How long can I expect a Mac to last?

It's hard to predict when your computer might become obsolete or when it might start breaking down. And sometimes you just get lucky or unlucky. But in general:

• MacBook Air typically lasts about 5 to 8 years
• MacBook Pro typically lasts about 6 to 9 years
• iMac typically lasts about 6 to 11 years
• Mac Mini, Mac Pro, or iMac Pro typically lasts about 7 to 11 years

If your Mac is a major tool for your income, it's normal to upgrade near the beginning of that range or sometimes even earlier. If you're a casual home user you can usually make it toward the end of that range unless it just poops out. Also be aware that these estimates are from when the computer was released. If you bought an early 2012 MacBook Pro in 2014, you're already 2 years into its life.

What determines a Mac's lifespan?

There are typically three different reasons a Mac has to be put out to pasture:

• Apple has stopped releasing security patches. This typically happens after around 8 to 11 years. Once your Mac has dropped off of the annual upgrades you get two more years of security patches. At that point, if a problem is found with that software your computer could be compromised if it's connected to the internet.
• Your needs have outgrown the computer. It could be that you're using the computer in a more demanding way as you learn more about it and find more ways for it to help you. Or it could be that newer cameras, websites, and software are just pushing it harder and bogging it down more than a few years ago. This is the primary reason I suggest adding a few upgrades when you first purchase it. Adding extra memory can help your computer last you an extra 1 to 3 years. In general I recommend 16GB of memory for most users and 32GB for multimedia professionals.
• The computer starts physically breaking down. This could be obvious things like a broken screen or hinges, or it could be more invisible things like liquid damage, air pollutant buildup, fractures in the soldering, or chips that are worn out or just starting to degrade. Sometimes this is just due to physical age, sometimes it can be due to humidity, vibration, or just bad luck.

What can you do to extend the life of your Mac?

• Buy a more powerful computer than you need right now. While it adds a bit of cost up front, adding more memory, storage, or a faster processor can keep you from outgrowing your computer down the line. So don't buy the computer you need today; buy the computer you will need for the next ten years, if that's how long you want it to last. Even if you don't expect your usage to change, websites and apps will get more complex and demand more of your computer in the future.
• Treat your computer well. As with anything that costs well over $1,000, be careful with things like fast movements and liquids.

Is my Mac obsolete?

Possibly to avoid coming across as a sales pitch, Apple does not tell you when your computer is no longer getting updates. It will simply stop updating. You will need to compare your software version to the current version. To find out what software version you are on, go to the Apple menu > About this Mac. You should see something that says macOS Version or OS X Version, with a number that looks like 10.12.7 or 14.4. The first number before the dot is what's important (if there is a dot). The following numbers just refer to minor updates with bug fixes and security fixes.

So what version should you be on? In general, I recommend that everyone be on the current version or the prior version unless you have some specific reason you cannot update. Apple does continue to release security patches for one more version past that, though I caution people about getting too far behind or else you'll get the digital version of culture shock when you are forced to to update several versions at once (such as getting a new Mac). So what specifically does that mean? As of March 2024 the current version of macOS is 14. By October 2024 Apple will likely release macOS 15, as Apple releases an update every fall, so all of these numbers will need to transpose up by one.

If you have version...	then...
Sonoma 14	Great, you are running the latest software!
Ventura 13	You are running the prior version software, which is fine but Apple will only release security updates and not bug fixes or new features. You should consider updating to version 14 if your computer can run it, but if you don't want to you can stay here for a while. If you are a late adopter you should consider upgrading to Sonoma 14 in September just before version 15 is released. At that point, Sonoma is matured as far as it will be, and it will only get security patches.
Monterey 12	You are running the oldest software Apple is still releasing security patches for. That's fine if your computer can't run newer software, but you should consider upgrading to version 13 or 14 if you can. If your computer can't be updated, you should be budgeting for a new Mac around the end of the year if not sooner. It will stop getting security patches around October 2024. That's not a hard cutoff, but I don't recommend going more than a few months past that.
Big Sur 11 or older	Your computer stopped getting security patches at least a few months ago. If your computer can't upgrade to a newer version, you should either retire this computer or disconnect it from the internet.

How do you update? It depends on the software you are currently on, as a change was made with macOS 12. With macOS 12 or later, go to the Apple menu > System Settings > General > Software Update. If you are currently running macOS 11 or earlier, go to the Apple menu > System Preferences > Software Update.

On that screen, you should see if there are any updates available. If it says that your Mac is up to date, that does not necessarily mean you are running the latest software. It means that you are running the latest software that is available for your Mac. If you see an upgrade for the new software and you aren't quite ready to install it (for example you are on version 13 where you want to stay but version 14 shows as available), you can scroll to the bottom to look for "Other Updates" and they will offer updates for your current version.

A note about Apple Silicon Macs

In 2020 Apple began transitioning away from Intel processors to their own Apple-designed chip. While we won't know until the early 2030s, one possible reason Apple stopped releasing security updates after about 10 years is that that it is shortly after Intel stops releasing security patches for their processors. Since Apple is making their own processors now, that will no longer be a factor if it was.