Apple
macOS 10.15.5 Problems: 5 Things to Know
Apple fixed a number of issues with the latest update, but there are still a number of macOS 10.15.5 problems that you need to be aware of.
Some of the macOS Catalina problems carry over from older releases, while others are new to macOS 10.15.5, and at least one is a major issue that you should pay attention to if you rely on bootable backups.
In this guide to macOS Catalina problems, we help you understand the current state of macOS 10.15.5 on new and old Macs. When possible we show you where to find fixes and in some cases explicit instructions, not to update.
Read: How to Fix macOS Catalina Problems
macOS 10.15.5 Problems
There are already some macOS 10.15.5 problems that are annoying users, and potentially leaving you in a bad spot.
The biggest known issue is that macOS 10.15.5 breaks creating new bootable backups. Carbon Copy Cloner shares a full breakdown of what is broken, and how you can work around this.
The good news is that existing backups are unaffected or on your data. This is only on the “initial creation of a bootable backup.” This impacts the APFS filesystem and was known on the beta of macOS 10.15.5.
You can work around this and learn more at Carbon Copy Cloner.
Where to Find Feedback
You can find feedback on the macOS Catalina update to get help from other users and to learn about what is going on. The macOS 1015.4 update is old enough that you can get feedback from forums and you can read our list of reasons to install macOS Catalina and reasons to wait.
We recommend looking at macOS Catalina problems on YouTube, on the Apple Discussion Forums, and on Twitter as well as the MacRumors forums. A little prep and research can help dramatically.
How to Fix macOS Catalina Problems
While Apple will need to fix some of the macOS Catalina problems, you can solve some issues on your own. We have a full guide on how to fix macOS Catalina problems, which will help you solve most issues on your own.
If you cannot download or install macOS Catalina, try restarting the download, restarting your Mac, and switching to a wired connection. If your device feels sluggish after the update, you may need to simply wait for the background processes to finish. Give it a day or two.
In cases where battery life takes a hit, the background processes could be a culprit, but you can use this guide to fix bad macOS Catalina battery life.
If you can’t use WiFi, Bluetooth or you experience sound problems, try restarting your Mac or turning WiFi or Bluetooth off and then back on. You can also reach out to Apple Support via Twitter or via Apple’s website.
If you still can’t fix the problem, you may need to contact Apple for help.
macOS Catalina Downgrade Options
It is possible to downgrade from macOS Catalina to macOS Mojave. There is no time limit and this is very easy if you have a good backup for your Mac. To do this, you just need to start your Mac in safe mode and choose Restore from Time Machine Backup.
If you need to get back to macOS 10.15.4, you can restore to a time machine backup that you made just before upgrading. This can help you solve sleep issues and file transfer issues.
This will take some time, so it’s not to be done lightly, but if you are no longer able to use your Mac like you need to, it could be the best option until Apple releases an update for the new macOS 10.15.6 version.
What’s Next for macOS?
You can expect to see Apple release additional maintenance updates through the rest of the year. Apple will show off macOS 10.16 at WWDC in June, which will likely arrive in September or October.
Install for macOS 10.15.6 Fixes and Security Updates | |||||||||||||||||||||||
If you are on macOS Mojave or an older version of macOS 10.15, you should install this update to get the latest security fixes and new features that come with macOS. These include security updates that help keep your data safe and updates that patch bugs and other macOS Catalina problems. The macOS 10.15.7 update includes the following fixes;
We will also see a list of security updates in this, which are disclosed on this security page. | |||||||||||||||||||||||