Update/Upgrade

DanDanDanDan1313 Said:

"Update/Upgrade: Why cant I update upgrade MacOS software? Cant find in system preferences and does not come up in App store."

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Updating a macOS:

Determining which Update(s) will Install:

I. Verify Compatibility:

A. Start Here: Learn About Compatibility and how to Identify your Specific Mac Model - Apple Support

B. How to Verify:

I Reveal your Model:

What is the Model of your Mac? To find out...

1. Go to: Apple menu
2. Click: About this Mac
3. View: Second Line-Down

then...

II. Compare the Results:

See if the Model you found is shown here:

• macOS Ventura is Compatible with these Computers - Apple Support
• macOS Monterey is Compatible with these Computers - Apple Support
• macOS Big Sur 11 Hardware Requirements - Apple Support
• macOS Catalina 10.15 - Hardware Requirements - Apple Support
• macOS Mojave 10.14 - Hardware Requirements - Apple Support
• macOS High Sierra 10.13 - Hardware Requirements - Apple Support
• macOS Sierra 10.12 - Hardware Requirements - Apple Support
• OS X El Capitan 10.11 - Hardware Requirements - Apple Support
• OS X Yosemite 10.10 - Hardware Requirements - Apple Support

III. If Compatible:

Back Up your Mac First:  Be certain you Create a Time Machine Backup of your Mac, so that way you can have something to restore your Mac from, should anything go wrong with the reconfiguration.

Back up your data, check the application compatibility table, click here, and then on the download link for a more-recent OS. A Mac running Yosemite can be upgraded at least as far as El Capitan.

Catalina and higher won't run 32-bit software; if you upgrade to one of them, use Go64 as well.

(237356)

It seems your MacBook Air has never been upgraded. 4GB of RAM is very little to run more modern versions of macOS. You can run up to Monterey 12.6.4 but I wouldn't expect too much.

You may also have to install El Capitan before you can install Monterey.

You can get both from the link Niel posted: How to download macOS - Apple Support

FWIW, I no longer trust roaringapps because I have found several examples of apps posted as compatible with various versions of macOS that clearly aren't. It seems there are folks marking apps as compatible for sport.

Post pic of  > About this Mac and you will be helped.

What model Mac and year do you have?

Your computer's maximum OS is Monterey.

dialabrain: I don't know if there's anywhere better to check.

(237360)

Niel wrote:

dialabrain: I don't know if there's anywhere better to check.

I used to recommend it all the time but it seems unreliable any more. I don't know of an alternative.