Mac’s are built for convenience in many ways. They have backlit keyboards, there are also a variety of ways to take screenshots. Mac comes up with a variety of assortments of shortcuts that can help in speeding up your work. Like all the devices, MacBooks also requires updates from time to time. There is complete procedure about how to update your mac. Updates are indeed annoying and time consuming, and updates can be literally very much time consuming if you haven’t updated your Mac for a long time.

Apple releases updates to Mac periodically, which mostly include updates to apps that come with your Mac, and important security updates.

If you see notification about the update of an application, it’s up to you to choose when to install the update, either it now or you want a reminder of the update for next day.

You can also check your updates for macOS on the system preference.

Apple released macOS Big Sur in november 2020. It is the latest version of the operating system. It is now a good time for you to update your Macbook, if you are currently working on your Mac.

How can you prepare your MacBook for OS update?

Preparing your device for an update is very important. Before upgrading your Mac, you have to make sure that your files are organized properly, your system is backed up and all of your system settings are correct. Make sure that your Mac is eligible for an update.

Check general( hardware) requirements:

These are the following steps for checking your requirements.

  1. Select the Apple icon on the top left, from the menu bar on your Mac.
  2. From the drop down menu, select ‘About this Mac’.

With this, you can know in what year your Mac was created. The version of OS X or macOS you are currently using.your computer’s processor, RAM or what type of graphic card your Mac has.

These are important points to know , as upgrading to macOS 11 Big Sur (latest version) requires the following.

  1. macOS 10.10 or later.
  2. (memory) 4GB RAM
  3. 15-20GB of available storage.

If you want to update macOS, keep in mind that the latest version of macOS is available on the following models.

  1. MacBook
  2. MacBook Air
  3. MacBook pro
  4. Mac mini
  5. iMac
  6. iMac pro 
  7. Mac Pro.

Back up your Mac:

how to update mac

Apple has an unofficial method dubbed Time Machine when it’s time to backup your Mac.

what backup really is? When you use Time Machine it keeps an image of your Mac in the way you want.

When you backup your Mac, you are basically making a compressed version of the entire operating system.

It is important to do. 

How can you create a Backup of your MacBook using a Time machine?

Simple;

  1. your backup will be stored in an external drive, so connect an External device.
  2. From Menu bar
  3. Go to apple.
  4. Tap on System preference.
  5. Select Time Machine.
  6. Now, select Disk.
  7. Select the external drive in which you want to store backup.
  8. Select ‘Use Disk’ in the pop-up window.

Get Backup Pro is another way to do Backup. One main issue with Time Machine’s Backup is , it can often start backing up during the day, which can consume resources from your Mac. things you are working may not be saved in your backup with Time Machine’s Backup.

With Get Backup Pro, you can backup your Mac in any device you want and you can also select a particular schedule for back up. In other words, it is in your total control. You can even choose the number of Backups.such customizations are not allowed by Time Machine’s Backup.

Make Sure you have Space for macOS Update:

mac storage

It is recommended to have minimum 4GB RAM and 12.5GB available storage when upgrading your Mac

How can you check storage:

For this;

  1. Select the Apple icon on the top left from the Menu Bar on your Mac.
  2. From the drop down menu, Select ‘ About This Mac”, it will show how much RAM you have.
  3. Now, select Storage Lab.
  4. Make sure you have at least 12.5GB storage available in ‘Macintosh HD’.

Clean up your Mac:

When you think How to Update Mac? You should also think about your device condition. If you need to boot your Mac from backup, it will load exactly whatever you got on your Mac. for this, Delete unwanted apps, re-organized your files and optimize your settings.

You can also use “CleanMyMac X” for this purpose.like Get Backup Pro, it can be scheduled.

All you need to do is, open “ CleanMyMac X” on your Mac, select the ‘ Smart Scan’ module, now, app scan your system and delete unnecessary files, also do a scan for malware, and make sure that your settings are optimized so your Mac can run as fast as possible. 

How to Update Mac?

Wondering how to update Mac? Now as we have told you about backup and cleaning up your Mac, here is the procedure for updating your Mac.

  1. Select the Apple icon on the top left, from the menu bar on your Mac.
  2. Select ‘Software Update’.

This is all you need to do for updating your Mac. by doing this you can know if there is any update available for you.

Next time, for updating, remember these two steps;

Turn on Automatic Updates.

You can know about updates automatically. Many people set their Mac to Update Automatically. It is typically fine to have your Mac updating Automatically, but now there are some more features that break the old app in the newer macOS builds.

Here’s how to update Mac automatically;

  1. Open menu bar.
  2. Select the Apple icon on the top left.
  3. Select Software Update.
  4. Tap on Advanced.
  5. Ensure that all boxes are checked.

Note: for automatic update, your Mac must have good internet and power connection.

You can control these updates too. You can choose to have your Mac check for automatic updates but not download the updates. It is really a smart choice if you want to have control over automatic updates. And remember that backup before updating is indeed a smart move.

How to update Drivers on Apple OS?

The key feature that allows your Mac to communicate with speakers, graphic cards or printers are termed as Drivers. You cannot update a driver directly. You can update it through the operating system, in which all necessary drivers are present.

Updating itself can install new drivers if you are using Specific Apps to communicate like printers.

Mac isn’t Updating?

mac is not updating

It can be a hardware issue if your Mac is not updating. As we’ve told before, you need 4GB and 12.5GB storage to update your Mac. you cannot update the latest version of Mac if you don’t have these storages.

Your Mac can also be too cold. This is often because of specs like graphic cards which are no longer adequate for newer versions of macOS.

It can also be the possibility that the update was interrupted. This is why we advised you to have a strong internet and power connection before you start updating your Mac.

With these core issues you will not be able to update your Mac. if you are experiencing these kinds of issues, get hold of Apple for support.

Conclusion:

For Mac enthusiasts, the new version of MacOS is exciting.but you should not rush to download them.

Always ensure that you have cleaned your Mac with help of CleanMyMac X, and have backup done with the help of Get Backup Pro.

If you have lost any files and you want to recover it, Disk Drill is a great option for you.

As a part of the 7 days trial of Setapp, these apps are free. Setapp is a robust suite productivity app for your Mac. alongside CleanMyMac X, Get Backup Pro and Disk Drill, you can also have unlimited access to the full Setapp library, nearly 200 Astonishing Mac Apps.

We hope you find this article helpful. Let us know if you have any query or Comment regarding this topic. Looking forward to your reviews.