While the antivirus software actively scans incoming files/emails, AV software is similar to a last line of defense it is there when your computer has already been the target of an exploitation. Most of us will readily update our anti-virus software we all understand that it can prevent a virus from taking control of our computer or deleting our data. Do not close the lid or power off your Mac until installation is complete.Contact your desktop support specialist Help Desk: 58 Email: University IT Help WHAT ARE SOFTWARE UPDATES?Īll software updates, although seemingly trivial, can offer protection against a variety of vulnerabilities. During installation, your Mac may restart, or display a blank screen for a short time.In the Updates window, locate the line that says Catalina.

In the App Store, on the left side of the window, select Updates.

In the menu bar, click the Apple icon to open the Apple menu.

Do not close the lid or power off your Mac until installation is complete.Īfter you've gone through the preparation steps, you need to download and install the latest version of macOS.

During installation, your Mac may restart, or display a blank screen short time.

When this process is complete, an installer application named Install OS X El Capitan is placed in your Applications folder.

Follow the on-screen instructions to perform a compatibility check, and prepare for installation.

In the archive, double-click InstallMacOSX.pkg.

Double-click the downloaded archive, InstallMacOSX.dmg, to view its contents.

The file size is 5.8 GB, so the download may take a while, depending on the speed of your Internet connection.

Download the El Capitan installer from Apple.

If your Mac is running OS X Lion or Mountain Lion, follow these steps to upgrade to El Capitan. If your Mac is running Mavericks or newer, you can proceed to upgrade to Catalina. * If your Mac is running OS X Lion or Mountain Lion, you must upgrade to El Capitan before you can upgrade to Catalina. The following versions of OS X and macOS can be upgraded to macOS Catalina. If anything goes wrong, you can restore your Mac to its previous state.

Back up your dataĪlthough not required, we strongly recommend you back up your Mac before proceeding with an upgrade. However, you can still try to upgrade to El Capitan. If your Mac is not on this list, you cannot upgrade to Catalina.

Mac operating systems update