sure you have a current backup. Use of Apple’s Time Machine and an external hard drive is the simplest way to create a robust backup.
Installation
The simplest way to install Catalina is to either go to System Preferences and select “Software Update” or go to the Apple Store and find it there.
There are many new features in Catalina you will find interesting. Just Google “macos catalina features” to learn all about them. One more warning: in Catalina iTunes is gone and has been replaced with three different applications: Music, Apple TV, and Podcasts.
Good luck!
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