Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Computing
  3. Guides

Can your computer run MacOS Monterey?

Tyler Lacoma
By

If you’ve been planning an upgrade to MacOS Monterey, perhaps waiting until Apple added Universal Control, now is an excellent time. From Focus modes to the new iCloud+ features, Monterey has brought some of the most useful new MacOS features we’ve seen in some time.

However, new features have new requirements, and like all big MacOS updates, Monterey needs a certain level of system capabilities to properly run it. Let’s dive into the models that you’ll need before you start your upgrade.

Recommended Videos

Compatible MacBook Pros

You will need MacBook Pros released in early 2015 to mid-2015 or later to use MacOS Monterey. All later MacBook Pros, up through the 16-inch and 14-inch models released in 2021, will support Monterey. It doesn’t matter what size your MacBook Pro is or how many Thunderbolt ports it has as long as it falls within this time range.

Related

If you aren’t sure what version of a Mac you have, you can always look up the model number to find out. Apple has lists to help you identify individual models, but it’s usually faster to just take a look at your About This Mac section and Google the model information to see when your Mac first came out.

The MacBook Pro with the default wallpaper, which hides the notch.

Compatible Macbook Airs

Similar to the MacBook Pros, MacBook Air models from early 2015 onward will support Monterey. Models before 2015 won’t be able to upgrade. Note that it doesn’t matter which size Air you have. The M1 version of the Air released in 2020 will also work with Monterey.

Compatible MacBooks

The 12-inch model from early 2016 and the 12-inch model released in 2017 will support MacOS Monterey. No other standard MacBooks are compatible with the update.

Compatible iMac Pros

The 2017 iMac Pro will support MacOS Monterey. No other models are compatible.

Yellow imac sitting on a desk.
Jay Wennington/Unsplash

Compatible iMacs

iMacs will support Monterey, beginning with the models released in late 2015 up through the latest 24-inch M1 versions from 2021. Support does not vary based on iMac screen size or the resolution that you chose.

Compatible Mac Minis

Mac Minis are one of the few options where compatible models extend to 2014. The 2014, 2018, and 2020 versions of the Mac Mini will all support MacOS Monterey.

A person works at a station equipped with the all new Mac Studio and Studio Display.

Compatible Mac Studio

This one is no surprise — the recently released 2022 Mac Studio comes out of the box with Monterey waiting and ready.

Compatible Mac Pros

Both the late 2013 and 2019 Mac Pro will work with MacOS Monterey.

FAQ

Do features like Universal Control work with older MacOS?

No. Universal Control is a Monterey-only feature to switch content between different Monterey Macs, iPads, or MacBooks. You’ll need Monterey or the respective iPadOS updates on your computers to use the feature. Not only that, but you’ll also want the very latest 2022 Monterey update, which adds this feature.

Does MacOS Monterey need any available storage?

Yes. A direct download of Monterey will require 26GB of available onboard storage.

Can I revert back to a previous MacOS?

You can. If you find Monterey is causing havoc with your apps or that your Mac wasn’t as prepared as you thought, you can switch back to an earlier version like Big Sur. Or you can check out our guide on how to go back further and download MacOS Catalina.

When you’re ready to get started, head over to our guide on how to download MacOS Monterey. As always, you’ll want to backup or sync any important data on your Mac before beginning.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Tyler Lacoma
Tyler Lacoma
Contributor
If it can be streamed, voice-activated, made better with an app, or beaten by mashing buttons, Tyler's into it. When he's not…
The best Mac apps for 2023: top software for your Mac
macos mojave hands on review app store

One of the best parts about owning an Apple computer is the massive ecosystem of superb Mac apps it gives you access to. There are apps available to Mac users no matter what you are looking for, whether that's productivity, photo and video editors, security suites, and more. You can get them from Apple's own App Store or from third-party developer websites, and many of the best Mac apps are even free.

Whether you just bought your first Mac or you're a longtime Apple customer, here's a look at some of the best Mac apps you can get.
Mac apps to change your interface

Read more
This devious scam app proves that Macs aren’t bulletproof
A close-up of a MacBook illuminated under neon lights.

Pirated software can cause all kinds of headaches, but Mac users might have thought themselves largely immune thanks to Apple’s reputation for solid security. Yet, that complacency could prove quite problematic, as a new strain of nearly undetectable malware has shown.

According to research from security firm Jamf Threat Labs, pirated versions of Apple’s Final Cut Pro moviemaking app have been modified to contain cryptojacking payloads. When installed, the app starts using your Mac to mine the Monero cryptocurrency behind your back, potentially slowing down your machine as system resources are illegitimately gobbled up.

Read more
Apple just made a huge move to power up your next MacBook
The screen of the MacBook Air M2.

Your next iPhone or Mac could have a major advantage over rival devices, with performance and efficiency that nothing else can match, if a new report is to be believed. It claims Apple has gobbled up the entire supply of a new breed of superefficient chips.

Those chips are manufactured by a company called TSMC that has made Apple’s powerful mobile and computer chips for years. If correct, the report from DigiTimes (via MacRumors) implies Apple’s competitors -- whether they’re making Windows PCs or Android smartphones -- will have to wait their turn while Apple has its fun with the brand-new 3-nanometer chips.

Read more