Updates to Apps for someone using OS Catalina should i stop updating APPs?

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Updates to Apps for someone using OS Catalina should i stop updating APPs?

i am using a Mid 2012 MacBook Pro, i am using the latest OS available Catalina.

in trying to keep my MBPro up to date my MBPro was set for auto updates, this has caused some issues.

i have since shut off Auto Updates.

example, i was working on some documents in NUMBERS, over a month ago an update was available for NUMBERS and was updated. The next time i went to access my documents, i got a message,

(NUMBERS is not available, please update to BigSur to access NUMBERS) luckily i prefer Microsoft Office for MAC and had these documents in there as well. Wish apple would put in a blocker for updates that won't work on a certain OS. Maybe it is a way to make you MacBook Pro not usable so you upgrade.

This 2012 works as good as it did when it was new, although i did replace the hard-drive in 2018.

BigSur is not available for the Mid 2012 MBPro, it is only for MBPros 2013 and later,

i lost all access to my documents in numbers and cant use NUMBERS anymore on this MBPro. Very disappointing.

Currently there is an update available for Safari, it probably has important security stuff in it. I am afraid if i update Safari the same thing is going to happen i will lose access to Safari which is my Favorite Browser, the only one i use 99.9% of the time, .01% is Firefox. I do not like Chromebook or use Chrome Book. Losing Safari would almost render this MBPro Useless.

My question is, should i not update anymore APPs, and leave the updates shut off???

MacBook Pro 15″, macOS 10.15

Posted on Apr 6, 2022 5:13 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Ronasara

Level 6

15,043 points

Apr 8, 2022 9:38 AM in response to bikeman5

Concerning 32 bit to 64 bit.that applies to the application, not to any files. Any future version of MS Office you install will still open the old Office files. And there is no problem with Using MS Office with any of the newer operating systems. iPhoto has been replaced with a newer app, Photos. I do not use it so I can't really answer questions about it., but I understand that Photos can import files from iPhoto. I think that you would find it useful to explore Apple's web site. They have many links which explain "how to.." You might have to look a bit to find them, but there is a wealth of information to be found. When you buy a new Mac it will likely have Monterey installed. it is not possible to install an older OS in any Mac than the OS it initially came with.

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Answer 2

Ronasara

Level 6

15,043 points

Apr 7, 2022 11:55 AM in response to bikeman5

I have a general rule for myself. I prefer to keep both my operating system and my apps updated to the most recent version. Updates and upgrades offer increased security as well as improved features. This also allows me to avoid having to deal with problems associated with incompatibilities. I do not use Automatic Updates, but I prefer to be notified and do my updates at my convenience. Finally, as an aside, I do not install any 'junk' apps or additions to them. I try to keep my computer as 'clean' as possible. This also avoids software conflicts. So far, this approach has served me very well.

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Answer 3

bikeman5 Author

Level 1

49 points

Apr 7, 2022 7:38 PM in response to Ronasara

Ronasara I think you missed my question.

i have a mid 2012 MBPro, Catalina is the last OS i can get, I can not upgrade to BIG SUR or Monterey.

Your are familiar with NUMBERS and SAFARI, they are Apple Apps not some non compatible junk.

I used NUMBERS for a few documents, NUMBERS updated and i lost access to my documents and NUMBERS all together, it says numbers will only work on Big Sur and later. you cant go back and get an older version of Apple Apps.

Had i not updated NUMBERS i would still have access to my documents and Numbers

1) MY QUESTION IS SAFARI IS READY FOR AN UPDATE IM AFRAID I MAY LOSE ACCESS TO SAFARI LIKE I DID TO NUMBERS,

SO IVE STOPED UPDATING UNTIL I FIGURE IT OUT.

DO YOU KNOW IF UPDATING ANY OTHER APPLE APPS THAT WORK IN BIG SUR OR MONTEREY WILL MAKE ME LOSE ACCESS LIKE I DID IN NUMBERS???? Numbers is Apples version of Microsoft Excel, Pages is Apples version on MS word, Key Note to MS Word

I normally dont do auto updates either, unless i am away from my mac for a period of time, i prefer to do it when i want as well especially when traveling or if i am away from my charger, i travel t 3rd world country and brown outs are common, never do an update when im out of the country.

thanks for your time look forward to your answer.

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Answer 4

Ronasara

Level 6

15,043 points

Apr 7, 2022 10:28 PM in response to bikeman5

I am sorry for your situation. My response about updating was meant to be a general response in the hope that it might be helpful. I am familiar with Numbers and have used it. Apparently you have installed a newer version of numbers that is not backward compatible with Catalina. That does surprise me. If you have a Time Machine backup disk (or another backup app such as Carbon Copy Cloner), you should be able to restore your earlier version of Numbers from that. If not, have you contacted Apple support about getting a link to the older version of Numbers? Maybe they could explain why the newer version won't work and offer a fix. As to other updating, I hope that you know that with Catalina and the later operating systems, all older 32 bit apps will no longer work. If you have any, they will have to be updated, and costs may apply for some. As for other apps being updated. I have heard of no apps out there which cannot either work with Catalina or which cannot be easily updated to do so. There certainly may be some specialty apps which may be problematic. You know what apps you have installed. It is an easy matter to check with their provider's web site to confirm that they will work with Catalina or see that an update is available which will work with Catalina. I suggest that you do so if you have a concern. Finally, the Catalina version of Safari is fairly recent. That said, recent versions of Safari have been problematic for some computers in that they are unable to open certain web sites. To date there is no definite problem identified, nor is there a definite fix. Most os us simply use another browser or those sites, such as Thunderbird, which seems to have no problems opening any web sites. Happy travels.

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Answer 5

bikeman5 Author

Level 1

49 points

Apr 8, 2022 6:25 AM in response to Ronasara

Thank you, that will help me work on a solution, i have a new 2021 MBPro i have not set up yet.

Im almost positive that MS Office has a version that works in Monterey and 100 % sure it does work in Big Sur, i think their is no change for those apps from Big Sur to Monterey. I have spoke with people that say they are using MS Office in Monterey.

From my experience MS Office has been great with conversion to the new OS, they immediacy came out with resolution for Big Sur. Fingers crossed.

i do have a lot of documents in Microsoft Office, If there is no solution from 32 bit to 64, it seems like a lot of copy and pasting.

I have another quick question. I know Apple has done away with iPhoto in Monterey. I really have never liked iPhoto that is not the issue i question, those are very few iPhotos and they are duplicates. Ive always saved my photos in documents as jpgs and such.

Do you know if Monterey can open all of someones photos.

Many people like myself have thousands of photos, as well as many others that do photo or video editing for a living, such as wedding photographer for 1 small example.

It would almost be crazy to think Apple would abandon every that has been using Apple products for years or decades.

It is almost unbelievable to think there would not be a built in conversion to migrate ones photos over.

1) Do know if Photos from Catalina and before are useable in Big Sur or Monterey?

2) I will have Monterey in the new 2021 MBPro M1 Max, not sure i could go to Big Sur temporarily to move photos from Catalina to Big Sur then to Monterey?

thanks again and look forward to your reply.

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Answer 6

bikeman5 Author

Level 1

49 points

Apr 8, 2022 6:47 AM in response to Ronasara

As for the Numbers and Pages my solution was what i was able to do, was open my Numbers and Pages documents on iPhone 12 and convert them to MS Office for Mac then Air drop them back to my old 2012 MBPro now i am able to access everything in MS Office for Mac.

i forgot to ask in my other reply.

1a) If Monterey isn't using iPhoto what and or how are photos running in Monterey?

1b) One must be able to move photos from an iPhone 12 to Monterey.

I still have an iPhone 7 and iPhone 5, i can send photos to any of these 3 phones in any combo such as, 5 to 12, 12 to 5, 7 to 12, 12 to 7, they all still open and are usable. I know this may be all 32bit, but iPhone 12 must be able to move photos to 64bit Monterey.

2) they Same for photos not saved in iPhoto but saved in documents as jpg's?

3) Photos on iPhone must be iPhotos, even though i dont save them on the MBPro in iPhoto and save them in documents as jpg's, are they still iPhoto jpg's or document jpg's? if that makes any sense.

Thanks again Ronasara

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Answer 7

bikeman5 Author

Level 1

49 points

Apr 8, 2022 11:48 AM in response to Ronasara

Thanks a lot Ronasara,

i thought that would be the case with MS Office

I will look to see what apple offers for info on photos.

i am going to assume that somehow in the Migration apple has something in place to convert new photos into the new format.

it would be crazy to think they have not already realized the importance of photos.

thanks again

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Answer 8

bikeman5 Author

Level 1

49 points

Apr 8, 2022 11:50 AM in response to Ronasara

Oh and forgot to mention.

i have purchased the new MBPro M1 Max it does have Monterey on it.

just have not set it up because i am trying to figure a few of these issues before hand

thanks a bunch

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Answer 9

Ronasara

Level 6

15,043 points

Apr 8, 2022 12:00 PM in response to bikeman5

As I said, apparently Apple has provided a way to import photos from iPhoto to Photos, so you should have no problems. You are most welcome and enjoy the new Mac.

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Updates to Apps for someone using OS Catalina should i stop updating APPs?

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