See full list on download.cnet.com. Before you upgrade, we recommend that you back up your Mac. If your Mac is running OS X Mavericks 10.9 or later, you can upgrade directly to macOS Big Sur. You’ll need the following: OS X 10.9 or later; 4GB of memory; 35.5GB available storage on macOS Sierra or later. Some features require an Apple ID; terms apply. The new Mac operating system offers more than a name change. MacOS Sierra version 10.12 moves Apple's desktop OS closer to its mobile counterpart, gaining Siri, Apple Pay, and more.

Mac Sierra Os
How To Upgrade To High Sierra Mac OS X 10.13
MacOS Sierra Slow? Here's Why & How To Speed Sierra Up

Get your Mac ready for an upgrade to macOS Sierra. Everything you need to know about macOS Sierra update, including how to check compatibility, back up your Mac, download and install macOS 10.12 in one macOS upgrade tutorial.

Is your Mac up to date with the latest version of the Mac operating system? Is it using the version required by a product that you want to use with your Mac? Which versions are earlier (older) or later (newer, more recent)? To find out, learn which version is installed now.

If your macOS isn't up to date, you may be able to update to a later version.

Which macOS version is installed?

From the Apple menu  in the corner of your screen, choose About This Mac. You should see the macOS name, such as macOS Big Sur, followed by its version number. If you need to know the build number as well, click the version number to see it.

Which macOS version is the latest?

These are all Mac operating systems, starting with the most recent. When a major new macOS is released, it gets a new name, such as macOS Big Sur. As updates that change the macOS version number become available, this article is updated to show the latest version of that macOS.

If your Mac is using an earlier version of any Mac operating system, you should install the latest Apple software updates, which can include important security updates and updates for the apps that are installed by macOS, such as Safari, Books, Messages, Mail, Music, Calendar, and Photos.

macOS	Latest version
macOS Big Sur	11.5.1
macOS Catalina	10.15.7
macOS Mojave	10.14.6
macOS High Sierra	10.13.6
macOS Sierra	10.12.6
OS X El Capitan	10.11.6
OS X Yosemite	10.10.5
OS X Mavericks	10.9.5
OS X Mountain Lion	10.8.5
OS X Lion	10.7.5
Mac OS X Snow Leopard	10.6.8
Mac OS X Leopard	10.5.8
Mac OS X Tiger	10.4.11
Mac OS X Panther	10.3.9
Mac OS X Jaguar	10.2.8
Mac OS X Puma	10.1.5
Mac OS X Cheetah	10.0.4

The classic OS X 10.12, or rather macOS upgrade, introduced tons of features anyone would still want on their Mac. Why? Because, it's well-tested and secure. Now we'll take a quick look at the legendary macOS Sierra upgrade. (In case you want to upgrade your Mac to macOS 10.13 High Sierra, check out this guide.)

Interestingly, it first brought Siri to your Mac. This is great news for everyone who’s already used to her help on iOS. Then, there’s Watch unlocking for Mac, there’s one-click Apple Pay, tabs in apps, and cross-device copypasting. Just to name a few.

Mac Sierra Os

So, if you were on the fence about upgrading to Sierra, and in fact, any newer OS, go right ahead. Your Mac deserves a refreshment.

How To Upgrade To High Sierra Mac OS X 10.13

LEARN MORE: macOS High Sierra 10.13 - The New Features That Matter

How to upgrade macOS: Sierra 10.12 compatibility list

As with the previous versions, macOS Sierra is available for a limited list of Mac models.
Here are the models of Macs that are compatible with macOS 10.12 and can upgrade to Sierra:

MacBook Pro	MacBook Air	Mac mini
Mid 2010 or newer	Late 2010 or newer	Mid 2010 or newer
Mac Pro®	MacBook	iMac
Mid 2010 or newer	Late 2009 or newer	Late 2009 or newer

Does order matter when you upgrade macOS?

If your current operating system is OS X Lion (10.7), you can skip a few versions, and upgrade directly to macOS High Sierra. To upgrade to Sierra from, say, Mavericks, you’ll have to consequently upgrade to Yosemite and then to El Capitan first.

Check Your macOS for Sierra Compatibility

These OS versions can upgrade to Sierra:

OS X Mountain Lion v10.8 or Lion
OS X Mavericks v10.9
OS X Yosemite v10.10
OS X El Capitan v10.11

Here’s how to find out which OS version you’re running now:

Click Apple icon in the top left corner.
Choose About this Mac.
There you have it, in capital letters.

Memory (RAM): 2 GB (preferably 4 GB)
Sierra is pretty lightweight, so you only need 2 GB of RAM to upgrade. Cool, eh?

Disk space: 8 GB of free space on drive.
In the same About this Mac menu select 'Storage' tab. In front of the multi-colored bar, you will see the phrase, 'X.XX GB free out of XX.XX GB.' If you don't have at least 8 GB of free space, you should delete some old files.

Before you update macOS, don’t forget to:

Clean up your Mac

This is essential if you want a fast and effortless update, and glitchless work of your new macOS. And it’s also pretty easy. To give your Mac a cleanup, you need to get rid of system junk, uninstall extra apps, and clean some old caches. If that sounds like a lot of work, you can get a Mac cleaner like CleanMyMac for the job.

How to update your Mac: Clean it up first

Launch it.
Hit Scan to find all the extra files you can delete.
Press Run.

As you can see, I have 8.56 GB worth of caches, obsolete language files, broken downloads. You'll feel great getting rid of them.
That will give your Mac a basic system cleanup, but CleanMyMac is going to come in handy after the update as well. It monitors your Mac’s health, helps you speed up the system and remove unnecessary apps (Trashing doesn’t fully uninstall apps, by the way).

Back up your Mac

This is basic common sense before any Mac software update you’d like to undertake. Why? Well, because sometimes updates happen less smoothly than you’d like them to. To make sure you have all your information and files saved up neatly, you need a backup. To back up your Mac, you need to activate Time Machine.

Open your Applications folder.
Choose Time Machine.
'Select Backup Disk…'
Note: You may need to first choose to 'Set Up Time Machine.'
Choose where you'd like to store your backup.
Both an external drive or an Airport Time Capsule fit.

Switch the toggle on the left, from 'OFF' to 'ON.' Right beneath the name of your storage device, you'll see 'Oldest backup,' 'Latest backup,' and 'Next backup' — Your backup will begin within 5 minutes. To speed it up, click the arrow clock icon next to the Date & Time at the top-right of the menu bar and select 'Back Up Now.'

How to download macOS Sierra (or newer macOS) and install it

macOS Sierra is increasingly becoming a relic. Since 2020, the newest available macOS version is Big Sur. But it all comes down to hardware. Your Mac can only upgrade to the latest version its hardware can support. If your Mac is from around 2012 it can update as high up as to macOS Catalina. If your Mac is from 2010 or older, its limit is macOS High Sierra.

To download any new macOS and install it you’ll need to do the next:
1. Open System Preferences... in the  Apple menu.
2. Click on Software Updates.
On top of the list you'll see the latest macOS version