What system software can my Mac run?

This article is a little different from my usual. Normally, I cover tips and tricks for everyday Apple users, but I also maintain this as a reference document for myself and anyone who needs it. I update it each year when Apple announces new system software.

Below you’ll find compatibility tables for macOS Big Sur 11 and later, plus a version-history reference that includes older releases.

Since 2013, Apple has released a major system software upgrade every fall. From time to time, older Mac models don’t make the cut for the newest version. Apple does not promise a fixed number of years of macOS upgrades or security updates for each Mac. A model’s minimum supported macOS also matters: a Mac cannot necessarily run every older version, even if it can run the newest one.

What Mac do I have?

To find out what system software your Mac can run, you’ll first need to know which Mac you have.

Click the Apple menu and choose “About This Mac.” If you are running OS X 10.7 through 10.10, you’ll also need to click “More Info.”

macOS version history

Panther logo: Vlad5754, CC BY-SA 4.0; trimmed and resized.

The security column distinguishes recorded updates from support forecasts. Apple does not publish guaranteed end dates for these macOS releases. An update without published CVE entries does not establish a return to regular security support, and older macOS versions may not receive every known security fix.

About downgrading macOS versions

Before considering a downgrade, check that your Mac supports the older macOS and that your apps and documents will work with it. Make a separate backup of any files you need to keep. Erasing your Mac deletes its contents, and a backup made before an upgrade will not contain changes you made afterward. If an app or setting is causing trouble, I recommend troubleshooting that problem before erasing anything.

A Time Machine backup is not an installer for an older macOS. Current backups do not include the macOS operating system itself. To return to an older compatible version, you need to install that macOS separately before restoring your files. macOS Recovery does not always offer the version you want; Apple also provides other ways to download and install macOS, including a bootable installer. If you are unsure which version or backup to use, get help before erasing your Mac.

Mac system software compatibility

A checkmark means the Mac supports that major macOS version without an unofficial patcher. Some models require a later point release within that version. These tables start at different macOS versions, so they do not show every older version that a Mac can run. macOS Golden Gate 27 supports Macs with Apple silicon, including the A18 Pro MacBook Neo; Intel Macs cannot install it.

MacBook

Not to be confused with MacBook Air, MacBook Neo, or MacBook Pro. Apple discontinued the MacBook line in 2019; the last model was the 12-inch Retina from 2017. No MacBook can run past macOS 13 Ventura.

MacBook Neo

The MacBook Neo was introduced in March 2026 as Apple’s most affordable laptop, starting at $599. It is the first Mac to use an A-series chip (A18 Pro) rather than an M-series chip. The MacBook Neo supports macOS Tahoe 26 and macOS Golden Gate 27. It cannot run Sequoia 15 or earlier.

MacBook Air

MacBook Pro

iMac

iMac Pro

There was only ever one model of iMac Pro, and it cannot be upgraded past macOS 15 Sequoia.

Mac mini

Mac Studio

Mac Pro

Not to be confused with MacBook Pro, Apple’s notebook computer. The newest Mac Pro listed here is the 2023 model with M2 Ultra. Unlike the Intel Mac Pro models, it supports macOS Golden Gate 27.