When Software Update says that your Mac is up to date, then macOS and all of the apps it installs are up to date, including Safari, Messages, Mail, Music, Photos, FaceTime, and Calendar. Software Update shows only upgrades that are compatible with your Mac. Upgrade Now installs a major new version with a new name, such as macOS Monterey.Update Now installs the latest updates for the currently installed version, such as an update from macOS Big Sur 11.5 to macOS Big Sur 11.6.If your System Preferences doesn't include Software Update, learn how to upgrade to macOS Monterey or upgrade to an older macOS, and use the Updates tab of the App Store app to get app updates. In the System Preferences window, click Software Update.From the Apple menu  in the corner of your screen, choose System Preferences.Then follow these steps to find and install any available software updates or upgrades. Do not close the lid or power off your Mac until installation is complete.Before you get started, it's a good idea to back up your Mac. During installation, your Mac may restart, or display a blank screen for a short time.In the Updates window, locate the line that says Catalina.In the App Store, on the left side of the window, select Updates.In the menu bar, click the Apple icon to open the Apple menu.Do not close the lid or power off your Mac until installation is complete.Īfter you've gone through the preparation steps, you need to download and install the latest version of macOS. During installation, your Mac may restart, or display a blank screen short time.When this process is complete, an installer application named Install OS X El Capitan is placed in your Applications folder.Follow the on-screen instructions to perform a compatibility check, and prepare for installation.In the archive, double-click InstallMacOSX.pkg.Double-click the downloaded archive, InstallMacOSX.dmg, to view its contents.The file size is 5.8 GB, so the download may take a while, depending on the speed of your Internet connection.

Download the El Capitan installer from Apple.If your Mac is running OS X Lion or Mountain Lion, follow these steps to upgrade to El Capitan. If your Mac is running Mavericks or newer, you can proceed to upgrade to Catalina. * If your Mac is running OS X Lion or Mountain Lion, you must upgrade to El Capitan before you can upgrade to Catalina.

The following versions of OS X and macOS can be upgraded to macOS Catalina. If anything goes wrong, you can restore your Mac to its previous state.

Back up your dataĪlthough not required, we strongly recommend you back up your Mac before proceeding with an upgrade. However, you can still try to upgrade to El Capitan. If your Mac is not on this list, you cannot upgrade to Catalina.

How to update my mac to os x 10.8.5