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Macbook

How do i update my macbook?

Or could I get help on why i can't download anything. Its always saying software update but when i try to update my macbook it says it is up to date.

MacBook Air 11″, OS X 10.11

Posted on Apr 11, 2022 10:50 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Apr 11, 2022 10:58 AM

First of all, if you have macOS 10.11.6, and have applied all security updates, then you are done with El Capitan as there are no further updates coming because the operating system is no longer supported.


Depending on the age of your Air, that will depend on what operating system upgrade you may be able to install. From your Apple () menu > About this Mac, look at the content in parenthesis on the product description line. Compare that info with the hardware requirements in How to get old versions of macOS - Apple Support. Use Safari only. You can access the appropriate full installer of the operating system in the Mac App Store from that linked page.


Before you upgrade your Mac, take one last Time Machine backup and set that drive aside, not to be written to by the new operating system. Before you pull that upgrade trigger, ensure that existing applications are supported on the upgrade, as well as printer/scanner vendors still provide drivers for it. If your Air is a mid-2012 model or later, that means you could upgrade to Catalina which does not support 32-bit applications, and you will want a list of those beforehand by running the free Go64 application.


2 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Apr 11, 2022 10:58 AM in response to _flower

First of all, if you have macOS 10.11.6, and have applied all security updates, then you are done with El Capitan as there are no further updates coming because the operating system is no longer supported.


Depending on the age of your Air, that will depend on what operating system upgrade you may be able to install. From your Apple () menu > About this Mac, look at the content in parenthesis on the product description line. Compare that info with the hardware requirements in How to get old versions of macOS - Apple Support. Use Safari only. You can access the appropriate full installer of the operating system in the Mac App Store from that linked page.


Before you upgrade your Mac, take one last Time Machine backup and set that drive aside, not to be written to by the new operating system. Before you pull that upgrade trigger, ensure that existing applications are supported on the upgrade, as well as printer/scanner vendors still provide drivers for it. If your Air is a mid-2012 model or later, that means you could upgrade to Catalina which does not support 32-bit applications, and you will want a list of those beforehand by running the free Go64 application.


Apr 11, 2022 10:56 AM in response to _flower

The model year of a MacBook Air is available at Apple menu > About This Mac.

A mid 2009 MacBook Air can be upgraded to El Capitan 10.11.6 but no later version. See: How to get old versions of macOS - Apple Support

A late 2010 through mid 2011 MacBook Air can be upgraded to High Sierra 10.13.6 but no later version. See: How to get old versions of macOS - Apple Support

A mid 2012 MacBook Air can be upgraded to Catalina 10.15.7 but no later. See: How to get old versions of macOS - Apple Support

A mid 2013 and early 2014 can be upgraded to the latest version of Big Sur macOS 11 but no later. See: How to get old versions of macOS - Apple Support

An early 2015 or later can be upgraded to the current version of Monterey macOS 12. See: How to upgrade to macOS Monterey - Apple Support

 


Macbook

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