Dina Bader: Get your Mac ready for macOS Catalina

macOS Catalina is coming soon. Here's how to make sure your Mac is ready for it.

As soon as macOS Catalina goes public, you can download and install it on your Mac. With the latest major update, we get new built-in apps to replace iTunes, Sidecar support for iPadOS, and a whole lot more. Before you get started, you should make sure your Mac is ready for the download and installation process.

If you're wondering what macOS Catalina is all about, check out our FAQ:

macOS Catalina FAQ: Everything you need to know!
What to know before you start: Is my Mac eligible for macOS Catalina?
Step 1: Clean up your Mac
Step 2: Back up your Mac
Step 3: Decide how you are going to download macOS Catalina
Step 4: Download macOS Catalina

What to know before you start: Is my Mac eligible for macOS Catalina?

macOS Catalina will run on the following devices:

MacBook (2015 or newer)
MacBook Air (2012 or newer)
MacBook Pro (2012 or newer)
Mac mini (2012 or newer)
iMac (2012 or newer)
iMac Pro (2017 or newer)
Mac Pro (2013 or newer)

Step 1: Clean up your Mac

Make sure your Mac isn't overstuffed with unnecessary extra files. Thanks to Optimized storage in macOS, you can quickly clean up your Mac with just a few steps.

How to use Optimized Storage on the Mac

Step 2: back up your Mac

Seriously. Back it up. Even if you have scheduled backups every night, just push a manual backup before you get started. It's the right thing to do. The easiest way to back up your Mac is with Time Machine, but there are plenty of other ways you can back it up that work just as well.

How to back up your iPhone, iPad, and Mac: The ultimate guide

Step 3: Decide how you are going to download macOS Catalina

You can download and install macOS Catalina directly onto your main drive, but you may discover that some of your favorite apps aren't supported or aren't ready yet. One of the best ways to test out whether you want to run Catalina on your main drive is to partition it and install the new operating system there. This gives you the chance to play around with all the new features without messing with your workflow or productivity.