Apple's macOS Sonoma (also known as macOS 14) has a bunch of exciting new features, including game mode, desktop widgets, and a new presenter mode for video calls. Is your Mac ready for it? If so, you'll want to download it as soon as possible to take advantage of all the new features and security enhancements. Make sure you back up your most important information before you do, but once you're ready, here's how to download macOS 14.
Mac or MacBook with support for macOS 14
Before you can download macOS Sonoma, it's important to check whether your Mac supports it. At the announcement for the new version of macOS, Apple also detailed which Macs can run it. They include:
If your MacBook or Mac is older than these models, then unfortunately macOS 13 Ventura is the last version of macOS you'll be able to download. If you haven't upgraded to that version yet, here's how to update your Mac.
After months of being in public beta, Apple has finally released macOS Sonoma in full. Downloading and installing it is free and very easy, and we’ll walk you through all the necessary steps below. As this is a major update of your computer’s operating system, you should be sure to back up your Mac before you get started. That can help turn things around if anything goes wrong during the installation process.
With all that out of the way, let’s find out how to download and install macOS Sonoma.
Step 1: Open the System Settings app, either by clicking the Apple logo in the menu bar, then System Settings, or by clicking the cog icon in your Mac’s Dock.
Step 2: In System Settings, click General > Software Update. Give the app a few seconds to search for updates. If your Mac is compatible with macOS Sonoma, you should see a notice to download the software update. Click Upgrade Now.
Step 3: Your Mac will now start downloading and installing macOS Sonoma. When it is ready, you will be prompted to restart your Mac. In that case, click Restart Now.
Step 4: Your Mac might need to restart several times as it installs macOS Sonoma. This is normal -- just let it do its thing, which could take some time.
Step 5: Once the installation process has finished, your Mac will load onto your login screen. Congratulations, you’ve just successfully installed macOS Sonoma and can start enjoy all its new features.
Unlike some past macOS updates, macOS Sonoma doesn’t feature many massive new features, probably due to the engineering effort required to make visionOS for the new Vision Pro headset. However, there are plenty of great reasons to upgrade.
One of the niftiest new macOS Sonoma features is the upgraded screen saver system. Apple has introduced a bunch of video wallpapers and screen savers, which integrate together beautifully when activated. When a video screen saver begins, it seamlessly shifts from your desktop picture to the screen saver, with the camera traveling through the air or underwater. When the screen saver ends, it settles back into your wallpaper, which is now based on where the screen saver was when it finished.
In addition, macOS Sonoma now lets you place interactive widgets on the desktop, instead of hiding them away inside the Notification Center. You can even use widgets for apps that are not installed on your Mac, provided you have them on your iPhone or iPad.
Apple has also tweaked video calls in macOS Sonoma. In FaceTime, you can perform a variety of hand gestures -- such as a thumbs-up or peace sign -- and FaceTime will launch a range of background effects, like fireworks and floating balloons. You also get more control over Continuity Camera, with toggles for Portrait mode strength, Center Stage field of view, and more.
There are many more features in macOS Sonoma, from Game Mode to passkey sharing, so be sure to check out our hands-on review to see what else Apple has included.
Want to know what you can do with your new install? Here are some of the best features of macOS Sonoma you can try out.
The absolutely absurd idea of putting a touchscreen display on a mouse isn't exactly new. Turtle Beach already did it with its Command Series MC7, which features a 2.25-inch control screen. But apparently, even that wasn't ridiculous enough for Arctic Fox Technologies. Its new Super Mouse looks like someone took the chunky old Atari ST mouse, slapped a touchscreen and scroll wheel on it, and called it an upgrade.
The result is a rather unusual-looking mouse that is now on Kickstarter, starting at $199. And as ridiculous as it looks, some of its features are genuinely intriguing.
Apple is less than a day away from launching its highly anticipated OLED MacBook Pro with a touch-sensitive screen. But it appears that the upgrade is going to cost a pretty penny. According to a report by Bloomberg, Apple is reportedly eyeing a starting price of $2,899 for the 14-inch MacBook Pro, while the 16-inch version could start at $3,399 in the US.
"At $2,899, the 14-inch model would mark the highest starting price for a new MacBook Pro model, surpassing the $2,799 Apple charged for a 17-inch version introduced in 2006," says the report. The report claims that Apple is targeting a minimum price hike of $400 for its upcoming redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models.
I've spent a good amount of time digging into the spec sheet of the new M6 MacBook Pro (14-inch), and for all intents and purposes, this is a classic Apple "chip and connectivity" refresh. It's not a full redesign. The chassis, Liquid Retina XDR panel, speakers, ports, and battery, all of them carry over unchanged.
However, the M6 brings more cores, stronger on-device AI, higher memory bandwidth on the larger configs, and modern wireless. Here’s the practical rundown of what actually improved, and whether those gains are worth your money.