MacBook Air Early 2014- with OS X Yosemite version 10.10.5. This is the most updated version for this model. Google Chrome states it cannot be updated except in version 10.11 or later. How will this affect the performance of Google Chrome?
MacBook Air
The App Store Updates page only informs you of updates available for the OS you are running.
Installing a newer OS is called an upgrade.
A 2014 MacBook Air can upgrade to all available OS's
As your mac can upgrade to the newer OS's like macOS Mojave 10.14, macOS Catalina 10.15,
or macOs Big Sur 11.6 I would recommend you upgrade to macOS High Sierra 10.13 first.
For High Sierra, Mojave or Catalina,
Open Safari and click on this link,
How to get old versions of macOS – Apple Support
Go to Check Compatibility to see if your mac qualifies for the OS upgrade you want.
Then go to the Download OS section and click on the OS you want to install.
Before upgrading make a full back up of your Mac.
Check that third party apps you use have updates available for the new OS.
Check that your printers/ scanners etc have updated drivers and software available for the new OS.
Connect your mac to your router via cable rather than rely on WiFi.
Do not use your mac while it is downloading
and do not use any other devices that share the same internet connection.
If the App Store says ‘Open’ then it is detecting a previous download of the install app
go to the Applications folder locate Install macOS ******.app.
Move it to the Trash, empty the Trash.
Restart, click on the link again, the App Store should say ‘Get' or 'Download'.
If you want to or are able to install Big Sur, open Safari and click on the link below.
How to upgrade to macOS Big Sur - Apple Support
If you are considering upgrading to Catalina or Big Sur be warned they do not support 32bit apps.
Your Mac is probably running 32bit apps and these will need to be updated to 64bit apps,
some updates may be free, some may be paid. Use this free app to discover which apps you have
are 32bit, https://www.stclairsoft.com/Go64/ then contact the developers of the software to see
if they are offering 64bit updates.
The App Store Updates page only informs you of updates available for the OS you are running.
Installing a newer OS is called an upgrade.
A 2014 MacBook Air can upgrade to all available OS's
As your mac can upgrade to the newer OS's like macOS Mojave 10.14, macOS Catalina 10.15,
or macOs Big Sur 11.6 I would recommend you upgrade to macOS High Sierra 10.13 first.
For High Sierra, Mojave or Catalina,
Open Safari and click on this link,
How to get old versions of macOS – Apple Support
Go to Check Compatibility to see if your mac qualifies for the OS upgrade you want.
Then go to the Download OS section and click on the OS you want to install.
Before upgrading make a full back up of your Mac.
Check that third party apps you use have updates available for the new OS.
Check that your printers/ scanners etc have updated drivers and software available for the new OS.
Connect your mac to your router via cable rather than rely on WiFi.
Do not use your mac while it is downloading
and do not use any other devices that share the same internet connection.
If the App Store says ‘Open’ then it is detecting a previous download of the install app
go to the Applications folder locate Install macOS ******.app.
Move it to the Trash, empty the Trash.
Restart, click on the link again, the App Store should say ‘Get' or 'Download'.
If you want to or are able to install Big Sur, open Safari and click on the link below.
How to upgrade to macOS Big Sur - Apple Support
If you are considering upgrading to Catalina or Big Sur be warned they do not support 32bit apps.
Your Mac is probably running 32bit apps and these will need to be updated to 64bit apps,
some updates may be free, some may be paid. Use this free app to discover which apps you have
are 32bit, https://www.stclairsoft.com/Go64/ then contact the developers of the software to see
if they are offering 64bit updates.
You are correct about Chrome requiring a later version of MacOS. Fortunately your MacBook Air model can support the current OS Big Sur. See the list of supported hardware here.
Your installation of Yosemite is as far as 10.10 went, but you can upgrade your Mac, get the benefits of the new system and run the new software you want.
I've upgraded the MacBook Air 2014 we have in our family and it runs very nicely with Big Sur.
The alternative is to stay with Yosemite and its old version of Safari. You will find however that increasingly it will be incapable of working with the requirements of current day websites.
darene289 Said:
"On my MAC OS X YOSEMITE, I have the latest possible update for this model: 10.10.5. Google chrome says I can’t update it unless I have 10.11 or later. How will this affect the performance of Google Chrome?"
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Eventual Failure of Google Chrome:
As more and more bugs come about for Google Chrome, then I'm sure it will eventually lead to failure, and will never be usable again. So, backup your Mac with Time Machine, so you can have something to restore your Mac from, should anything go wrong from here on out.
On my MAC OS X YOSEMITE, I have the latest possible update for this model: 10.10.5. Google chrome says I can’t update it unless I have 10.11 or later. How will this affect the performance of Google Chrome?
