Operating system upgrades bring increases in efficiency, new features, stronger security, and updates to included software utilities. The following page shows you how to upgrade your Apple Macintosh desktop or laptop computer to Catalina (10.15), the current version of macOS.
- Upgrade Mac Mini 2011 To Catalina Download
- Mac Mini Mid 2011 Upgrade To Catalina
- Upgrade Mac Mini 2011 To Catalina Update
- Update Mac Mini 2011 To Catalina
- How To Upgrade Mac Mini 2011
- Check compatibility.
Check compatibility
- If you have a machine with one of these GPUs installed, I'd advise upgrading it if possible (can be done in 2010/2011 iMacs, iMac11,x-12,x), disabling the dedicated GPU if using a 2011 15' or 17' MacBook Pro (MacBookPro8,2/8,3, instructions to do so can be found here), or not installing Catalina. Running Catalina without full graphics.
- Hi everyone, New to this, sorry for any stupid things you will hear!! Can anyone tell me if there is a known gpu upgrade for an iMac 27 mid 2011 that is currently equipped with an AMD radeon HD 6970M at 2 ghz. Thanks in advance for the help.
- If you are using a Mac notebook, you need to plug it into AC power. Download macOS Catalina. If you’re using macOS Mojave, then you need to update software to get MacOS Catalina. To do this, click Apple menu System Preferences, and then select Software Update. Check this article to know how to update software on Mac.
- The upgrade install merges the new macOS Catalina with your existing Mac OS. This is the upgrade method we will cover in this Rocket Yard guide. Before we begin the upgrade process, a few tips and notes about macOS Catalina and what you need to do to be ready for the install on your Mac.
Before installing Catalina, verify your Mac is eligible for the upgrade.
Verify the model of your Mac
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The following Mac models can be upgraded to macOS Catalina.
- Mac Pro - All models produced from mid-2013 and later.
- MacBook Pro - All models produced from mid-2012 and later.
- iMac - All models produced from late 2012 and later.
- MacBook - All models produced from late-2015 and later.
- MacBook Air - All models produced from late-2012 and later.
- Mac mini - All models from mid-2012 or later.
If your Mac is not on this list, you cannot upgrade to Catalina. However, you can still try to upgrade to El Capitan.
Back up your data
Although not required, we strongly recommend you back up your Mac before proceeding with an upgrade. If anything goes wrong, you can restore your Mac to its previous state.
Check your OS version
The following versions of OS X and macOS can be upgraded to macOS Catalina.
| OS name | Version | Release date |
|---|---|---|
| OS X Lion* | 10.7 | July 20, 2011 |
| OS X Mountain Lion* | 10.8 | July 25, 2012 |
| OS X Mavericks | 10.9 | October 22, 2013 |
| OS X Yosemite | 10.10 | October 16, 2014 |
| OS X El Capitan | 10.11 | June 8, 2015 |
| macOS Sierra | 10.12 | June 13, 2016 |
| macOS High Sierra | 10.13 | June 5, 2017 |
| macOS Mojave | 10.14 | June 4, 2018 |
* If your Mac is running OS X Lion or Mountain Lion, you must upgrade to El Capitan before you can upgrade to Catalina.
If your Mac is running Mavericks or newer, you can proceed to upgrade to Catalina.
Upgrade to El Capitan, if necessary
If your Mac is running OS X Lion or Mountain Lion, follow these steps to upgrade to El Capitan.
- Download the El Capitan installer from Apple. The file size is 5.8 GB, so the download may take a while, depending on the speed of your Internet connection.
- Double-click the downloaded archive, InstallMacOSX.dmg, to view its contents.
- In the archive, double-click InstallMacOSX.pkg.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to perform a compatibility check, and prepare for installation.
- When this process is complete, an installer application named Install OS X El Capitan is placed in your Applications folder. Double-click it to begin installation.
- During installation, your Mac may restart, or display a blank screen short time. Do not close the lid or power off your Mac until installation is complete.
Upgrade to Catalina
After you've gone through the preparation steps, you need to download and install the latest version of macOS. The following steps show you how.
- In the menu bar, click the Apple icon to open the Apple menu.
- In the Apple menu, select App Store.
- In the App Store, on the left side of the window, select Updates.
- In the Updates window, locate the line that says Catalina.
- On the far right side, select Update.
- Catalina is downloaded and installed.
- During installation, your Mac may restart, or display a blank screen for a short time. Do not close the lid or power off your Mac until installation is complete.
Additional information
- See our update definition for further information and related links.
macOS 10.15, also known as macOS Catalina, is Mac’s most recent—next-generation—operating system. Apple’s macOS Catalina comes with more to offer compared to its predecessors. A few of this operating system’s features include experience-dedicated apps for podcasts, TV, and music. The best part about this OS is that upgrading is easy and free for all Mac users.
Before getting started, you first have to check if your Mac meets Catalina’s hardware requirements so you can proceed to install it. Here is a list of Mac devices and models compatible with macOS 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
You can follow these steps to find out the kind of Mac you have:
- Navigate to the Apple menu.
- Select About This Mac.
- The Overview tab will display your Mac from the Overview tab.
Important Information About macOS Catalina
In macOS Catalina, Apple no longer supports any 32-bit apps. Therefore, any apps on your Mac that have not been updated from 32-bit to 64-bit will not function on this OS.
Upgrade Mac Mini 2011 To Catalina Download
To identify the 32-bit apps on your Mac, follow these steps:
Mac Mini Mid 2011 Upgrade To Catalina
- On your screen’s top left corner, click on the Apple icon.
- Select About This Mac.
- At the bottom of the window, click on the button labeled System Report.
- On the window’s left side, click on Applications (under the Software section).
- A list of applications will populate.
- To find the 64-bitcolumn,move to the right using your cursor. Any 32-bit apps will have No listed in this column.
Before you can upgrade to macOS Catalina, there a few things you have to sort out first, such as:
- Confirmation of your Mac’s compatibility for macOS Catalina.
- Creation of a Time Machine backup.
- Ensuring your Mac has sufficient storage to download, install, and upgrade to macOS Catalina.
Creating a Time Machine Backup
Before upgrading to macOS Catalina, it is crucial to create a Time Machine backup. The reason for the backup is a safety measure for when you find your Mac to be incompatible with the Catalina OS, which means you can erase the upgrade and restore it using the backup you created.
Creating a backup whether upgrading or downgrading your Mac is not only a good idea, but also imperative. Unless you would not mind losing everything, we highly recommend creating a Time Machine backup before upgrading to macOS Catalina. Without the backup, it would take a lot of time to restore your system to its previous OS. You would have to download each program, plug-in, and driver once more.
Follow these steps to format an external hard drive for macOS:
- Start Disk Utility, which you can find by navigating to Applications > Utilities > Disk Utility.
- Choose the hard drive device and then click on Erase (if initiated, the process is irreversible)
- Choose a name for your drive (e.g., My Backup) and select the format: Mac OS Extended (Journaled), then click on Erase.
Follow these steps to create a Time Machine backup drive:
- Start Time Machine and click on Select Disk.
- Connect a drive (reformatted or empty).
- Select the drive you have just connected (e.g., My Backup) and click on Use Disk.
- Click on the Backup taskbar icon and then select Backup Now.
Downloading macOS Catalina
The upgrade to the macOS Catalina process involves two steps: backup and installation. After you have created a backup, the next step is visiting the App Store to download the macOS installer. Depending on your internet speed, the download may take some time. Upon completing the download, you can install the macOS Catalina app that you can find in your Applications folder.
Storage Space Required for the Download
macOS Catalina needs storage of 12.5GB to 18GB for upgrading. Therefore, if you have insufficient space on your Mac, you can make a backup of some files then delete them from your system to avail the storage required.
Upgrading from Mac OS X Older Versions
Any older versions of Mac OS X 10.7-10.10 have to first upgrade to Mac OS X El Capitan 10.11 version before upgrading to macOS Catalina, which you can download from Apple’s Catalina download page.
Upgrade Mac Mini 2011 To Catalina Update
To do this, follow these steps:
- Launch the System Preferences menu, and thenselect Software Update.
- Click on the Download or Upgrade Now button to begin the download of the Catalina installer.
Installing macOS Catalina
Follow these steps to install macOS Catalina:
- After completion of the macOS Catalina installation app download, the installer will automatically launch itself. If not, go to your Mac’s Applications folder and double click the Install macOS Catalina app.
- Follow the instructions that appear on-screen to finish the upgrade and start using the OS.
- Select an external drive to create an external drive for macOS or an internal drive to upgrade the Mac when prompted.
Update Mac Mini 2011 To Catalina
macOS Catalina’s New Features
Follow these steps to complete installing macOS Catalina’s new features:
How To Upgrade Mac Mini 2011
- After macOS Catalina installs, your Mac will restart.
- After it has started, click on the Apple icon and select About This Mac to view the Catalina OS version.