Author Topic: MacOS Catalina is out now: How to download and install on your Mac  (Read 666 times)

Offline javajolt

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MacOS Catalina is here.

Apple's been busy, rolling out the new iPhone 11 and 11 Pro, iPads, its new Apple Arcade gaming service, Apple Watch Series 5 smartwatches and Apple TV Plus. And now, not missing a step, it's released Catalina, the latest version of the MacOS.

With Catalina, Apple replaces the iTunes app with three separate apps: Apple Music, Apple Podcasts and Apple TV. Perhaps just as useful, the revision lets Mac users run iPad apps they can download through the Mac App Store and use an iPad as a second screen, much in the way you might use a monitor. And with Catalina, Mac users can now check out Apple Arcade.

If you can't wait to get your hands on Apple's new Mac OS, here's how to download Catalina and install it.


Catalina will bring updated music and photo apps.

Check if you can run Catalina

First, before you get started, check that you can install the new OS. Catalina's hardware requirements remain the same as for MacOS Mojave, the current version of the OS, so if you can run Mojave, you can run Catalina. Here are the Macs that meet the requirements:

• MacBook 2015 and later

• MacBook Air 2012 or later

• MacBook Pro 2012 or later

• Mac Mini 2012 or later

• iMac 2012 or later

• iMac Pro 2017 or later

• Mac Pro 2013 or later

To check which Mac you have, from the Apple menu, choose About This Mac. The Overview tab displays which Mac you have.

Before you install Catalina...

Before you download and install the MacOS update, ensure the move to Catalina goes as smoothly as possible.

Make a backup. Before you download and install any big MacOS update, have a good, current backup of the contents of your Mac's drive, in case something goes south during the installation or afterward and you need to revert back. You can either use Mac's built-in Time Machine backup utility or grab a Mac backup app like Carbon Copy Cloner.

Know your Apple ID. If you're a Mac user, you probably have an Apple ID. If not, get one, because you'll most likely need it during the Catalina setup process and logging into iCloud.

Check your free storage space. The download is big -- around 6.5GB -- and Apple said you should probably have about 20GB of free storage space to install Catalina.

Update your apps. With Catalina, Apple is turning off support for 32-bit apps. What that means is, if you have an older app you still use -- say, Microsoft Office 11 for Mac -- check that you have a 64-bit version of the app before you move to Catalina. If not, you'll either have to find a replacement or stick with your current MacOS so you can keep using the software.

Ready? Download and install

After you've completed your preparations, you're ready to download and install Catalina.

1. Head to the Mac App Store, and in the left sidebar tap Updates. If Catalina is available, you should see the new OS listed. You can also search for "Catalina" in the store if you don't see it. If that doesn't work, from the Apple menu, choose About This Mac and tap Software Update to see if it appears. If you still don't see it, Apple may be doing a staggered update, so be patient while it rolls out.

2. Tap the Update -- or Get -- button to download the update.

3. Step through the installation prompts to complete the installation.

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