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macOS Monterey 12.6 Release Date: Tips & Tricks

Published

4 years ago

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The macOS Monterey 12.6 release date is getting closer and some Mac users might want to start preparing for the software’s arrival.

macOS Monterey 12.6 is a milestone upgrade, albeit a small one, and it will bring under-the-hood improvements to Mac users around the world.

A macOS Monterey 12.6 beta is available to developers. It’s not available to those enrolled in the company’s public Beta Software Program and there’s a good chance it never will be. Apple’s currently on its final version of the macOS Monterey 12.6 beta.

So if you want to try macOS Monterey 12.6, you have a developer account, and you don’t want to wait for the official release date, you can take the beta for a spin on your Mac right now.

macOS Monterey 12.6 Release Date

Apple hasn’t confirmed the macOS Monterey 12.6 release date, but the release is imminent now that the Release Candidate has been pushed to beta testers.

We should see a release sometime this week, or next, alongside iOS 15.7. Apple probably won’t announce an official release date ahead of time so you’ll want to keep your eyes peeled.

With the macOS Monterey 12.6 release date on the horizon, it’s time to start thinking about its arrival. In this guide we’ll outline some tips and tricks that will come in handy as we close in on the next macOS Monterey update for Mac.

Prepare for the macOS Monterey 12.6 Release Date

With macOS Monterey 12.6 on the way, some Mac users might want to start doing some prep work.

macOS Monterey 12.6 will almost certainly require a sizable chunk of space on your Mac’s internal storage. New macOS milestone upgrades typically do.

If you’re getting low on storage, use this time to do some cleanup. Go into your Mac’s storage and delete files you no longer need. This will help make room for macOS Monterey. It could also improve your Mac’s performance.

You should also start backing up the 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 Monterey 12.6.

The software 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 Monterey 12.6 and Older Updates

If you don’t plan on moving to the beta, and most people shouldn’t at this point, make sure you get familiar with the changes coming with macOS Monterey 12.6. Right now, it looks like we may only see security enhancements.

If you’re still hanging around on an older version of macOS and you plan to upgrade to macOS Monterey in the near future, make sure you get familiar with the latest versions. You’ll get those changes when you upgrade.

For more on the latest versions of macOS Monterey, take a look at our walkthrough.

Most People Should Avoid the macOS Monterey 12.6 Beta

Installing the macOS Monterey 12.6 beta on your Mac right now might be tempting, but most people should avoid the beta and wait for the official release.

The macOS Monterey 12.6 beta helps Apple tackle bugs and performance issues before they become major headaches for millions of Mac users. That said, using beta software can be extremely problematic.

The macOS Monterey beta 12.6 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 macOS Monterey 12.6 Beta

If you skip the macOS Monterey 12.6 beta, and again most people should, make sure you monitor feedback from beta testers as we push toward the software’s official release.

Monitoring feedback will alert you to potential problems and it will also alert you to potential benefits. More importantly, it might help you decide if you want to install the official version of macOS Monterey 12.6 right away or wait.

We’ve seen macOS Monterey 12.6 feedback emerge on sites like YouTube, MacRumors forums, and Twitter. Check those sites if you’re curious about the software’s performance.

macOS Monterey 12.6 Release Time

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

Apple almost always rolls software updates out around 10AM Pacific. That will likely be the case for the final version of macOS Monterey 12.6.

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 Monterey 12.6 right away.

macOS Monterey 12.6 Download Size

We don’t know how big the macOS Monterey 12.6 download will be, but again, you can expect it to require quite a bit of free space on your Mac.

You can expect long download times, especially in the moments after Apple pushes the update live, but the installation process will probably take longer.

Prepare for macOS Monterey 12.6 Problems

macOS Monterey 12.6 has gone through Apple’s testing 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 there’s a good chance we’ll see them emerge in the minutes, hours, days, and weeks after the macOS Monterey 12.6 release date.

It’ll be difficult to predict what kind of performance you’ll get once you move your Mac to macOS Monterey 12.6 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 Monterey problems. If you don’t consider yourself a macOS expert, you’ll want to bookmark those fixes.

You’ll also want to bookmark or follow Apple Support on Twitter and bookmark the Apple Support page on the company’s website.

You should also be familiar with Apple’s Discussion forums.

Learn How to Downgrade

If you run into into issues with macOS Monterey 12.6 you will be able to downgrade back to an older version of macOS.

If you aren’t familiar with the macOS downgrade process, now is a great time to get familiar with it.

Keep Your Apps Updated

If you want the best experience on macOS Monterey 12.6, make sure you keep your apps updated before, and after, the software’s released.

As we push toward the macOS Monterey 12.6 release date, keep an eye out for support updates. 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 users. These reviews will alert you to potential benefits and problems with the latest version.

Take Your Time with macOS Monterey 12.6

macOS Monterey 12.6 is an exciting upgrade and some of you might be tempted to install it the second it arrives.

For some of you, particularly those dealing with macOS Monterey problems and macOS Big Sur problems, that might be the right move. However, some of you will be better off waiting a few hours, a few days or, in some cases, a few weeks before installing the software.

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

If you’re feeling leery, dig into feedback from Mac users who download macOS Monterey 12.6 right away. If you’re still undecided, think about waiting.

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