Preparing for macOS Ventura (and a Word about Windows 11)

The latest macOS operating system is now available. It is called Ventura or macOS 13. 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 Ventura – 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 Ventura on if and when you are ready to proceed:

• 2017 iMac/iMac Pro and later
  
• 2018 MacBook Air and later
  
• 2017 MacBook Pro and later
  
• 2019 Mac Pro and later
  
• 2018 Mac mini and later
  
• 2017 MacBook and later
  
• 2022 Mac Studio and later
  

If your Mac is older than the above models, know that Apple still releases security updates and new Safari updates for Big Sur (macOS 11) and Monterey (macOS 12) and large app developers such as Google and Microsoft usually support even older versions, at least for a year or two. But be aware that if you are running the latest version of iOS on your iPhone or iPad, you might run into some compatibility issues if you fall behind on your Mac.
Storage
You can check on your storage situation by going to About This Mac and selecting the Storage tab. Ventura requires about 35gb of free storage. So, if you don’t have at least that much 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 Ventura 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 Ventura you will find interesting. Just Google “macOS Ventura features” to learn all about them.
Finally a word about Windows 11: if you are being nagged to install Windows 11, that means your computer is compatible with Windows 11 and you certainly good go ahead and upgrade. However, there is no rush since Windows 10 will be supported until October 14, 2025. There are many things different about the Windows 11 user interface, so if you don’t like change, I would stay with Windows 10 for now. However, if you like the challenge of learning new things, then Windows 11 might be just for you. If you do decide to upgrade to Windows 11, be sure to back up your files first. And if you do upgrade and decide you don’t like Windows 11, you have 10 days in which you can roll back to Windows 10.
Good luck!