macOS Mojave and Later
When updating a Mac, everything typically goes smoothly, but it’s a good idea to make a backup before you begin. After your data has been backed up, here’s how to check for operating system updates:
macOS High Sierra and Earlier
If you have macOS High Sierra (10.13) or an earlier operating system, such as OS X El Capitan (10.11) or Yosemite (10.10), you’ll update your MacBook Air using a slightly different route. If your MacBook doesn’t find a new update, a message appears that says, “Your Mac is up to date.” If it finds a new update, selecting Update Now begins the update process. Depending on the size of the update, this can take a few minutes or up to an hour. Depending on the size of the update, this can take a few minutes to nearly an hour. When the update finishes, your MacBook Air restarts.
Making a Backup Before Updating
While a backup is rarely ever needed when updating a MacBook Air, it’s still a good idea to make a backup in case something goes wrong during the update process. The easiest way is to use the Mac’s built-in Time Machine app. This begins the backup process, which is regularly and automatically repeated in the future if you keep Time Machine linked to your storage device in the On position.
Can Your Mac Run the Latest Operating System?
If your laptop is on the old side, check its compatibility with the macOS version you want to download and install. If you are upgrading to macOS Big Sur (11), your MacBook Air must have been introduced in 2013 or later and be running OS X El Capitan (10.11) or later. Here’s what you need if you plan to update to any of the following operating systems:
macOS Mojave or Catalina: MacBook Air from mid-2012 or newer, OS X Mavericks (10.9) or later macOS Sierra or High Sierra: MacBook Air from late 2010 (or later), OS X Lion or later (Mountain Lion in the case of High Sierra) OS X El Capitan: MacBook Air from late 2008 (or later), OS X Snow Leopard or later OS X Yosemite: MacBook Air from late 2008 (or later), OS X Snow Leopard or later
Do the following to find out which operating system your MacBook Air has:
