Apple

10 Things to Do Before Installing the macOS Catalina Beta

Published

5 years ago

06/24/2019

You can install the macOS Catalina beta on your Mac today so that you can test out all the new features before it arrives for the public this fall, but you will want to make sure that you take time to prepare your Mac — especially if it isn’t a secondary machine that you only use for testing.

Apple announced macOS 10.15 during the WWDC Keynote on June 3rd you can test it out with a free macOS Catalina beta for the public or for developers. No matter which version you want to try, there are some things that you should do before you install the beta on your Mac.

The macOS 10.15 beta is pre-release software. That means there will be problems and there will be apps that don’t work. This will not be as nice of an experience as using macOS Mojave.

There are a lot of new macOS Catalina features that you will want to learn about, several steps you need to take before you install the update on your Mac.

Learn About macOS Catalina
Understand What You Are Getting Into
Decide Where You Are Installing
Backup Your Mac
Make Sure You Know Your Passwords
Research macOS Catalina Feedback
Prepare Yourself for macOS Catalina Problem
Check Apps Compatibility and Install Betas
Talk to IT Before Installing
Learn About the macOS Beta Downgrade Options

Follow these directions to make sure you are ready to install the macOS 10.15 beta on your computer. Whether you are an experienced beta user or trying it out for the first time, this will help you make sure you have a good experience.

Learn About macOS Catalina

1 / 10

Before you jump into the macOS 10.15 beta, you should explore what Apple includes with the new macOS 10.15 update. Keep in mind that not everything Apple showed off on stage is in the first beta, and some features may come and go during the beta process as Apple tests things out. If you are installing the macOS Catalina beta for a single feature, wait to see if it is there before you jump in.

Apple delivers support for a lot of older devices, so there is a good chance that even an older Mac that you own will work, but be wary of jumping right in if it is your only Mac.

You can check out the overview of macOS 10.15 beta to learn more about the new features and we will soon share a full breakdown of our favorite new macOS Catalina features.