macOS Sierra system requirements: Not sure whether your Mac will run Apple’s new OS? Here’s all you need to know.
The age of the newly rebranded macOS is upon us, as Apple prepares to unleash its latest desktop operating system.
And if you’re looking forward to trying out the new Apple Pay and Siri features, you might first want to check whether your Mac is capable of running the software.
That’s why we’ve gone and put together this guide to macOS system requirements. Read on for all the information you need.
Related: How to download macOS Sierra
macOS Sierra system requirements – Is my Mac compatible with Sierra?
Before you go looking at the specific system requirements needed to run the new OS, you’ll need to make sure you have a Mac that’s from late 2009 or newer.
Apple’s guidance lists the following Mac models as compatible devices:
- MacBook (Late 2009 or newer)
- MacBook Pro (Mid 2010 or newer)
- MacBook Air (Late 2010 or newer)
- Mac mini (Mid 2010 or newer)
- iMac (Late 2009 or newer)
- Mac Pro (Mid 2010 or newer)
Got one or those of better? Great – time to move to the next section.
macOS Sierra system requirements – What hardware do I need?
So, what exactly does your Mac need to be packing in terms of hardware in order to run macOS Sierra? As it happens, Apple’s list of system requirements is pretty terse.
Firstly, you’ll need to be running OS X 10.7.5 or later. That means, those of you still using Leopard or Snow Leopard – or dare we say, older versions – will need to upgrade to a later operating system in order to install Sierra.
Related: macOS Sierra – 7 new Mac features
And those of you on Leopard or earlier are in for a tougher time. You’ll also need to upgrade to Snow Leopard before you can then upgrade to 10.7.5 or later. That means paying £14.99 to download Snow Leopard from Apple’s Online Store.
Once you’ve got at least 10.7.5 or later installed, you’ll need at least 2GB of RAM and 8.8GB of available storage in order to run macOS Sierra.
If you’re Mac manages to meet all the above criteria, you can download and install the new OS using the Mac App Store.
Related: iPhone 7
macOS Sierra system requirements – Other features
Certain new features in Sierra will only work on some Mac devices. Handoff, Instant Hotspot, and Universal Clipboard, for instance, are only supported by the following:
- MacBook (Early 2015 or newer)
- MacBook Pro (2012 or newer)
- MacBook Air (2012 or newer)
- Mac mini (2012 or newer)
- iMac (2012 or newer)
- Mac Pro (Late 2013)
For a full list of which devices support which features, head over to Apple’s guidance page.
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Let us know what you think of Sierra in the comments.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
