Is your Mac lagging a bit? Has Apple announced that the new macOS will leave your Mac behind?? Do not worry, because you still have options how to move on, install a new version of macOS against Apple's will or get rid of macOS entirely.
Apple decides when support ends
Apple does not have an official written policy on what happens when your Mac no longer supports major operating system updates.. These updates happen at least once a year, regularly around october, and they have a new name like Catalina, Mojave o Big Sur.
macOS is designed first and foremost for the latest Apple computers. As modern machines become more powerful, there comes a time when older machines just don't measure up anymore. At that stage, these machines are potentially “stuck” in the latest permanently supported major version.
This generally occurs once the machine is seven or eight years old.. As an example, the update 2021 macOS Monterey no longer supports multiple machines that were backward compatible (Big Sur). These include iMacs from 2014, MacBook Air y MacBook Pro de 2013 and MacBook 2015.
Are older versions of macOS updated?
Apple's track record suggests that the company will update the latest version of macOS plus the two previous versions.. The previous two versions will continue to receive occasional software updates, that focus primarily on security fixes. The latest version of macOS will get more comprehensive updates, such as performance tweaks and bug fixes.
The latest version will get absolutely new features, like revisions to apps like Safari or Mail or changes to the way macOS works. When Apple added Night Shift to macOS in the update 10.12.4, older versions of macOS like 10.11 and 10.10 they didn't get this feature.
Sometimes, Apple updates macOS versions that fall outside the two-year limit. In november 2020, Apple issued a security update for macOS High Sierra, even though it was three versions behind the last version (Big Sur) at that moment. Apple can make calls like this depending on the number of people still using the software and the severity of the security issues..
A look at Apple security update log reveals that this does not happen too often. This suggests that many other security problems “minors” might remain unfixed for Mac users on earlier versions of macOS.
Then, if you are in this situation, What should you do?
Option 1: keep using an outdated version of macOS
Your first option is to keep using your outdated Mac regardless of the state of the software. You will continue to receive security updates for the first two years, and your Mac should continue to function as usual, out of any hardware issues you may face.
But there are problems with this approach. If you use an iPhone or iPad, you might lose the ability to connect to your Mac when updating to a newer version of iOS. This makes it impossible to perform local backups or transfer files over a USB connection..
As time goes by, it is also possible that you start to lose software support. Some applications may require a newer version of macOS, just as iPhone and iPad apps require a minimum iOS version. This could cause applications that you have purchased through the Mac App Store to not update or not work at all..
If you use Safari, note that your browser will stop receiving updates outside of security fixes. This can cause web pages to not display correctly or web applications to refuse to function.. If you are determined to continue using your Mac at this stage, we suggest a third party browser like Firefox, Chrome, O Should.
Option 2: install an unsupported version of macOS anyway
Apple doesn't share why it decides to exclude a Mac from a major version, but performance probably plays a big role in the decision. If a new version of macOS could significantly degrade performance, Apple could choose to stop supporting that model.
But, What if the internet knows better? This seems to be what many have concluded with the rise of mobile apps. “patch” of macOS that make it possible to install unsupported versions of macOS on your old Apple hardware.
This really started with two dude1’s Mojave Parchment and Catalina Patcher on 2018 and 2019, respectively. These settings require you to download the correct version of macOS, format a USB stick and create your own installation media that ignores Apple's restrictions on eligible models.
For macOS Big Sur, On parcheado makes the procedure much easier. You can use the application to examine if your Mac is suitable, download the correct version of macOS, configure a USB drive and create your installation media. Then you can update macOS using Patched Sur running the application “post installation” that is included with each version.
At the time of writing this post in June 2021, macOS Monterey isn't even in public beta, so there is still nothing like South Patched. The most promising project for the latest version is the OpenCore Legacy Patcher, which is also compatible with Big Sur. For more information, Ask the macOS Monterey on Mac not supported thread on MacRumors forums.
Although installing the latest version of macOS will improve your support in terms of software updates, macOS features, etc., there are also drawbacks. The main one is performance, since many models were excluded for this. A note in the South Patched read me dice: “If you have something older than a Mac 2012/2013, it will be terrible”.
You may have issues with discrete GPU switching, which means that some Mac models will not be able to use their more powerful graphics chips after the update. This is catastrophic for performance, as documented in South Patched Compatible Mac Document:
"No graphics acceleration" is a tremendous slowdown, almost exponential, NOT to be ignored. As an example, consider a simple task, just minimize a safari window:
- MacBook Pro de 13 ″ Late 2012: <1 segundo
- MacBook Pro de 13 ″ Early 2011: 14 seconds
- MacBook de 13 ″ Late 2009: 25 seconds
You can also lose the wireless network, but this can probably be fixed with some of the Patched Sur post install patches. If you decide that an unsupported version of macOS is not for you, you will need to get the correct disk image, create install media and reinstall macOS from scratch to fix it.
If you decide to continue with the installation, make sure to backup Time Machine first.
Option 3: install linux (o Windows)
Ditching macOS isn't ideal if you bought your Mac with the Apple ecosystem in mind. You will lose access to applications and services that work in conjunction with your Mac, like tabs that sync across devices and seamless iCloud integration. In addition, Apple technologies such as AirDrop will be lost., iMessage y AirPlay.
It's important to take a look at what you use your Mac for on a daily basis before taking this step.. If you decide you prefer to get more out of your existing hardware, regardless of the operating system you have to use, consider a desktop-ready version of Linux.
For an old Mac, Linux makes more sense. An easy to use version like Ubuntu It will have excellent support for common errors like wireless adapters and trackpads, that often trip Mac and MacBook owners. You can select to run Linux from a USB drive or even dual-boot Linux with macOS, in case you need the Apple platform occasionally.
You can select your preferred lightweight Linux distribution if Ubuntu doesn't appeal to you. There are many to select from, included Puppy, Small core, Lubuntu, LXLE, and Linux absoluto.
Windows is another alternative, and it is one that you can download and install without having to purchase a license first. You will need to create a bootable Windows installation USB for this to work.
Option 4: Remove your Mac
Possibly, regardless of how long you try to delay it, it will be time to retire your Mac. But there are many alternatives to shutting down your trusty computer that don't involve a landfill..
To start, Apple is likely to give you some money with a new Mac thanks to its exchange scheme. Go to Trade with Apple web portal and select your model to see how much Apple will give you for it. In the worst case, Apple will only offer you a free recycling service.
Even if your Mac no longer receives operating system updates, could still have a resale value on the second hand market. Apple computers wanted (and other devices), therefore head to eBay, Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace and see what similar models are selling for.
One of the best alternatives to remove your Mac is to use it as a server. Even an outdated version of macOS is stable enough to run a media server like PLEX, hosting network files using SMB, or acting as a network Time Machine backup location.
For best results, prevent your Mac from accessing the internet. If you do this, you won't have to worry too much about the security implications of running an outdated version of macOS. If you don't use your Mac for things like browsing the web, you will not be exposed to some of the most common security problems.
Is it time to update?
If it comes from a Mac that is no longer supported, it may have been a while since you bought a Mac. The latest models use ARM-based Apple Silicon systems on a chip that use a different architecture than the Intel Macs that preceded them..
Learn more about how Apple plans to support legacy software and new universal binaries that work on macOS, iOS and iPadOS.
