Apple macOS Sonoma system requirements – can macOS 14 run on your Mac?

The latest version of macOS is always a must-download for any modern MacBook, especially the ones found on our best laptops list. 

The latest version of Apple’s Mac operating system is known as macOS Sonoma. It was unveiled at WWDC 2023, and it’s available for you to test out as a beta. For everyone else, you’ll be able to get your hands on the software on 26 September, following the iPhone 15 release.

NOTE: We strongly recommend you don’t install any kind of pre-release (beta) software on a Mac you use every day and especially not if it’s something you rely on. Remember to always back up your data first.

As with all recent releases of macOS (since 2013’s Mavericks if you must know), it’s named after a Californian place – the North Bay city of Sonoma in this case.

There are a bunch of changes in Sonoma, notably widgets making there way to the desktop, new wallpapers, new video calling features, new features in Safari, extra apps, and some additional gaming tweaks for Apple’s computing machines. 

• The best macOS 14 Sonoma features headed to your Mac

macOS Sonoma doesn’t support Macs released before 2018, with the exception of 2017’s iMac Pro. That includes some pretty powerful Macs that were previously supported by macOS Monterey, such as 2013’s cylindrical Mac Pro (the ‘trashcan’ one) which although hideously expensive at launch is now a decade old, of course. It also excludes the more affordable, but controversial, MacBook from 2017.

Note that this list still supports a bunch of Intel Macs, despite the transition to Apple silicon-powered machines. We’d imagine within 3-4 years we’ll be talking about new macOS versions only supporting Apple silicon hardware, which has now been with us for almost three years. 

• Read more: What’s next for Apple Mac: 15in MacBook Air, Mac Studio and Mac Pro confirmed

macOS Sonoma supported Macs: full list 

• 2019 iMac and later
• 2017 iMac Pro and later
• 2018 MacBook Air and later
• 2018 MacBook Pro and later
• 2019 Mac Pro and later
• 2018 Mac mini and later
• 2022 Mac Studio and later

• How to download and install the iOS 17, iPadOS 17 and macOS Sonoma public betas

Connor Jewiss

About

Connor is a writer for Stuff, working across the magazine and the Stuff.tv website. He has been writing for around six years now, with writing across the web and in print too. Connor has experience on most major platforms, though does hold a place in his heart for macOS, iOS/iPadOS, electric vehicles, and smartphone tech. Just like everyone else around here, he’s a fan of gadgets of all sorts! Aside from writing, Connor is involved in the startup scene. This exciting involvement puts him at the front of new and exciting tech, always on the lookout for innovating products.

Areas of expertise

Mobile, macOS, EVs, smart home