Now that iOS 13 and iPadOS have dropped for iPhones and iPads, the next major software upgrade for Mac is also being rolled out. It’s called MacOS 10.15 Catalina. So it’s a good time to prepare your Mac for the update – to avoid unpleasant hiccups like data loss and to keep the process running as smoothly as possible.
Must read: iOS 13: security and privacy settings you need to change and verify
Here’s my MacOS 10.15 Catalina upgrade action plan.
Can your Mac run Catalina?
The simple answer here is that if your Mac can run MacOS 10.14 Mojave, it can run Catalina, otherwise you’re out of luck.
Here’s a full list of Macs that can run MacOS 10.15 Catalina:
- MacBook 2015 and later
- MacBook Air 2012 or later
- MacBook Pro 2012 or later
- Mac Mini 2012 or later
- iMac 2012 or later
- iMac Pro 2017 or later
- Mac Pro 2013 or later
What do you know which Mac you have and what version of MacOS it is running? Click on the Apple menu and select About this Mac. the Overview The tab will show you the Mac you have and the version of MacOS it is running.
Make a backup
Before you start installing operating system upgrades, updating apps in bulk, or freeing up space for the upgrade, it’s a good idea to make a backup to protect yourself from something wrong (or protection against you doing something that is not so smart).
I like a backup to be the first thing I do because it gives me peace of mind. If you have a Time Machine backup routine in place (or one that uses a tool such as Carbon Copy Cloner or a service such as Backblaze), it’s worth checking that it works and making backups. It might not be a bad idea to have more than one backup, you know, just in case!
Whatever you do, don’t assume you have a backup!
Do you have enough free storage
MacOS 10.15 Catalina will download approximately 7 GB and will require approximately 20 GB of free space for installation.
Don’t have enough free space? You can either manually move and delete files, or let a tool like CleanMyMac X do the heavy lifting for you.
Check 32-bit applications
Catalina is the end of the line for 32-bit apps, so if you depend on it, you should either upgrade (which may mean a paid upgrade), wait for the developer to act together and release a compatible version, or find an alternative.
Want to know if you’re using 32-bit apps? Here’s how to find out.
Upgrade apps
It is a good idea to make sure things are upgraded to reduce the scope of things going wrong. It’s not essential, but every little bit helps.
Know your Apple ID username and password
You will need it to log into your iCloud account.
You can always enter it later, but in any case, it’s a good idea to know where this information is located.
What to do on the day of the upgrade
Here is what I will do on the day of the upgrade:
- Make sure my battery is charged (for portable Macs)
- Have a good, reliable Internet connection
- Reserve a few hours for download, installation and initial configuration of Catalina