Hi, I want to update Catalina 10.5 on my iMac to 11 but am getting no option in upgrades. Do I have to buy a new iMac? My iMac is about six years old.
[Re-Titled by Moderator]
Original Title: Catalina upgrade problem
iMac 27″, macOS 10.15
What does it say about your iMac's hardware model year in the About This Mac dialog ( > About This Mac)?
If the model year is 2012 or 2013, Catalina is as far as you can go. You would need a 2014 or newer iMac to upgrade to Big Sur, and a Mid 2015 or newer iMac to upgrade beyond Big Sur.
What does it say about your iMac's hardware model year in the About This Mac dialog ( > About This Mac)?
If the model year is 2012 or 2013, Catalina is as far as you can go. You would need a 2014 or newer iMac to upgrade to Big Sur, and a Mid 2015 or newer iMac to upgrade beyond Big Sur.
macOS Big Sur - Technical Specifications - Apple Support
General Requirements
OS X 10.9 or later
4GB of memory
35.5GB available storage on macOS Sierra or later*
Some features require an Apple ID; terms apply.
Some features require a compatible internet service provider; fees may apply.
Mac Hardware Requirements
For details about your Mac model, click the Apple icon at the top left of your screen and choose About This Mac. These Mac models are compatible with macOS Big Sur:
MacBook (2015 or later)
MacBook Air (2013 or later)
MacBook Pro (Late 2013 or later)
Mac mini (2014 or later)
iMac (2014 or later)
iMac Pro (2017 or later)
Mac Pro (2013 or later)
Note that when it says "or later" that does not include Macs that originally came with a system version newer than Big Sur.
How to download and install macOS - Apple Support
There are some applications that will run on Catalina that you could use to extend the useful life of that machine.
These include
At the moment, the only 27" iMacs that can run one or more of "the most recent three" are those released in 2017 and later. When macOS 26 comes out this fall, the only 27" iMacs that will be able to run one of the "most recent three" will be the 2019 and 2020 models. The 2019 one won't be able to run macOS 26 (Tahoe), but it will still be able to run macOS 15 (Sequoia).
It's also been widely reported that at the Worldwide Developer's Conference, Apple said that macOS 26 is the last major version of macOS that will run on any Intel-based Mac.
So if you need access to current commercial applications, or want to run a more current version of macOS, it may be time to consider replacing that iMac.
No upgrade option for macOS Catalina 10.5 to 11 on iMac
