i have sierra in my imac and i want to upgrade to catalina how do i do it

The Age of this computer will Govern what newer version of macOS it will Qualify to install. Use About this Mac from the Apple Icon on Desktop - the required Information will be there.

With the above information in-hand - follow this How to get old versions of macOS and verify what version this computer Qualifies to install. Make sure to use Only Safari to commence the download as Others may not work

Make a Time Machine Backup Before attempting. Notation - Mojave is the Last version to support 32 bit applications / extensions and Drivers. Catalina Only support 64 bit and there is no workaround.

Suggest using Go64 to search for 32 bit applications before attempting. This will identify 32 bit Apps and then decide if the Developer offers update or upgrades to 64 Bit versions.

Are there any AntiVirus, Disk Cleaner, Optimizers, Un-installers, etc installed which should be removed as per Developers Instructions. They are useless, unneeded, cause havoc and interfere with the normal operation of the OS and may even Corrupt the OS requiring a Reinstallation

Back up your data, check your applications for compatibility, and click on Catalina.

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