Question about buying a used MacBook Air and OS systems

I purchased my current MacBook Air in 2019, and it runs OS 10.14 (Mojave). Everybody tells me I should upgrade, but until recently, it does everything I want it to, so I haven't seen the need.


But now I need to buy a new machine because MS is retiring Skype in a week, and I use that app a lot to communicate with loved ones. They are replacing Skype with something called Teams Free; this app requires a minimum OS 13 (Ventura). I was told by an Apple rep that I would not be able to upgrade my machine that high.


At first I thought I was going to have to put down a grand for a brand-new machine, but then I thought about buying a used one on eBay for a lower price.


So I've been checking eBay for used laptops with an OS of at least 13, and have noticed a curious thing. Many sellers are offering machines that were made in 2019, 2018 and even 2015 and saying that their OSs have been upgraded to Ventura and even Sonoma. I called Apple Care earlier today and the rep told me that it would be impossible to install such a new OS on such an old machine.


What's even stranger is that the sellers are companies that have a long-time eBay presence with a very high feedback score. So I don't think they're in the business of trying to rip people off. Their machines come with warranties as well as free returns.


The sellers say these machines have the OS I need; Apple says they can't. My brain wants to explode. Can someone explain this situation to me? Thanks.



MacBook Air 13″

Posted on Apr 30, 2025 3:32 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Apr 30, 2025 3:42 PM

jimsned wrote:

I purchased my current MacBook Air in 2019, and it runs OS 10.14 (Mojave). Everybody tells me I should upgrade, but until recently, it does everything I want it to, so I haven't seen the need.

But now I need to buy a new machine because MS is retiring Skype in a week, and I use that app a lot to communicate with loved ones. They are replacing Skype with something called Teams Free; this app requires a minimum OS 13 (Ventura). I was told by an Apple rep that I would not be able to upgrade my machine that high.

And that would be wrong. A 2019 MacBook Air can be updated to macOS 13 Ventura.

click here ➜ macOS Ventura is compatible with these computers - Apple Support


At first I thought I was going to have to put down a grand for a brand-new machine, but then I thought about buying a used one on eBay for a lower price.

So I've been checking eBay for used laptops with an OS of at least 13, and have noticed a curious thing. Many sellers are offering machines that were made in 2019, 2018 and even 2015 and saying that their OSs have been upgraded to Ventura and even Sonoma. I called Apple Care earlier today and the rep told me that it would be impossible to install such a new OS on such an old machine.

What's even stranger is that the sellers are companies that have a long-time eBay presence with a very high feedback score. So I don't think they're in the business of trying to rip people off. Their machines come with warranties as well as free returns.

Can anyone explain this situation to me? Thanks.

Not impossible, but not supported either. There are ways to make newer OS versions run on older hardware. sometimes they work fine, other times they can have issues. Apple will say for the most part that it's impossible to avoid any liability. So, you are on your own when running macOS versions on non-officially supported hardware.


Your current Mac however, can run Ventura just fine without any hack or modification as shown in the link above and be supported by Apple. It can even go up to Sonoma if you really wanted to.

click here ➜ macOS Sonoma is compatible with these computers - Apple Support

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Apr 30, 2025 3:42 PM in response to jimsned

jimsned wrote:

I purchased my current MacBook Air in 2019, and it runs OS 10.14 (Mojave). Everybody tells me I should upgrade, but until recently, it does everything I want it to, so I haven't seen the need.

But now I need to buy a new machine because MS is retiring Skype in a week, and I use that app a lot to communicate with loved ones. They are replacing Skype with something called Teams Free; this app requires a minimum OS 13 (Ventura). I was told by an Apple rep that I would not be able to upgrade my machine that high.

And that would be wrong. A 2019 MacBook Air can be updated to macOS 13 Ventura.

click here ➜ macOS Ventura is compatible with these computers - Apple Support


At first I thought I was going to have to put down a grand for a brand-new machine, but then I thought about buying a used one on eBay for a lower price.

So I've been checking eBay for used laptops with an OS of at least 13, and have noticed a curious thing. Many sellers are offering machines that were made in 2019, 2018 and even 2015 and saying that their OSs have been upgraded to Ventura and even Sonoma. I called Apple Care earlier today and the rep told me that it would be impossible to install such a new OS on such an old machine.

What's even stranger is that the sellers are companies that have a long-time eBay presence with a very high feedback score. So I don't think they're in the business of trying to rip people off. Their machines come with warranties as well as free returns.

Can anyone explain this situation to me? Thanks.

Not impossible, but not supported either. There are ways to make newer OS versions run on older hardware. sometimes they work fine, other times they can have issues. Apple will say for the most part that it's impossible to avoid any liability. So, you are on your own when running macOS versions on non-officially supported hardware.


Your current Mac however, can run Ventura just fine without any hack or modification as shown in the link above and be supported by Apple. It can even go up to Sonoma if you really wanted to.

click here ➜ macOS Sonoma is compatible with these computers - Apple Support

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Apr 30, 2025 4:15 PM in response to jimsned

Be careful when purchasing any used Mac. Recent Macs which have T2 security chips or Apple Silicon processors support Activation Lock. If the previous owner does not properly prepare the Mac for resale, you may never be able to make the Mac fully your own.


This was written about iPhones, but some of it applies to Macs, too:

The All Too Common SAD Reality of Buying a Used iPad/iPhone – Apple Community


As for which Macs are compatible with the "most recent three" versions of macOS, see:

macOS Ventura is compatible with these computers - Apple Support

macOS Sonoma is compatible with these computers - Apple Support

macOS Sequoia is compatible with these computers - Apple Support


If Apple sticks to the same OS release schedule that they have for the past ten years, Sequoia's successor will be released some time this September, October, or November. Ventura will fall off the list of the "most recent three" and will stop being supported by vendors like Adobe and Microsoft.


That's if you need a new machine. If your current MacBook Air is a 2018 or 2019 model, see

How to download and install macOS - Apple Support

Note that Catalina and later break 32-bit applications. If you can upgrade to Ventura or Sonoma, you may want to check to see what 32-bit applications you are running on Mojave, and whether there are 64-bit updates available.

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Apr 30, 2025 4:30 PM in response to jimsned

So you are in luck – you can upgrade to Ventura or Sonoma.


Before doing so, I would suggest that you

  • Make a bootable clone backup of your system on an external drive, in case you need it for recovery.
  • Check to see which of your applications are 32-bit. One way to do this is by running System Information… (it might have a slightly different name), clicking on the Applications sidebar item, waiting for the Mac to build the list, and then clicking on the 64-bit column header (to group things together for easier reading).
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Apr 30, 2025 4:46 PM in response to jimsned

There are alternatives to photoshop, you know...


Heck, if your version of Photoshop is that old, you may just want to take a look at something like Gimp. It's free, has an Apple Silicone native version, and may actually exceed the capabilities of photoshop.


Consider a new MacBook Air. The performance compared to your old Mac will amaze you.

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Apr 30, 2025 4:00 PM in response to jimsned

What is the hardware model year of your MacBook Air? That will determine if, and how far, you can upgrade.


The MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2018) and MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2019) can both be upgraded as far as macOS 14 (Sonoma). Apple sold the 2018 machine in the first half of 2019, and the 2019 machine in the latter half. So if you bought your current MacBook Air new, it is likely to be one of those two machines.

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Apr 30, 2025 4:02 PM in response to jimsned

jimsned wrote:

I purchased my current MacBook Air in 2019, and it runs OS 10.14 (Mojave). Everybody tells me I should upgrade, but until recently, it does everything I want it to, so I haven't seen the need.


So you bought it in 2019, but what is critically important info is what model year is this MBA?

Find that info by click  About This Mac. Please tell us the early- mid- or late- model year info there.

With this info we can tell you exactly which Mac OS versions it can run and whether you have an upgrade path.


The sellers say these machines have the OS I need; Apple says they can't. My brain wants to explode. Can someone explain this situation to me? Thanks.


Again, we can tell you exactly what OS these Macs can run IF you can tell us the model and year info.

You can also look it up for yourself in the Mactracker app that you can find online and in the App Store.

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Apr 30, 2025 4:46 PM in response to jimsned

Wow! Thanks, guys, for all this quick and useful information.


It's nice to know that my machine (Retina, 13-inch, 2019) can be upgraded. But now I'm remembering the real reason why I haven't upgraded from Mojave. I have an ancient version of Photoshop Elements on the machine and if I upgraded any further, I've been told that it wouldn't work anymore. I use it from time to time and have a lot of fun with it, so I don't want lose that capability.


Well, back to the eBay scene. I don't like the fact that it could be a shoot as to whether or not a used machine is going to serve me well. And MS does say I would need "one of the three most recent OS versions" for Team Free to work. So, Servant of Cats, as you pointed out, once Sequoia is updated, I lose that.


Sounds like buying a new machine is really the way to go. At the same time, though, it seems a shame that I'd be spending all that money just so I can use a single app. Can anyone think of a way around that?



[Edited by Moderator]

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Apr 30, 2025 4:51 PM in response to jimsned

jimsned wrote:
[...]
It's nice to know that my machine (Retina, 13-inch, 2019) can be upgraded. But now I'm remembering the real reason why I haven't upgraded from Mojave. I have an ancient version of Photoshop Elements on the machine and if I upgraded any further, I've been told that it wouldn't work anymore. I use it from time to time and have a lot of fun with it, so I don't want lose that capability.


Well, this is certainly true. Making the jump from Mojave to Catalina or newer is likely to break a number of old apps that are not 64-bit compatible. If you'e like to know exactly which of your apps and utilities is not compatible with the newer OS versions, use this free utility> Go64 app from St. Claire Software to check them.



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Apr 30, 2025 5:15 PM in response to jimsned

jimsned wrote:

Wow! Thanks, guys, for all this quick and useful information.

It's nice to know that my machine (Retina, 13-inch, 2019) can be upgraded. But now I'm remembering the real reason why I haven't upgraded from Mojave. I have an ancient version of Photoshop Elements on the machine and if I upgraded any further, I've been told that it wouldn't work anymore. I use it from time to time and have a lot of fun with it, so I don't want lose that capability.


You could consider getting a replacement.


There is Photoshop Elements 2025. While Adobe claims that "it's a one-time purchase with no additional fees", it self-destructs after 3 years. I don't recall that being a "feature" of previous versions of Photoshop Elements, and it strikes me as being a rather customer-hostile one.

Adobe – Photoshop Elements 2025


There is Affinity Photo V2. This one has no "subscription" (rental) fees and does not self-destruct.

Serif – Affinity (Photo, Designer, Publisher)


And there is the free GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP).

GIMP – GNU Image Manipulation Program

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May 1, 2025 7:44 AM in response to jimsned

I'll second the Gimp suggestion, it does have somewhat of a learning curve, but it works pretty well.


I have replaced Corel's Paint Shop Pro on my old Windows laptop with it on my MacBook Air.

also, because for some reason Windows has now a tendency to mess with the color grading on the pictures taken with my iPhone terribly making them super washed out.


Current version is 3.0.2 and has some very nice improvements.



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May 1, 2025 8:24 AM in response to jimsned

I have to say, I was amused that a moderator took a particular word out of my response. I wrote "I don't like the fact that it could be a cr*p shoot as to whether or not a used machine is going to serve me well." The word just before "shoot" was removed; as a result, my sentence doesn't make any sense.


"Cr*p shoot" is a game where the players gamble on the result of rolling a pair of dice. It was one of the many humorous elements in the musical Guys and Dolls. I was likening buying a used machine to gambling. So, memo to Moderator: the word "cr*p" has more than one meaning and the meaning I used is perfectly acceptable.

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