You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!
When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.
When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.
How can I upgrade past OS X EL Capitan 10.11.6? I have a Mac Book Pro Mid 2012. I don't want to spend money to get a new one as I can't afford it. Is there another way to upgrade past 10.11.6?
MacBook Pro 15″, OS X 10.11
You can upgrade as high as Catalina but depending upon your RAM and the inability of Catalina to run 32 bit software you should decide which best suites your needs.
Click on this link to read how to get different versions of macOS - https://support.apple.com/HT211683
- The article also has links to system requirements for each OS version which you should check against your exact computer model. Note some of the model identifier articles are outdated. For any model produced in the last 5 years or so you should use the system requirements links for each OS version instead. This web site also has a reliable presentation of model and OS version compatibility: https://eshop.macsales.com/guides/Mac_OS_X_Compatibility
- Make sure you have more RAM (memory) than what is noted as "minimum" for any particular system or your computer may run slowly.
- You may find you need to use Safari to get links for High Sierra and later using the Mac App Store application to open a functioning page.
- Upgrades may take some time (up to an hour or more) to install, with restarts and blank screens.
Before upgrading, back up your data in case something goes wrong. See this support document: Back up your Mac with Time Machine - https://support.apple.com/HT201250 or use a cloning tool.
Check if your old apps will still work with with the OS you want to install - https://roaringapps.com/apps This is particularly critical if you are upgrading to Catalina or newer, as older 32 bit apps will no longer work. To check for those, try this 32 bit application scanner application --> https://www.stclairsoft.com/Go64/
You can upgrade as high as Catalina but depending upon your RAM and the inability of Catalina to run 32 bit software you should decide which best suites your needs.
Click on this link to read how to get different versions of macOS - https://support.apple.com/HT211683
- The article also has links to system requirements for each OS version which you should check against your exact computer model. Note some of the model identifier articles are outdated. For any model produced in the last 5 years or so you should use the system requirements links for each OS version instead. This web site also has a reliable presentation of model and OS version compatibility: https://eshop.macsales.com/guides/Mac_OS_X_Compatibility
- Make sure you have more RAM (memory) than what is noted as "minimum" for any particular system or your computer may run slowly.
- You may find you need to use Safari to get links for High Sierra and later using the Mac App Store application to open a functioning page.
- Upgrades may take some time (up to an hour or more) to install, with restarts and blank screens.
Before upgrading, back up your data in case something goes wrong. See this support document: Back up your Mac with Time Machine - https://support.apple.com/HT201250 or use a cloning tool.
Check if your old apps will still work with with the OS you want to install - https://roaringapps.com/apps This is particularly critical if you are upgrading to Catalina or newer, as older 32 bit apps will no longer work. To check for those, try this 32 bit application scanner application --> https://www.stclairsoft.com/Go64/
Upgrade of OS on 2012 Macbook Pro
