Preparing your Mac for macOS Sequoia

macOS Sequoia is coming soon to Mac, and this software update brings several new features and apps to the Mac. For example, you can use Apple Intelligence, Passwords app, full-screen tiles, a revamped Calculator app and more.

It is recommended to prepare your Mac for this update, as some Macs are no longer supported. This way you know exactly what to expect. Some things like storage space and updating from older versions are covered in this guide.

Step 1: Does my Mac support macOS Sequoia?

macOS 15 can be installed on the MacBook Pro 2018, MacBook Air 2020, Mac Mini 2018, Mac Pro 2019, Mac Studio 2022, iMac 2019 or later, and the iMac Pro. Not sure which Mac you have? Check this via  ▸ About This Mac.

Step 2: Enough RAM?

Apple states that for macOS 15, you need a Mac with at least 8 GB of RAM (working memory). In practice, this is sufficient for good performance, but 16 GB gives you a little more space if you want to load the Mac more heavily. If you don’t know exactly how much working memory you have, you can check this via  ▸ About this Mac ▸ More info ▸ Overview. The ‘memory’ option shows how much RAM your Mac has.

Step 3: Provide sufficient storage

For macOS 15 Sequoia, you need about 15 GB of free storage space on your hard drive (SSD). However, we recommend that you have about 20 to 25 GB of free space on your Mac. This will not only make the installation go smoother, but macOS will also function better. You can check the amount of available free space via  ▸ About this Mac ▸ More info ▸ Storage. If this is less than 15 GB, we recommend that you delete files and applications from your Mac. Try to do this until you have at least 25 GB of free space.

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Step 4: Update all your apps

In the days before the launch, it is advisable to update all applications on your Mac to the latest version. In recent times, developers have done their best to make their programs suitable for macOS Sequoia. This will ensure that the apps work after the software update and do not cause problems. Also, more and more Intel apps have been updated to Apple’s Apple Silicon chips.

You can update the programs on your Mac via the Mac App Store, if you did not purchase them in the App Store you will have to manually check for updates for the application. This can often be done via the application itself, online via the developer’s website or with the CleanMyMac Updater. Please note that an app may no update gets for Sequoia and therefore will not work. With this list you can check if an app works under macOS 15.

Step 5: Make sure you have a good backup

Software and a Mac, it remains technology and something can always go wrong. That is why it is a must to have a good backup (reserve copy) of your Mac and files. The easiest way is to use a Time Machine backup, so perform this regularly and make a final copy before installing the macOS update.

If you do not have this function, place all important documents, files and such on an external hard drive (USB stick, etc.) or online in iCloud Drive or Dropbox, for example. This way you always have a copy of the files if something goes wrong with the installation of macOS.

Step 6: Replace hard disk with an SSD

If your Mac is not the youngest anymore, you can give it a performance boost, you do this by replacing the hard disk with an SSD (Solid State Drive). Especially in the case of an iMac, you will immediately notice that your macOS runs much smoother after placing an SSD.

Installing an SSD is a precise job, if you prefer not to do it yourself, you can contact various entrepreneurs such as mactastic.nl or onlinemacwinkel.nl. You can often have your Mac’s hard drive converted while you wait with a cup of coffee.

Step 7: Prepare for the new software

With the announcement of macOS Sequoia, we collected the most frequently asked questions in a handy macOS Sequoia FAQ. It discusses the new features and options that macOS 15 brings with it. We also posted some tips specifically for Sequoia, which you can find below.

Apple Intelligence for Mac, iPhone and iPad: Personal with the power of generative models
Calculator app expanded with math notes, unit conversion and more
Apple Adds Passwords App to iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia
Use full-screen tiles to quickly organize your screen
New overview makes iCloud storage more transparent
All tips for macOS Sequoia

Step 8: APPLE TIPS!

Since the launch of macOS Sequoia, you will find several new tips about the new software here every day. In an accessible way, we will guide you through the new macOS and reveal known, lesser-known options and secrets. You can follow us in different ways, the easiest is to visit our website daily.

Follow us by visiting our website daily or stay informed via our appletips application, Facebook, Threads, Instagram, Mastodon, X and YouTube or accept the push notifications for Mac and PC.

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