macOS Big Sur public beta is out for download now, but does your MacBook support

Apple announced the macOS Big Sur at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) this year and it is the biggest update macOS has received in years. The Big Sur comes with some visual changes, better privacy tools and also some solid improvements. The new macOS software is going to be released this fall along with iOS 14 and iPadOS 14.

For those who do not want to wait, the public beta version of the macOS Big Sur has been rolled out and anyone can download it. You have to keep in mind though that what you will be downloading and using is beta version of the software and this means that it’s still a work-in-progress and might have bugs and glitches.

If you are ok with that and are just excited to see what the new software is going to look like - go ahead, there are really no other issues here.

The beta versions of the iOS 14 and the iPadOS 14 have been around for a while and people have been using them without much complaints so we expect the Big Sur to go the same way.

Now, if you want to install the Big Sur beta version, you need to check if your MacBook is compatible or not. 

The update is available for -

MacBook (2015 onwards)

MacBook Air (2013 onwards)

MacBook Pro (Late 2013 onwards)

Mac mini (2014 onwards)

iMac (2014 onwards)

iMac Pro (2017 onwards)

Mac Pro (2013 onwards)

If you are still using the 2012 MacBook Air, the 2012 or the early 2013 MacBook Pro and the 2012 and 2013 iMacs then you will not get the Big Sur.

However, Apple being, well, Apple, even seven-year-old machines will get the newest software which is actually pretty great.

Since what you will be downloading is the beta version of the software, we’d recommend that you do not download it on your primary device since the software might have bugs and performance issues and many of your current apps might not work on it. Ideally, if you have a spare MacBook that is compatible, try the Big Sur out on that instead of your main device - it’s a stretch but at least your work will not get hindered.

Not everyone has a ‘spare’ MacBook lying around so if you are hell-bent on testing out the Big Sur right now, just make sure all the apps you currently use are compatible with the new OS or not. If they aren’t you just have to figure out a way around if these apps are vital to your day-to-day work.

How to install it

- To install the macOS Big Sur on your Mac device you need to head over to the Apple Beta Software Portal and sign in with your Apple ID.

- Then click on ‘Enroll your Devices’ and select macOS.

- Click on ‘Download the macOS Public Beta Access Utility’.

- If you have not enrolled the Mac device for beta software tests then you will be asked to download a beta test profile (a .dmg file) which you will need to install on the Mac. This needs to be done just one time, in future if you are going to test another beta OS then you will not be asked again.

- Take a backup of all your data, just to be safe.

- Go to Settings, click on ‘Software Update’. You will be able to see macOS Big Sur Public Betas version there. Download it and install it. This is going to take a while so be patient.