macOS 10.16 Big Sur is a major software update for Apple’s desktop and notebook Mac computers which unlocks a plethora of exciting new capabilities, but not every Mac model can take advantage of it. Before taking the plunge, be sure to read the official macOS 10.16 Big Sur system requirements to confirm that your particular Mac model supports this software update.
About macOS 10.16 Big Sur
Apple previewed the first developer-only beta of macOS 10.16 during its WWDC 2020 keynote, which was held on Monday, June 22, 2020. The software update is scheduled to arrive sometime this fall, but the official device compatibly list is already available to customers.
Compared to the previous macOS 10.15 Catalina update, the macOS 10.16 software supports many Mac computer models manufactured in the past seven years with a few exceptions.
To find out more about macOS 10.16 Big Sur, visit apple.com/macos/big-sur-preview/features.
Certain macOS 10.16 features may be unsupported on older hardware. Also keep in mind that certain macOS 10.16 features may not be available in every region or language.
macOS 10.16 Big Sur system requirements
macOS 10.16 officially supports the following Mac computer models:
- MacBook (early 2015 and later)
- MacBook Air (mid 2013 and later)
- MacBook Pro (mid 2013 and later)
- Mac mini (2014 and later)
- iMac (2014 and later)
- iMac Pro all models (2017 and later)
- Mac Pro (2013 and later)
For further details on macOS 10.16 updates, visit Apple’s website.
Other system requirements
We also have device compatibility lists for other Apple OS updates:
- iOS and iPadOS 14 system requirements
- tvOS 14 system requirements
- watchOS 7 system requirements
These updates are releasing publicly in the fall.
How to identify Mac computer models
If you’re unsure about the precise model of your Mac desktop or notebook, don’t despair — simply follow the steps in our tutorial which will walk you through identifying your Mac model.
This article will be updated when new compatible Mac models are released in the future.