macOS Sonoma 14.5 Release Date: Tips & Tricks

Apple’s confirmed a new macOS Sonoma 14.5 update and Mac users should start doing some early prep work ahead of its arrival.

macOS Sonoma 14.5 is the fifth milestone upgrade for macOS Sonoma. Milestone upgrades typically deliver a blend of new features and under-the-hood enhancements to compatible Mac devices.

Apple hasn’t confirmed the macOS Sonoma 14.5 release date, but the software should roll out to compatible Mac models in May.

In this guide we’ll outline some tips and tricks that will come in handy as we close in on the software’s release.

Prepare for the Release Date

macOS Sonoma 14.5 is a milestone upgrade. As such, it will likely require a sizable chunk of space on your Mac’s internal storage.

If your Mac is getting low on storage, make sure you take the time to cleanup your storage. Go into your Mac’s storage and delete files you no longer need. This will help make room for macOS Sonoma 14.5. It could also improve your Mac’s performance.

You should also start backing up the important data you store on your Mac. Data loss issues are rare, but there’s always a chance something goes wrong during the transition from your current version of macOS to macOS Sonoma 14.5.

The installation process may also log you out of some of your apps and services. We recommend having your Apple ID, iCloud information, third-party app login info handy just in case it does.

Get Familiar with macOS Sonoma 14.5

If you don’t plan to try the macOS Sonoma 14.5 beta on your Mac(s), you should get familiar with the changes coming with the firmware.

We’ve put together a guide that will take you through the most important things to know about the third milestone upgrade for macOS Sonoma.

If you’ll be moving up from macOS Ventura, we’ve released a guide that will walk you through many of the changes on board the operating system.

Avoid the macOS Sonoma 14.5 Beta

You might be tempted to install the macOS Sonoma 14.5 beta on your Mac, but most people should avoid the beta and wait for the official release.

The macOS Sonoma 14.5 beta will help Apple tackle bugs and performance issues before they become headaches for millions of Mac users around the world.

It’s also fun to try out new features before they’re released to the general public. That said, beta software can be extremely problematic.

The macOS Sonoma 14.5 beta is causing problems for testers and you could run into some of these very same issues if you install it on your Mac.

If you rely on your Mac to get through a day of school or work, you’ll probably want to stay put on whatever version of macOS you’re currently running.

Monitor Feedback from the Beta

If you skip the macOS Sonoma 14.5 beta, and again most people should, make sure you monitor feedback from beta testers.

Monitoring this feedback will keep you up-to-date about the software’s potential problems and it will also alert you to its potential benefits.

More importantly, it might help you decide if you want to install macOS Sonoma 14.5 on you Mac right away or wait.

We’ve seen macOS Sonoma 14.5 feedback emerge on sites like YouTube, Reddit, the MacRumors forums, and social media sites like Twitter.

Check those sites if you’re curious about the software’s performance.

macOS Sonoma 14.5 Release Time

If you’ve owned a Mac or any other Apple device for awhile, you already know this.  For those of you who are new Apple’s ecosystem, here’s your PSA.

Apple almost always rolls software updates out around 10AM Pacific. Here’s what that looks like for other time zones in the United States:

• Eastern – 1 PM
• Central – 12 PM
• Mountain – 11AM

Keep this in mind if you plan to install the final version of macOS Sonoma 14.5 right away.

macOS Sonoma 14.5 Download Size

We don’t know how big the macOS Sonoma 14.5 download will be, but again, you can expect it to require quite a bit of free space on your Mac.

You may encounter long download times, especially in the minutes after Apple pushes the update live. Plan accordingly.

Prepare for Problems

macOS Sonoma 14.5 has gone through an extensive beta process, but the final version won’t be perfect. Far from it.

Common macOS problems include abnormal battery drain, Bluetooth issues, Wi-Fi problems, app instability, UI lag, crashes, and Exchange issues.

These problems appear after every single macOS release and we’ll probably see them emerge in the minutes, hours, days, and weeks after the macOS Sonoma 14.5 release date.

It will be difficult to predict what kind of performance you’ll get out of your Mac once you upgrade so you’ll want to make sure you’re prepared to tackle issues you encounter on day one and beyond.

We’ve released a list of fixes for common macOS Sonoma problems. If you don’t consider yourself a macOS expert, you’ll want to bookmark these fixes.

You’ll also want to bookmark the support page on the company’s website. You should also get familiar with Apple’s Discussion forums.

Learn How to Downgrade

If you run into into issues with macOS Sonoma 14.5, you will be able to downgrade back to an older version of macOS. Unlike iOS, Apple won’t close the downgrade path back to older software.

If you aren’t familiar with the macOS downgrade process, use this time to get familiar with it.

Keep Your Apps Updated

If you want the best possible experience on macOS Sonoma 14.5, make sure you keep your apps updated before, and after, the software’s release date.

These updates should help stabilize performance and help your device make a smooth transition to new software.

Before you download an app update, make sure you read reviews from other users. These reviews will alert you to potential benefits and problems with the latest version.

Take Your Time

macOS Sonoma 14.5 is an exciting upgrade and some of you might be tempted to install it on your Mac on the day it arrives.

For some of you, particularly those dealing with macOS Sonoma problems, that might be the correct move. However, some of you will be better off waiting a few hours or a few days before installing the firmware.

There are plenty of reasons to skip macOS software updates on day one. macOS updates can wreak havoc on your Mac’s overall performance.

If you’re feeling leery, dig into feedback from Mac users who download macOS Sonoma 14.5 right away. If you’re still undecided, think about waiting.