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Will MacOS Monterey still be supported after November 2024, End of Life?

I have a MacBook Pro 15 inch early 2016 that runs on MacOS Monterey.


I received an email from University of California, saying I must upgrade my MacBook to MacOs Ventura, Sonoma, or Sequioa by November 2024 or buy a newer MacBook because MacOS Monterey End of Life is November 2024.


That means Microsoft services, IMovies, Google Chrome will later end their support at this date just like they ended support with MacOS Big Sur on September 2023.



This is unfair, MacOS Monterey is only 3 years old, Windows 7 lasted 14 years. Why does Apple keep making short lived MacOS that won’t live past age 3?

Posted on Jul 22, 2024 6:18 PM

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Posted on Jul 22, 2024 6:47 PM

Apple does not mirror Microsoft's business strategies such as Windows 7 lasting 14 years. Apple supports the current operating system and the two previous ones. Been that way for years. Microsoft chose to provide support for Microsoft 365 and Office 2021 for Mac to match the Apple support cycle. Unfair or not, that is the way it is.


Apple does not participate in these user-supported communities and thus, I cannot discuss their internal business strategy for three-year operating system support cycles. They have done this for well over a decade, so it shouldn't come as any surprise.


I also cannot foretell when this Fall that Apple and Microsoft will cease support for Monterey. Think sooner after Sequoia is released than later. Your Early 2016 MacBook Pro does not support any macOS after Monterey, so at eight years of age, it may be time to say goodbye to it. You may be able to trim expenses on a new/er purchase at the Apple Refurbished store and your student discount may also apply.


Apple ships iMovie with the operating system. Firefox, Google Chrome, and The Brave Browser continue to support Macs still running macOS Catalina and later.

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jul 22, 2024 6:47 PM in response to Jack4809

Apple does not mirror Microsoft's business strategies such as Windows 7 lasting 14 years. Apple supports the current operating system and the two previous ones. Been that way for years. Microsoft chose to provide support for Microsoft 365 and Office 2021 for Mac to match the Apple support cycle. Unfair or not, that is the way it is.


Apple does not participate in these user-supported communities and thus, I cannot discuss their internal business strategy for three-year operating system support cycles. They have done this for well over a decade, so it shouldn't come as any surprise.


I also cannot foretell when this Fall that Apple and Microsoft will cease support for Monterey. Think sooner after Sequoia is released than later. Your Early 2016 MacBook Pro does not support any macOS after Monterey, so at eight years of age, it may be time to say goodbye to it. You may be able to trim expenses on a new/er purchase at the Apple Refurbished store and your student discount may also apply.


Apple ships iMovie with the operating system. Firefox, Google Chrome, and The Brave Browser continue to support Macs still running macOS Catalina and later.

Jul 23, 2024 6:42 PM in response to Jack4809

If you are using the laptop on the school's network, then the school may have no choice in banning unsupported operating systems in order to comply with their cyber insurance.


All your existing apps will continue to function. Any apps which access online resources will at some point no longer connect to those online services at some unknown time in the future once those online services change & evolve. So you can continue using your laptop at home if you wish at least for a while longer.

Jul 22, 2024 7:41 PM in response to Jack4809

Jack4809 wrote:

Will MacOS Monterey still be supported after November 2024, End of Life?

What does “supported” mean? It isn’t getting any new features. It also isn’t getting any bug fixes. But then, Sonoma isn’t any different in that respect.


If you are referring to internet misinformation and fear-mongering about “security”, then it’s already too late. The North Koreans have already hacked you. All of your information is being used for their global conquest. Any day now. Trust me, bro.

I have a MacBook Pro 15 inch early 2016 that runs on MacOS Monterey.

Great! I have a 2017 that can run Ventura and it’s really slow.

I received an email from University of California, saying I must upgrade my MacBook to MacOs Ventura, Sonoma, or Sequioa by November 2024 or buy a newer MacBook because MacOS Monterey End of Life is November 2024.

Is this your personal computer? Would you like some suggestions for what you can tell them? Do those suggestions need to be anatomically possible?


If this is the school’s computer, even better. Pick your favourite new M3 Mac and enjoy it. They’re great machines - much better than the old Intel models!

That means Microsoft services, IMovies, Google Chrome will later end their support at this date just like they ended support with MacOS Big Sur on September 2023.

So? Why would you care about any of that? Other than iMovie, of course, which will continue to run fine on Monterey just like every version of everything else that you currently have installed. It sounds like everything is running well and you’re happy with it. So why change?

This is unfair, MacOS Monterey is only 3 years old, Windows 7 lasted 14 years. Why does Apple keep making short lived MacOS that won’t live past age 3?

Apple hasn’t done anything. Monterey will keep working on that computer as long as the computer keeps running.

Will MacOS Monterey still be supported after November 2024, End of Life?

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