Apple previewed these releases at its Worldwide Developers Conference in June, and many people have been testing the public betas since. Once Apple judges each operating system ready for public consumption, the question arises: when should you upgrade?

Note that we say when and not if. There’s no harm in delaying a major operating system upgrade until Apple has sanded off any rough edges that slipped through testing. But waiting too long puts you at risk from security vulnerabilities, increases compatibility annoyances, and prevents you from taking advantage of new features. Plus, when you buy a new Mac, iPhone, or iPad after these operating systems have shipped, you’ll automatically get the latest version, which could pose problems for your existing apps or compatibility with older hardware or workflows. It’s best to be prepared in case you have to replace a device unexpectedly.

Since we don’t know exactly when each operating system will appear, here’s our recommended upgrade order and how long we suggest waiting after each release. We’ve also shared a few new features that might encourage you to upgrade.

Remember, always make a backup before upgrading a Mac, iPhone, or iPad so you can revert if necessary.

iOS 27

It’s usually safe to upgrade iOS fairly quickly because Apple puts significant effort into ensuring that the new iOS version is a good experience for those who buy the just-released iPhones. However, because iPhones are so crucial to our everyday lives, it’s worth delaying iOS 27 upgrades for a week or so, in case there are unexpected bugs. After that, you can install it and enjoy the new features.

What can you look forward to? Apple says iOS 27 delivers broad improvements across the system, with performance improvements that should keep older devices feeling snappy. Liquid Glass—Apple’s translucent interface material introduced in iOS 26—gets design refinements for better readability and contrast, with a new slider to customize how tinted it appears. Network transitions are smoother, so you stay connected as you move between Wi-Fi networks and cellular service. Searching in Mail will more readily surface the most relevant results. Parents gain new child safety tools: Setup Assistant lets you choose which system apps kids can access, Ask to Browse requires parental approval for new websites, Communication Safety now blocks gore and violence in addition to nudity, and Time Allowances let you set limits across categories. Other additions include GymKit support for connecting to gym equipment, improved iCloud Shared Albums with easier access for Android and Windows users, perimenopause tracking in Health, and enhanced Flyover in Maps.

However, what Apple’s really focusing on is Siri AI and Apple Intelligence, which ship across the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Vision Pro. Apple has finally brought AI to Siri, making the virtual assistant far more capable and conversational, giving it insight into your personal context (calendar events, email, photos, notes, etc.), and letting it take actions across many more apps. With search capabilities, Siri AI can pull in world knowledge to answer nearly any topic, much like ChatGPT and Claude do now. A dedicated Siri app records your conversations and syncs them across devices. Write with Siri generates drafts or provides feedback anywhere you type. Siri mode in the Camera app brings Visual Intelligence to the viewfinder, letting you search and take action on what you see. Photos gains AI editing tools like Spatial Reframing, Extend, and an enhanced Clean Up. Safari automatically groups tabs by topic and gains Notify Me, which monitors pages for changes like price drops or restocks and alerts you when it’s time to act. Siri AI requires an iPhone 15 Pro or later; the broader iOS 27 features work on devices back to the iPhone 11 and second-generation iPhone SE.

watchOS 27

Once you upgrade your iPhone to iOS 27, there’s no reason to delay upgrading your Apple Watch to watchOS 27. Few changes other than the new app grid are likely to require notable adjustments to your usage patterns, and some may be quite welcome.

Siri AI is the most notable new feature in watchOS 27 because it brings conversational AI to your wrist. However, it may encourage new Apple Watch purchases—our experience with the beta is that it’s slow on the Apple Watch Series 9, which is the oldest model watchOS 26 supports.

Beyond Siri AI, a new dynamic app grid highlights suggested apps (most recent and most popular) with the Siri app in the center. Workout Buddy now delivers personalized motivation with new insights into your pace, distance, and duration—and works without your iPhone nearby. A new thumb-and-forefinger tap gesture lets you select Smart Stack widgets with one hand, and the Smart Stack itself surfaces more relevant widgets, such as birthday reminders and your parked car’s location. Cycle Tracking gains perimenopause and menopause support with symptom logging and educational resources. Design refinements improve Liquid Glass readability, and a new Call Context feature surfaces relevant information when you call businesses. For Siri AI, your watch must be paired with an iPhone 15 Pro or later.

iPadOS 27

Our general advice is that it’s OK to install iPadOS 27 shortly after it ships. iPadOS is largely a superset of iOS, so if you’re comfortable upgrading to iOS 27, that comfort should carry over to iPadOS 27 as well. The main caveat is if you rely heavily on a particular app, you should check with the developer to ensure it’s compatible before upgrading.

Beyond the iOS 27 features that aren’t specific to the iPhone, iPadOS 27 offers a few unique improvements. It brings Visual Intelligence to the iPad screen—tap an item with your finger or circle it with the Apple Pencil to learn more about it or take action on it. Siri AI now works with handwritten Notes, letting you turn handwritten lecture notes into a study guide. And file transfers to external drives are up to 5x faster.

tvOS 27

Regardless of when Apple releases tvOS 27, it’s safe to update within a week or two of release, depending on how much you depend on your Apple TV. Note that tvOS drops support for the Apple TV HD and first-generation Apple TV 4K, though if you have one of those and it meets your needs, don’t bother replacing it just for tvOS 27. Besides, rumors suggest a new Apple TV model with a Siri AI-capable chip may be on the horizon—the new virtual assistant is otherwise notably absent.

tvOS 27 brings a few modest refinements to the Apple TV experience. Apple redesigned the Podcasts app for improved browsing and playback. If you listen to music on your Apple TV, you might appreciate the new support for Hi-Res Lossless audio playback up to 24-bit/192kHz through Apple Music. Apple promises smoother app launches and animations throughout, faster AirPlay connectivity, and a more responsive Control Center. A new Smart Downloads feature helps manage content automatically. For accessibility, a new Larger Text option in Settings scales text size across the entire tvOS interface. Auto-transcription support in English will provide subtitles where they don’t already exist, and tvOS 27 has expanded support for Made for iPhone hearing aids.

If nothing in that list encourages you to upgrade as soon as tvOS 27 ships, let your Apple TV upgrade itself whenever it gets around to it, assuming you have automatic updates turned on in Settings > System > Software Updates.

visionOS 27

Since the Vision Pro hasn’t seen widespread adoption, most users can upgrade to visionOS 27 shortly after it comes out—it works on all Vision Pro units. Those with mobility issues or disabilities that make the Vision Pro an essential aspect of everyday life should probably wait until early adopters have given the upgrade a thumbs up.

Siri AI is, of course, available in visionOS 27, and Visual Intelligence on the Vision Pro lets you ask Siri about anything by looking at it. You can now turn panoramic photos into spatial scenes and use them as custom Environments—joining the new Thórsmörk Environment featuring an Icelandic aurora. New curved windows in Safari, Freeform, and other apps wrap around you for a more comfortable view. Spatial previewing lets you bring 3D models from your Mac into your space to preview and edit them in real time. System improvements include a redesigned Control Center, notifications you can expand just by looking at them, and Wi-Fi that connects up to three times faster. Accessibility gains include an updated Dwell Control that lets you confirm selections by glancing at a marker instead of waiting for a timer.

macOS 27 Golden Gate

For most of us, the trickiest upgrade decision is when to install macOS 27 Golden Gate. For those still using Intel-based Macs, the decision is easy: never, since Golden Gate runs only on Macs with Apple silicon. But even for people whose Macs have M-series chips and whose mission-critical apps are likely newer, it’s worth upgrading cautiously. The problem is that new macOS features are seldom more compelling than keeping your Mac working the way it is now. Happily, Golden Gate still includes the full Rosetta 2 translation environment that powers Intel-based apps on Apple silicon, but that support will dwindle in the future.

What capabilities does macOS 27 Golden Gate promise? Once again, Apple is pushing Siri AI the hardest, with the dedicated Siri app syncing your conversations across devices and Visual Intelligence letting you ask Siri about anything on your screen by taking a screenshot. The rest of the Apple Intelligence improvements from iOS and iPadOS also appear in macOS, as do the new Child Safety features.

Users will appreciate Golden Gate’s refinements to Liquid Glass, which was more controversial on the Mac than on the iPhone. Along with the new transparency slider, macOS will feature a uniform toolbar across the top of apps, sidebars will extend to the edges of windows, and colored icons will return to sidebars. Apple is also promising performance improvements, better Spotlight search suggestions, improved support for ultrawide external displays, app resizing in iPhone mirroring, natural language event creation in Calendar, and updated video podcast playback.

We always encourage caution when upgrading to a new version of macOS. Wait at least a month or two before upgrading your primary Mac to Golden Gate, especially if you rely on older Mac apps. Even once you’re confident your apps will work adequately, workflow or intra-office compatibility concerns may arise if some people upgrade and others don’t.

In short, please don’t upgrade to Golden Gate without checking with us first. With luck, the bug fixes and app updates needed to give you the green light will appear by the end-of-year break, which provides welcome downtime to install and explore the new features.

(Featured image by Apple)

Social Media: Apple is gearing up to release macOS 27 Golden Gate, iOS 27, iPadOS 27, watchOS 27, tvOS 27, and visionOS 27. We briefly examine the features worth upgrading for and suggest when to upgrade each of your Apple devices.

Are you considering getting one of Apple’s new iPhone 18 models? While it’s tempting to unbox a new iPhone and dive right in, a methodical setup will save you from potential frustrations down the road. When you’re ready to transfer your data—and, for many people, that means much of your digital life—to the new iPhone, follow these step-by-step instructions. For visual learners, Apple also provides a video showing how to transfer your data and set up a new iPhone.

1. Ensure that both your current iPhone and Apple Watch (if you have one) are running the latest versions of iOS and watchOS. These updates can take a while to install, so don’t leave them for the last minute.
2. Have your login details ready: you’ll need your iPhone and Apple Watch passcodes, along with your Apple Account email address and password.
3. Back up your old iPhone to iCloud or your Mac. If you back up to a Mac, make sure you encrypt the backup (and record the encrypted backup password!) so it includes passwords, Wi-Fi settings, browsing history, Health data, and call history. For safety, consider backing up to both iCloud and your Mac. iCloud backups are typically more straightforward and avoid issues like unreliable USB cables. If you don’t usually back up to iCloud, Apple offers temporary iCloud storage for 21 days when transferring to a new iPhone, with another 21 days if your new iPhone doesn’t arrive in time. To make a temporary iCloud backup, go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone and tap Get Started under Prepare for New iPhone. The temporary backup sticks around for 7 days after you restore it to the new iPhone.
4. If you have an Apple Watch, you can transfer it to the new iPhone during setup. If the automatic transfer doesn’t work for some reason, you can manually unpair the Apple Watch from the old iPhone and pair it again with the new one. If you choose the manual route with a cellular Apple Watch, you’ll be prompted to keep or remove your cellular plan; be sure to keep the plan to continue using it after you re-pair.
5. If you ordered your new iPhone through Apple and linked it to your cellular carrier account at purchase, or bought it directly from your carrier, your phone number usually transfers automatically during activation. If the transfer doesn’t happen automatically and your carrier supports eSIM Quick Transfer, Setup Assistant will guide you through transferring your eSIM directly from your old iPhone.
6. Use Apple’s Quick Start to set up the new iPhone. Put your old iPhone nearby, follow the on-screen instructions, and use it to scan the animation that appears on the new iPhone. When Quick Start asks how you want to transfer your data, you have two main choices: iCloud or a direct transfer. Neither is especially quick, so start only when you have plenty of time. (If your old iPhone isn’t available or Quick Start fails, you can instead set up the new iPhone manually and restore from an iCloud or Mac backup.)
   • Download from iCloud: Restore from your old iPhone’s iCloud backup. This approach lets you begin using the new iPhone while apps and data continue downloading in the background. After connecting the new iPhone to Wi-Fi and choosing Download from iCloud, select the correct backup—probably the most recent one you just created.
   • Transfer from iPhone: Transfer your apps, data, and settings directly from the old iPhone, either wirelessly or with a wired connection—a wired connection can be useful if wireless migration proves unreliable, but there’s no way to know which will be faster. With a direct transfer, regardless of wired or wireless, both iPhones remain unavailable until the process finishes. For wireless transfers, keep them near each other and plugged into power.
   • Finder or iTunes: Although Apple still supports restoring your old iPhone’s data from a backup saved to your Mac, it gets the least attention these days, and we would resort to it only if the Quick Start methods failed. When you get to the Transfer Apps & Data screen on the new iPhone, tap From Mac or PC, connect the new iPhone to your Mac, open a Finder window (or iTunes on macOS 10.14 Mojave or earlier), select the iPhone, click Restore Backup, and choose the appropriate backup.
7. Complete post-transfer tasks. Some app data needs to sync, so open the Mail, Contacts, and Calendar apps to check for your information; it may take a few minutes to populate. Verify you can make and receive calls. You’ll need to add your payment cards to Apple Pay, and transfer or re-add any transit or ID cards that don’t appear in Wallet. If necessary, pair your Apple Watch with the new iPhone. Also, pair your Bluetooth accessories—you shouldn’t need to re-pair AirPods, which sync automatically via iCloud. Apps might ask you to log in again and grant notification permissions, and you might need to re-download content and in-app purchases.
8. If you rely on Apple’s Passwords app for passwords, passkeys, and two-factor authentication codes, everything should sync via your iCloud account, assuming you have Passwords & Keychain enabled in iCloud. 1Password and other password managers also usually sync via an online account. Two-factor authentication apps like Authy and Google Authenticator may need additional configuration—confirm that your codes appear on the new iPhone. Regardless, verify that you can log in to key accounts before wiping the old phone.
9. If your employer or school requires you to register your iPhone for access to organizational systems, verify that everything works before erasing your old phone. Authentication apps, VPNs, device-management systems, and other security services may treat the new iPhone as a new device and require you to sign in again, re-register it, or obtain approval from your IT department. Test these services on the new iPhone while the old one is still available in case you need it to approve a login or transfer an account.

Although Apple works hard to make transferring from an old iPhone to a new one as smooth as possible, some things may not transfer perfectly. We strongly recommend keeping your old iPhone for a week or so to ensure the new one can do everything the old one did. During that time, thoroughly test the new iPhone, checking each app you need. Once you’re confident the new iPhone is working well, follow Apple’s instructions for erasing the old iPhone before selling, trading it in, or giving it away.

(Featured image by Adam Engst)

Social Media: Getting a new iPhone 18? Don’t rush the setup. A little prep work now can save you from missing data, apps, and settings later. Here’s what to do before and after transferring from your old iPhone.

First, you (or your child) will need to do some homework. Check with the college for any technical requirements. Some programs or majors mandate specific processor types, memory amounts, or storage capacities based on the software their students use. Current Macs can usually meet or exceed these specs without issue. A more pressing concern is whether a particular field of study requires Windows. If so, dig deeper—is the requirement driven by specific Windows-only software, or is it simply the IT department’s preference for a uniform support environment? It’s also worth checking if the college offers educational pricing. Most do, and you can usually save a few hundred dollars. Apple also typically runs a Back to School promotion that may be interesting.

For college students, a laptop makes far more sense than a desktop Mac. Students rarely stay put—they work in lecture halls, libraries, the quad, coffee shops, and wherever they can find a seat. There’s also the matter of breaks: when students head home, they need a computer that travels with them so they can keep working on assignments. A student who’s already comfortable taking notes on an iPad with a keyboard and Apple Pencil could potentially supplement that with a desktop Mac, but for the vast majority, a laptop is best.

Apple’s MacBook Choices

Happily, Apple’s current lineup offers something for nearly every student. We see four primary scenarios:

• Most students: Buy Apple’s MacBook Air, the company’s most popular laptop. The 13-inch and 15-inch M5 MacBook Air models, refreshed in March 2026, now start with 512 GB of storage and feature faster SSDs. The 13-inch M5 MacBook Air features a 13.6-inch screen, a memory ceiling of 32 GB, and up to 4 TB of storage, starting at $1,099. For those who want a larger display, the 15-inch M5 MacBook Air is a great choice, starting at $1,299. Otherwise, it’s nearly identical to its smaller sibling.
• Better specs: If performance is more important than price, consider the 14-inch MacBook Pro. It features M5, M5 Pro, or M5 Max chips. The entry-level M5 model starts at $1,699, but there’s little reason to choose it over the M5 MacBook Air. For students who need more power, the M5 Pro ($2,199) and M5 Max ($3,599) can be configured with significantly more memory—up to 64 GB with the M5 Pro or 128 GB with the M5 Max. Students majoring in film production, computer science with a focus on machine learning, or other fields involving heavy computation may benefit from an M5 Pro and more memory. (There’s also a 16-inch MacBook Pro in M5 Pro and M5 Max configurations—the larger screen is nice for video work, but it’s heavy and way more expensive.)
• Budget choice: If budget is the primary constraint, look at Apple’s new $599 MacBook Neo. It handles basic tasks like Web browsing, writing papers, and video streaming without issue. However, it has significant limitations: only 8 GB of memory, an iPhone-class A18 Pro chip that’s notably slower than the M5, and a limited port selection. The Neo is adequate for students whose coursework involves only word processing, Web research, and light productivity apps—but it won’t suffice for students who discover a passion for video editing, data analysis, or 3D modeling.
• Windows compatibility: The only downside of Macs with Apple silicon is that it’s more challenging to run Windows using virtualization software like Parallels Desktop (available at half price for students) or VMware Fusion (free for personal use). If Windows is a bonus but not essential, Windows 11 for Arm should work for most apps. However, if Windows compatibility and performance are crucial, your best option is—much as we hate to say it—a PC laptop.

Choosing Processor, Memory, and Storage Options

No matter which laptop you choose, you’ll need to select a processor, memory size, and storage capacity:

• Processor: For the most part, processor choice tracks with model and budget. The low-end MacBook Neo only offers an A18 Pro with a 6-core CPU and 5-core GPU. The mid-range MacBook Air models have an M5 with a 10-core CPU and either an 8-core or 10-core GPU; the extra GPU cores offer a little more performance for an extra $100. The powerful 14-inch MacBook Pro offers a choice between the M5 and multiple configurations of the M5 Pro and M5 Max. The base M5 model performs the same as the M5 MacBook Air, but students with significant computational needs will benefit from an M5 Pro or M5 Max, with price being the main constraint.
• Memory: The MacBook Neo has 8 GB of memory with no upgrade option—sufficient for basic tasks but limiting for demanding apps or heavy multitasking. The M5 MacBook Air models start at 16 GB and offer 24 or 32 GB options. On the 14-inch MacBook Pro, memory capacity varies by chip. The M5 Pro comes standard with 24 GB, with upgrade options to 48 or 64 GB. The M5 Max has a standard memory spec of 36 GB, with upgrade options to 48, 64, or 128 GB. Students can typically stick with 16 GB or choose 24 GB for more demanding tasks—a few will require 32 GB or more.
• Storage: The MacBook Neo starts at 256 GB ($599) or 512 GB ($699, which also adds Touch ID, a welcome feature for a college student using their laptop in public spaces). For both MacBook Air models, 512 GB is the minimum storage option, with upgrades up to 4 TB. The 14-inch MacBook Pro with M5 Pro starts at 1 TB, while M5 Max models start at 2 TB, with upgrades up to 8 TB. Choose the storage capacity based on two factors: budget (storage gets expensive quickly) and anticipated usage (audio and particularly video production can consume a lot of space, as can large numbers of images). It’s easy to offload large, infrequently used files to an external SSD or hard drive, but external storage prices have skyrocketed lately, making Apple’s prices for internal storage less extreme.

Our Recommendation

For most students, the best choice for a Mac likely to last four years of college is the 13-inch or 15-inch M5 MacBook Air, equipped with 16 GB or 24 GB of memory and either 512 GB or 1 TB of storage. While the 15-inch model has a larger screen, it’s heavier and takes up more space in a backpack, so consider portability when making your final decision. Be sure to budget for AppleCare+ as well; it’s almost certain that a mishap will occur with a student laptop, and AppleCare+ covers up to two incidents of accidental damage per year.

Be sure to talk with your child to learn more about what they think they’ll need—and compare it to the college’s recommendations—but if you have any questions afterward, feel free to reach out to us.

(Featured image by iStock.com/Zbynek Pospisil)

Social Media: Which Mac is best for a college student now? The 13-inch or 15-inch M5 MacBook Air hits the sweet spot of performance, portability, and price. If budget is a constraint, consider the MacBook Neo; for more power, choose the 14-inch MacBook Pro.

The answer is yes, and the specifics depend on the type of device, whether it’s used for work or personal tasks, and how central it is to your daily life. Here’s our advice, including recommended timeframes and the warning signs that suggest it’s time to upgrade.

Mac Upgrade Cycles

Macs boast impressive longevity, particularly those with Apple silicon. With proper care, a Mac can easily remain productive for 5–7 years, though business environments typically benefit from shorter replacement cycles. Apple provides security updates for the current macOS version and the two previous versions, giving you roughly 2 years of security updates after a Mac loses support for the newest macOS.

For business use, we recommend a 3–5 year replacement cycle. Research shows that hardware problems increase after this point, performance lags compared to current machines, and resale value drops. The loss of productivity from slow performance and downtime outweighs the cost of a new Mac. If you don’t already have one, make an inventory of all your Macs, including purchase dates, and use it to create a replacement schedule. Also consider shuffling Macs around—an employee doing video work might get annual upgrades to the most powerful Mac available, with their old machines handed down to others.

Consider upgrading a Mac when:

• It no longer receives security updates: Once security updates stop, the Mac becomes increasingly vulnerable to attack. Intel-based Macs are coming due here—macOS 26 Tahoe is the last version to support them, so security updates will end in 2028.
• Its battery no longer holds a reasonable charge: For MacBooks, battery degradation often drives upgrade decisions. Although Apple will replace the battery for $149–$249, it’s usually more effective to upgrade the entire MacBook.
• Performance hampers productivity: If apps launch slowly, you see the spinning beach ball regularly, or you find yourself waiting on the computer throughout the day, a newer Mac will increase your productivity.
• Storage is perpetually low: Running low on storage can reduce performance, block software updates, and force distracting cleanups. If you can’t offload files to external or cloud storage, consider upgrading to a Mac with more capacity.

For personal Macs, you can extend the replacement cycle to 5–7 years or even more as long as the Mac meets your needs and continues to receive security updates.

iPhone Upgrade Cycles

Despite the rough treatment they often receive, iPhones are remarkably durable, with many users keeping them for 4–5 years without significant issues. Apple typically supports iPhones with software updates for 5–6 years after release, making them the longest-supported smartphones on the market.

For business use, we recommend a 3-year replacement cycle. That ensures employees always have devices that support the latest security features and iOS capabilities, including Apple Intelligence, which requires an iPhone 15 Pro or later. A 3-year cycle also means better resale or trade-in value—iPhones depreciate more gracefully than most technology, but that advantage diminishes after the third year.

For personal use, replace your iPhone when:

• Battery health drops below 80%: Check in Settings > Battery > Battery Health. Below 80%, you’ll notice significant performance throttling and shortened battery life. Replacing the battery for $69–$119 through Apple—it’s best to avoid third-party replacements—can extend a phone’s life by another 2–3 years if everything else works well.
• It no longer receives iOS updates: Once security updates stop, it’s worth considering replacing it. Typically, Apple releases updates only for the current version of iOS, but this year, it has been providing iOS 18 security fixes for the iPhone XR and XS models, and even released a few critical security updates as far back as iOS 15 and iOS 16.
• Storage is consistently full: If you’ve enabled Optimize iPhone Storage (Settings > Apps > Photos), turned on Offload Unused Apps (Settings > Apps > App Store), and are still frequently managing storage to make room for new photos, videos, and iOS updates, it’s time to upgrade.
• The camera no longer meets your needs: Camera improvements have been substantial year over year. If photography matters to you and your iPhone is more than 3–4 years old, a new model will deliver noticeably better results.

iPad Upgrade Cycles

iPads have a longer practical lifespan than Macs or iPhones. It’s not unusual for an iPad to remain useful for 6–7 years, particularly for basic tasks like Web browsing, email, video streaming, and reading.

The upgrade trigger for iPads is usually one of three things:

• Battery life has declined noticeably: iPads from 2024 and later (starting with the M4 iPad Pro, M2 iPad Air, A17 Pro iPad mini, and A16 iPad) display battery health in Settings > Battery > Battery Health. For older iPads, you can check battery health using Mac apps like coconutBattery or iMazing. If capacity has dropped below 80% or the iPad no longer holds a charge through a typical session, it’s time to upgrade. Apple offers iPad battery replacement for $99–$199, but upgrading may make more financial sense.
• Performance becomes frustrating: iPads used for demanding tasks like video editing, illustration, or running multiple apps will show their age faster than those used for content consumption.
• Software support ends: Apple supports iPads for roughly 5–6 years. Once updates stop, security risks increase.

For business use with demanding workflows, a 3–5 year cycle makes sense. For general business use (email, documents, presentations), an older iPad will probably work well enough for 5–6 years. Personal iPads used primarily for media consumption can last until software support ends.

Apple Watch Upgrade Cycles

Apple Watch upgrade cycles depend heavily on how you use the device. Battery degradation is the primary limiting factor—most users report noticeable battery decline after 3–4 years of daily use.

Consider upgrading your Apple Watch when:

• The battery no longer lasts a full day: Check your battery’s condition on the watch in Settings > Battery > Battery Health. If maximum capacity has dropped below 80% or you’re charging midday to make it to bedtime, the battery has degraded significantly. Battery replacements cost $79–$99 from Apple, but given the watch’s age at that point, upgrading usually makes more sense.
• Performance feels sluggish: Newer watchOS versions can bog down older hardware. If apps take a long time to launch, Siri responds slowly, or the interface stutters, a newer watch will feel dramatically faster.
• New health features matter to you: Apple regularly adds meaningful health capabilities. Recent additions like sleep apnea detection may be worth upgrading for.

For most users, a 4–5 year upgrade cycle is reasonable. If you rely on your Apple Watch for health monitoring or use it heavily for workouts, you might prefer a 3–4 year cycle to ensure accurate sensors and reliable battery life.

Other Apple Devices

What about the other items in Apple’s product lineup?

• Apple TV: Most people can keep an Apple TV for 5–7 years without issue. The only real reason to replace an Apple TV HD or 4K is if performance has become sluggish or you want specific new features like Thread support for smart home devices.
• AirPods: Battery degradation is unavoidable in devices this small. Most users find that AirPods need replacement after 2–3 years as battery life diminishes. Battery replacement costs $49–$79 from Apple, but the economics and new features usually favor replacement.
• HomePod: HomePods have long useful lives with little reason to upgrade. Replace a HomePod only if it stops working or if you want features exclusive to newer models, like sound recognition for smoke alarms.
• AirTags: You can replace the CR2032 batteries in AirTags, so the main reason to replace an AirTag is if it’s lost or physically damaged. Apple released a second-generation AirTag with improved range, but if your current AirTags are working fine, there’s no compelling reason to upgrade.
• Vision Pro: There’s now an M5-based Vision Pro, but it’s a modest update—if you have the original M2-based model, there’s no reason to upgrade. If you have a Vision Pro, enjoy it—you’re still pretty much on the bleeding edge.

If you’re unsure whether it’s time to upgrade a specific device, we’re happy to help you evaluate your options.

(Featured image generated by Adam Engst with ChatGPT)

Social Media: When’s the right time to upgrade your Mac, iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch? The key warning signs: a battery that no longer lasts all day, performance lags, and the end of security updates. Here’s how to time it right.

Unlike last year, when Apple was releasing new Apple Intelligence features with each macOS 15 Sequoia update, the company launched nearly all the promised new features in Tahoe with version 26.0. There’s no need to wait for the more personalized Siri upgrade Apple promised for 2026—we won’t know how good it is until it ships.

Tahoe is now stable and polished enough for most users to upgrade with confidence, particularly on Apple silicon Macs. While there are some minor concerns—such as dissatisfaction with Liquid Glass, higher baseline resource usage, a few battery and performance issues, and the removal of Launchpad—none are deal-breakers. Of course, Apple will continue releasing macOS updates in 2026. You can expect macOS 26.3 in January, 26.4 in late March or early April, and 26.5 in May, along with several security and bug-fix updates in between.

Although Tahoe is ready for prime time, you can still delay the upgrade as long as you’re running macOS 14 Sonoma or macOS 15 Sequoia and are staying current with Apple’s security updates. Older macOS versions no longer receive security fixes, making them more vulnerable to attacks. Possible reasons to continue delaying include:

• You’re too busy: The upgrade process will take a few hours, plus some additional time to configure everything properly afterward. When you’re ready to upgrade, aim for when a little downtime won’t be a problem.
• You rely on incompatible software: Most modern apps should now be updated for Tahoe—Adobe recently qualified its Creative Cloud apps. But if a necessary app is known to have issues, you’ll need to wait for an update or find an alternative that works.

Despite the visual changes from Liquid Glass, using Tahoe remains straightforward—it’s still macOS. Even if you’re not an immediate fan of Liquid Glass, Tahoe has new features that might appeal to you. Control Center is now fully customizable, and you can make folders easier to identify by assigning them colors and badges. Spotlight has become an even better app and action launcher, and it now includes access to your clipboard history, a feature previously available only with third-party software. The Phone app has come to the Mac, allowing you to make and take phone calls on your Mac as long as your iPhone is nearby. Live Translation automatically translates text in Messages, provides translated captions in FaceTime, and offers real-time spoken translations in the Phone app.

Before You Upgrade

Once you’ve decided to upgrade to Tahoe, you have three main tasks:

• Update apps: Make sure all your apps are up to date. If you regularly delay updates, now’s the time to let them complete so you have Tahoe-compatible versions.
  
• Clear space: Tahoe may require up to 25 GB of free space to upgrade, and the Tahoe installer itself can take up to 17 GB, so we recommend ensuring you have at least 50 GB free. Don’t cut this close—you should always have at least 10–20% free space for virtual memory, cache files, and breathing room. Check by choosing System Settings > General > Storage; in earlier versions of macOS, choose About This Mac from the Apple menu and click Storage. System Settings provides quick ways to free up space. For iCloud Drive users, another easy way to save space is to Control-click large folders and choose Remove Download to “evict” the local versions of those files temporarily; Box, Dropbox, and Google Drive have similar features.
  
• Make a backup: Never install a macOS update or upgrade without first making sure you have at least one current backup. Ideally, you should have a Time Machine backup, a data-only duplicate, and an Internet backup. This way, if something goes wrong, you can easily revert.
  

Upgrading

After finishing those tasks, make sure you won’t need your Mac for a few hours. There’s no way to know precisely how long the upgrade will take, so don’t start an upgrade if you need your Mac soon.

To start the upgrade, go to System Settings > General > Software Update in Sequoia, Sonoma, or Ventura (System Preferences > Software Update in previous versions of macOS), click the Upgrade Now button, and follow the prompts. For more help, see Joe Kissell’s ebook Take Control of Tahoe.

After You Upgrade

One reason to set aside ample time for your Tahoe upgrade is that cleanup tasks typically follow. We can’t predict exactly what you’ll encounter—it depends on your current macOS version and the apps you use—but here are a few scenarios we’ve seen before:

• macOS may prompt for your Apple ID password and your Mac’s login password. If you have multiple Macs, you may also need to approve the upgrade from another Mac signed in to the same Apple Account. Don’t worry that malware has compromised your Mac—these authentication prompts are normal.
• Some apps may request additional permissions even if you previously granted them. Again, that’s okay.
• If you use your Apple Watch to unlock your Mac and apps (and you should; it’s great!), you may need to re-enable that feature in System Settings > Touch ID & Password (or Login Password on a Mac without Touch ID). In older versions of macOS, it was located in System Preferences > Security & Privacy > General.
• If you use Gmail, Google Calendar, or other Google services, you might need to log in to your Google account again.
• Websites that remember your login state will likely require you to log in again. However, if you’re using a password manager like Apple’s Passwords or 1Password, that’s easy.
• You might need to re-enable text message forwarding to your Mac. You do this on your iPhone by going to Settings > Apps > Messages > Text Message Forwarding.

With the housekeeping done, it’s time to check out all the new features in Tahoe!

(Featured image by Apple)

Social Media: When should you upgrade to macOS 26 Tahoe? There’s no rush to install it today, but we believe it’s safe for those who want to take advantage of the new features. Here’s what to do before, during, and after the upgrade.

Since then, it has become clear that Macs with Apple silicon are notably better than Intel-based Macs in nearly every way, and we’re now up to the impressive M4 chip family. Nonetheless, some people continue to hold onto their Intel-based Macs. Now we know precisely when those Macs will ride off into the sunset. Intel-based Macs had a good run, but it’s time to move on to Macs with Apple silicon.

macOS Support for Intel-based Macs

During WWDC 2025, Apple announced that macOS 26 Tahoe will be the last version of macOS to support Intel-based Macs, specifically these four models:

• 16-inch MacBook Pro from 2019
• 13-inch MacBook Pro with four Thunderbolt ports from 2020
• 27-inch iMac from 2020
• Mac Pro from 2019

macOS 27, expected in 2026, will run only on Macs with Apple silicon. However, the Intel-based Macs listed above will continue to receive security updates for macOS 26 for another two years. That means that all Intel-based Macs will have lost security viability by 2028.

How can you determine the type of Mac you have if you’re unsure? Choose About This Mac from the Apple menu and look at the Processor or Chip line.

Rosetta 2 Support for Intel-based Apps

There’s another aspect to Apple’s waning support for Intel-based Macs: Rosetta 2. The Rosetta translation environment allows apps written for Intel-based Macs to run on Macs with Apple silicon. The process is almost transparent because macOS downloads Rosetta the first time it needs it, and after that, Intel-based apps just work. They may be slower than native Apple silicon apps, but Apple’s M-series chips are so fast that the translated apps often run faster than on Intel-based Macs.

During WWDC, Apple published documentation clarifying the future of Rosetta. Apple plans to keep Rosetta available in its current state in macOS 26 and next year’s macOS 27. After that, however, Apple says it “will keep a subset of Rosetta functionality aimed at supporting older unmaintained gaming titles that rely on Intel-based frameworks.”

Given that Apple silicon has been the future since 2020, nearly all developers have updated their apps to run natively on the M-series chips. Very few actively maintained apps still require updates; Rosetta is primarily useful for those who rely on obsolete apps or older versions of current apps.

How can you find out whether an app you rely on is Intel-based? Open System Information (it’s in your Applications folder, nested in the Utilities folder), click Applications in the sidebar, click the Kind column header, and then scroll to find all the apps listed as Intel. To find out where one of these apps is stored on your Mac, select its listing and look at the Location field at the bottom of the window.

What All This Means

There’s a difference between what’s possible and what’s recommended.

Apple’s announcements draw a line in the sand at 2028 for when it will be too dangerous to continue using the last batch of supported Intel-based Macs. Older Intel-based Macs will cease to receive security updates even sooner—two years after they are no longer supported by macOS. If budget or compatibility with obsolete software or hardware prevents you from upgrading to a Mac with Apple silicon, it is possible to limp along with an Intel-based Mac for a bit longer.

Similarly, Rosetta will make it possible for you to continue using an obsolete Intel-based app on a Mac with Apple silicon through macOS 27, which will cease to receive security updates in 2029. Old games may continue to work for longer.

If we don’t sound enthusiastic about those possibilities, we’re not. Even the very first M1-based Macs outperform Intel-based Macs, and the performance difference is far wider with today’s M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max chips. You aren’t doing yourself any favors by hanging onto an Intel-based Mac if you can afford to buy a new one.

Because so much time has passed, it’s likely that any Intel-based app that has not already been updated to run on Apple silicon will never be updated, so we recommend that you start looking for a replacement.

With both hardware and software, the longer you wait, the more problems you’re likely to encounter when upgrading. In part, that’s because both professional and community expertise fades with time—people who solved the problems you’ll encounter did so years before and may no longer remember the details. We also often see small conversion utilities built to help with transitions, but those tend to disappear or stop working after most people have moved on.

Most businesses upgrade their Macs every three to five years because the frequency of problems in that time frame increases to the point where employee downtime and maintenance and consulting costs outweigh the cost of upgrading. That financial equation is less evident to individuals, but it applies similarly.

So if you’re still using an Intel-based Mac or app, you now have a firm end date. But seriously, don’t wait that long.

(Featured image by Apple)

Social Media: Still using an Intel-based Mac or app? With Apple’s recent announcement of end dates for both macOS and Rosetta 2 support, it’s time to plan your transition to Apple silicon.

The big win in upgrading now is that Apple has released betas of most of its promised Apple Intelligence features for Macs with Apple silicon. In other posts, we’ve looked at the artificial intelligence-driven features that arrived in macOS 15.1 and macOS 15.2, including:

• Writing Tools for proofreading, rewriting, summarizing, and composing text
• Clean Up in Photos for removing background objects, plus natural language searches
• Audio recording in Notes, with transcription and summarization
• Summaries replacing snippets in Mail message lists, plus summarization of long messages or threads
• A Smart Reply feature in Mail and Messages for quick replies
• Notification summaries that reduce distractions from chatty apps
• Integration of ChatGPT with Siri
• Image Playground for generating custom images based on your descriptions

Sequoia has been quite stable, with two caveats. First, there have been some networking issues related to Apple’s built-in firewall and VPNs; we don’t yet know if macOS 15.2 resolves these. Second, macOS 15.2 introduced a new bug that causes problems for backup apps trying to make bootable backups on Apple silicon Macs. Although that’s annoying and will likely be fixed shortly, Apple has been deprecating bootable backups for years in the name of security. The modern approach is to install macOS from macOS Recovery, then use Migration Assistant to restore from Time Machine or a data-only backup.

Apple will continue to release macOS updates in 2025. If past performance is any indication, you can expect macOS 15.3 in January, 15.4 in March, and 15.5 in May with a few new features, plus a few security and bug fix updates in between.

That said, you can put off the Sequoia upgrade as long as you’re running macOS 13 Ventura or macOS 14 Sonoma and are staying current with Apple’s security updates. Earlier macOS versions no longer receive security fixes, rendering them more vulnerable to attack. Possible reasons to continue delaying include:

• You’re too busy. The upgrade process will take a few hours, plus some additional time to configure everything properly afterward. When you are ready to upgrade, aim for when a little downtime will be convenient.
• You rely on incompatible software. The jump from Ventura or Sonoma to Sequoia isn’t a big one, so most modern apps should have been updated by now. But if a necessary app is known to have issues, you’ll either need to wait for an update or switch to an alternative that works.

Sequoia may not transform your experience of using a Mac, but it has new features you might appreciate beyond Apple Intelligence. The most noticeable is probably iPhone mirroring, which lets you use your iPhone in a window on your Mac. Also potentially interesting are its new window tiling features that let you quickly arrange windows, the standalone Passwords app, Highlights and Distraction Control in Safari, and collapsible headers in Notes.

Before You Upgrade

Once you’ve decided to upgrade to Sequoia, you have three main tasks:

• Update apps: Make sure all your apps are as up-to-date as possible. If you regularly put off updates, now’s the time to let them complete so you have Sequoia-compatible versions.
  
• Clear space: Sequoia may need as much as 25 GB of free space to upgrade, and the Sequoia installer itself is nearly 15 GB, so we recommend making sure you have at least 50 GB free. Don’t cut this close—you should always have at least 10–20% free space for virtual memory, cache files, and breathing room. Check in Sonoma or Ventura by choosing System Settings > General > Storage; in earlier versions of macOS, choose About This Mac from the Apple menu and click Storage. System Settings provides quick ways to free up space. Another easy option for iCloud Drive users is to Control-click large folders and choose Remove Download to “evict” the local versions of those files temporarily; Box, Dropbox, and Google Drive have similar features.
  
• Make a backup: Never, ever install an update to macOS without ensuring you have at least one current backup first. In an ideal world, you’d have an updated Time Machine backup, a data-only duplicate, and an Internet backup. That way, if something goes wrong, you can quickly revert.
  

Upgrading

After completing those tasks, ensure you won’t need your Mac for a few hours. There’s no telling exactly how long the upgrade will take, so never start an upgrade if you need the Mac soon.

To initiate the upgrade, open System Settings > General > Software Update in Sonoma or Ventura (System Preferences > Software Update in previous versions of macOS), click the Upgrade Now button, and follow the instructions. If you’d like more guidance, check out Joe Kissell’s ebook Take Control of Sequoia.

After You Upgrade

Part of the reason to set aside plenty of time for your Sequoia upgrade is that there are usually cleanup tasks afterward. We can’t predict precisely what you’ll run into, depending on what version of macOS you’re running now and what apps you use, but here are a few situations we’ve noticed in the past:

• macOS may need to update its authentication setup by asking for your Apple ID password, your Mac’s password, and, if you have another Mac, its password. Don’t worry that malware has compromised your Mac—these authentication prompts are fine.
• Some apps may have to ask for various permissions even though you previously granted them. Again, that’s fine.
• If you use your Apple Watch to unlock your Mac and apps (and you should; it’s great!), you may need to re-enable that in System Settings > Touch ID & Password (or Login Password on a non-Touch ID-enabled Mac). In older versions of macOS, it was in System Preferences > Security & Privacy > General.
• If you use Gmail, Google Calendar, or other Google services, you may need to log in to your Google account again.
• Websites that usually remember your login state may require you to log in again. However, if you’re using a password manager like Apple’s Passwords or 1Password, that’s easy.
• You may have to re-enable text message forwarding to your Mac. You do this on your iPhone in Settings > Messages > Text Message Forwarding.

With all that housekeeping done, it’s time to check out all the new features in Sequoia!

(Featured image by Apple)

1. Update your old iPhone to the latest version of iOS. If you have an Apple Watch, update it to the latest version of watchOS. This process can take some time, so it may be best done overnight before you move data to your new iPhone.
2. Make sure you know your Apple ID and password, and if you have an Apple Watch, its passcode. You will likely have to enter them at least once during this process.
3. Back up your old iPhone to iCloud or your Mac. (If you back up to a Mac, be sure to encrypt the backup, or else it won’t include saved passwords, Wi-Fi settings, browsing history, Health data, and call history.) Or back up to both, for safety’s sake. We prefer iCloud backups because they’re easier and don’t introduce additional variables, like flaky USB cables. If you don’t usually back up to iCloud, Apple will give you temporary iCloud storage to make a backup when moving to a new iPhone. To initiate an iCloud backup, go to Settings > Your Name > iCloud > iCloud Backup and tap Back Up Now.
   
4. If you have an Apple Watch, you don’t need to unpair it from your old iPhone at this point in the process. (Later, if the automatic transfer has not worked, you can unpair it manually and pair it again later. If you end up taking the manual route and have a cellular Apple Watch, you’ll be asked if you want to keep or remove your plan. If you’re keeping your Apple Watch to re-pair with your new iPhone, keep the plan.)
5. You shouldn’t need to worry about transferring a SIM card. If you ordered your new iPhone through Apple and connected to your cellular carrier account during purchase, activating the new iPhone should cause it to take over your phone number. The same should be true if you’ve purchased directly through your carrier. Besides, it’s likely that iPhone 16 models sold in the US will rely on eSIM and lack SIM trays like the iPhone 15, so only non-US users might need to transfer the SIM card from the old iPhone to the new one. Even then, it’s better to contact your carrier and get them to activate the new SIM in the new iPhone because old SIMs don’t always support all current cellular features, such as full 5G support.
6. Transfer your data, settings, apps, and purchased content in one of these three ways. None of them will be quick, despite the first one’s name, so initiate the transfer only when you have plenty of time:
   • Quick Start: With the Quick Start feature, content from your old iPhone copies directly from your old iPhone to your new one. We recommend this technique because it’s more likely to preserve app logins, something that’s less true when restoring from an iCloud backup. Put your iPhones next to each other (plugged into power), use the old iPhone to scan the animation on the new one, and then follow the rest of the steps.
     
   • iCloud: With this technique, the new iPhone will download your content from your old iPhone’s iCloud backup. Once you’ve joined a Wi-Fi network on the new iPhone and tapped the Restore from iCloud Backup button, you’ll have to select the correct backup—likely the most recent one you just made. Keep your new iPhone plugged into power the entire time to ensure that all your content syncs during this step.
   • Finder or iTunes: With this approach, you’ll restore your old iPhone’s content from a backup made to your Mac. Connect your new iPhone to your Mac using an appropriate cable, open a Finder window (or iTunes on an old Mac), select your device in the left-hand sidebar, click Restore Backup, and choose the appropriate backup—likely the most recent one.
7. Perform post-transfer tasks. Ensure that you can make and receive a phone call. If necessary, pair your Apple Watch with the new iPhone. You’ll also need to pair your Bluetooth accessories—including AirPods—with your new iPhone. Plus, some app data needs to sync to your new iPhone, so open the Mail, Contacts, and Calendar apps and check if they have your data. It could take a few minutes for them to fill up. Apps may request notification permissions again, and you may need to download content and in-app purchases.
8. If you use two-factor authentication with an app like 1Password, Authy, or Google Authenticator, ensure you can get your 2FA codes using your new iPhone. 1Password and Authy are good about providing access to 2FA codes from multiple devices—just log in to your account from each device—but Google Authenticator may require some additional setup since it didn’t initially offer any way to transfer codes to a new phone.
9. Finally, if necessary, set up single sign-on for work or school. If your workplace or school uses a security system like Duo, you’ll likely want to activate your new iPhone and deactivate the old one. Using any device, navigate to a standard single sign-in login screen from your organization, look for a link for managing your logins, click that link, and follow the prompts.

Although Apple works hard to make the process of transferring from an old iPhone to a new one as painless as possible, some things may fail to transfer seamlessly. For that reason, we strongly recommend holding onto your old iPhone for a week or so to ensure the new one can do everything the old one could. During that time, put the new iPhone through its paces with an eye toward checking every app you need.

For more information on all the great Apple products, features, and services, give us a call!  940-767-MACS (6227).  Or stop by MacTech Solutions, 4020 Rhea Rd, Suite 3B, Wichita Falls.  We’re open Monday thru Friday, 10am to 6pm

(Featured image by iStock.com/valiantsin suprunovich)

Apple previewed these releases at its Worldwide Developers Conference in June, and many people have been testing the public betas since. Once Apple judges each of its operating systems to be ready for public consumption, the question arises—when should you upgrade?

Note that we say when and not if. There’s no harm in delaying a major operating system upgrade until Apple has sanded off any rough edges that slipped through testing. But waiting too long puts you at risk from security vulnerabilities, increases compatibility annoyances, and prevents you from taking advantage of new features. Plus, when you buy a new Mac, iPhone, or iPad after these operating systems have shipped, you’ll get the latest version, which could pose problems for your existing apps or compatibility with older hardware or workflows. It’s best to be prepared if you have to replace a device unexpectedly.

Given that we don’t know precisely when each operating system will come out, here’s our recommendation for the general upgrade order that we anticipate and how long we suggest waiting after the release appears. We also share a few new features that might encourage you to upgrade, assuming you have a device that’s new enough to take advantage of them.

Remember, always make a backup before upgrading a Mac, iPhone, or iPad so you can revert if necessary.

iOS 18

It’s usually safe to upgrade iOS fairly quickly because Apple puts significant effort into ensuring that the new iOS version is a good experience for those who buy the new iPhones that come with it. However, because iPhones are so crucial to our everyday lives, it’s worth delaying the upgrade to iOS 18 for a week or two, just in case. After that, you can install it and enjoy the new features.

Even before the Apple Intelligence features start appearing in iOS 18.1, there’s plenty to look forward to in iOS 18. Messages via satellite will let you stay in touch even when there’s no cellular or Wi-Fi service. You’ll be able to personalize your Home Screen layout more by placing apps and widgets wherever you want. App icons and widgets get a new Dark look, and you can even tint them all a certain color. Keep prying eyes out of sensitive apps by requiring Face ID to open them. You can now rearrange and resize controls in Control Center, plus create groups of controls accessible with a single continuous swipe. You can even swap out the flashlight and camera icons on the Lock Screen for other controls. Photos has been redesigned (and simplified after public outcry during the beta). Messages lets you use bold, italics, underline, and strikethrough, but more interesting is the ability to send tapback responses with any emoji or sticker—it’s a great way to respond quickly to messages. Maps gains topo maps and trail networks, including all US national parks, and a new Passwords app extracts your logins and passwords from the Settings app.

As noted, Apple Intelligence features will start shipping with iOS 18.1 and will continue appearing in new versions throughout 2025. They include a smarter Siri, categorization in Mail, writing tools that correct your grammar and summarize long texts, and generative AI image creation—you’ll even be able to make your own emoji. Apple says these features will require an iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max; it’s likely that all the upcoming iPhone 16 models will be compatible, though Apple could hold out Apple Intelligence as a reason to buy a Pro model.

watchOS 11

Once you upgrade your iPhone to iOS 18, there’s no reason to delay upgrading your Apple Watch to watchOS 11. Few of the changes are likely to require significant adjustments in your usage patterns, and some may be quite welcome.

When you wear your watch overnight, the new Vitals app displays your heart rate, respiratory rate, wrist temperature, blood oxygen (on units that have it enabled), and sleep duration, showing a typical range and identifying outlier metrics. You can now adjust Activity ring goals for every day of the week or put your rings on pause if you need to take a break for any reason. The Activity app now shows your training load so you can adjust the intensity of your workouts. The Smart Stack interface now includes Live Activities and has been improved to be more intelligent, suggesting widgets based on time, date, location, and daily routines. Finally, Apple enhanced the Photos watch face to select photos automatically, optimizing the subject’s position with the frame and creating a sense of depth. Its Dynamic mode shows a new image on every raise of your wrist.

iPadOS 18

Our general advice is that it’s OK to install iPadOS 18 shortly after it ships. For the most part, iPadOS is a superset of iOS, so if you’re comfortable upgrading to iOS 18, think of iPadOS 18 similarly. The main caveat is when you rely heavily on a particular app. In that case, check with the developer to ensure your app is compatible before upgrading.

Along with most of the features in iOS 18 that aren’t specific to the iPhone (like Messages via satellite), iPadOS 18 finally gains a Calculator app that goes well beyond the basics, offering the Math Notes feature that solves equations written with the Apple Pencil. The Notes app gains live audio transcription, styled highlighting, collapsible sections, and Smart Script, which refines your handwriting to be smoother, straighter, and more legible. You can also paste in typed text, correct spelling inline, touch and drag to reflow text, and scratch out writing to delete it. A new tab bar at the top of the screen promises to provide easier navigation in apps and quick access to app sidebars.

tvOS 18

Regardless of when Apple releases tvOS 18, it’s safe to update within a week or two of release, depending on the level to which you depend on your Apple TV.

tvOS 18 introduces several notable features to enhance the Apple TV experience. InSight provides real-time information about actors, characters, and music from Apple TV+ content, similar to Amazon Prime Video’s X-Ray feature. Apple updated the Enhance Dialogue to provide greater vocal clarity for a broader range of speakers. Subtitles have also received enhancements and now automatically appear when you mute the TV or skip back, or when content is in a different language. People with projectors will appreciate the added support for the 21:9 aspect ratio. New screensaver options include Snoopy and Woodstock, Portraits, and scenes from Apple TV+ shows.

If nothing in that list encourages you to upgrade as soon as tvOS 18 ships, let your Apple TV (the fourth-generation model and later) upgrade itself when it gets around to it, assuming you have automatic updates turned on in Settings > System > Software Updates.

visionOS 2

Since the Vision Pro has been out for less than a year and hasn’t seen widespread adoption, most people can upgrade to visionOS 2 shortly after it comes out. People with mobility issues or disabilities that make the Vision Pro an essential aspect of everyday life should probably wait until early adopters have given the upgrade a thumbs up.

The promised new features should enhance the overall Vision Pro experience. New hand gestures let you open the Home View and Control Center more easily. You can also personalize the Home View in a manner similar to moving icons around on the iPhone Home Screen. The Mac Virtual Display feature now supports an ultra-wide display equivalent to two 4K monitors, making it more useful for travelers who need a lot of screen real estate on the road. Beta testers have praised the new capability to convert 2D photos to 3D spatial photos. SharePlay in Photos lets you and other Vision Pro users on a FaceTime call share and interact with spatial photos, videos, and panoramas. There’s a new Bora Bora environment, and whatever environment you’re in, your Magic Keyboard or MacBook keyboard appears in front of you to ease typing. Finally, the Guest User feature now saves your most recent guest’s eye and hand data so they can skip the setup on subsequent uses.

macOS 15 Sequoia

For most of us, the hardest upgrade decision revolves around upgrading your Mac to macOS 15 Sequoia. Most people should be able to upgrade because Apple dropped support only for two MacBook Air models from 2018 and 2019; otherwise, everything that can run macOS 14 Sonoma can upgrade to Sequoia. (If you have one of those MacBook Airs, consider this an excuse to upgrade—you’ll love the current MacBook Air.) The problem with upgrading macOS is that Apple’s changes are seldom more compelling than keeping your Mac working the way it is now. It can take a few months before the apps you use every day all work without compromise.

What capabilities does Sequoia promise? The big one is iPhone mirroring, which will let you view and interact with your iPhone right on your Mac screen. iPhone notifications can appear on your Mac, and later this year, you’ll be able to drag and drop files, photos, and videos between your Mac and iPhone. New window tiling features make it easy to arrange windows in side-by-side tiles on your desktop by dragging or using keyboard or menu shortcuts. Those who do video calls all day will appreciate background replacements and a presenter preview that shows exactly what you’ll share before displaying it to everyone. The new Passwords app appears on the Mac and syncs securely across all your Apple devices. And you’ll enjoy the same updates to Mail, Maps, Messages, Notes, and Photos as are in iOS and iPadOS.

We always encourage caution when upgrading to a new version of macOS. Wait at least a month or two before upgrading your primary Mac to Sonoma. App compatibility is less of a long-term problem with iOS and iPadOS, but many people rely on older Mac apps that may not work in the latest version of macOS. Even once you’re confident that your apps will work adequately in Sequoia, there may be workflow or intra-office compatibility concerns if some people upgrade and others don’t. And, of course, unanticipated bugs could crop up at inconvenient times—important work takes place on Macs!

Please do not upgrade to Sequoia without first checking with us. With luck, the bug fixes and app updates necessary to give the green light will have appeared by the end-of-year break, which provides some welcome downtime during which you can install and spend some time exploring the new features.

For more information on all the great Apple products, features, and services, give us a call!  940-767-MACS (6227).  Or stop by MacTech Solutions, 4020 Rhea Rd, Suite 3B, Wichita Falls.  We’re open Monday thru Friday, 10am to 6pm

(Featured image by Apple)

• macOS 13 Ventura: 20 releases
• iOS 16: 25 releases
• iPadOS 16: 20 releases
• watchOS 9: 15 releases
• tvOS 16: 12 releases

Apple issued many of those at the same time, but since you might not use all your devices every day, it can seem as though you spend all your time installing updates. As annoying as updating can be, we encourage you to do so soon after you’re notified for three reasons.

Reason One: Fewer Bugs

First, as has always been the case, updates fix bugs. You may not have experienced all the bugs that Apple fixes, but when one blocks something you want to do, the fix comes as a huge relief.

For instance, in a set of releases in January 2024, Apple inadvertently introduced a bug that caused text in many apps, including Mail, Notes, and Safari, to appear to be duplicated and overlap. It was only cosmetic, and switching to another window or resizing the window would make it look right again. But the bug was hugely disconcerting, so Apple fixed it two weeks later in macOS 14.3.1 Sonoma, iOS 17.3.1, iPadOS 17.3.1, and Safari 17.3.1 (which brought the fix to macOS 13 Ventura and macOS 12 Monterey).

Reason Two: Better Security

Second, many of the bugs Apple fixes won’t impact your experience of using your device, but they make it possible for attackers to steal information, install malware, spy on your communications, or even take over your entire device. Nearly all of Apple’s operating system updates contain security fixes to address newly discovered vulnerabilities, and some releases only have security fixes. Apple continues to release security updates for the last two versions of macOS and older versions of iOS and iPadOS as appropriate.

It’s easy to think that you won’t be impacted by security vulnerabilities, but remember that as soon as Apple releases an update outlining what it has fixed, attackers know what vulnerabilities exist in unpatched systems. Apple has to react swiftly to some reported vulnerabilities because blocking them can literally be a matter of life or death when it comes to, for instance, iPhone-using dissidents, activists, or journalists working in opposition to repressive governments that employ spyware against their enemies. (All spyware relies on previously unidentified vulnerabilities.)

However, some security vulnerabilities are more likely to impact regular users. For instance, in macOS 14.2.1, Apple fixed a bug in Screen Sharing. If you were sharing your full screen with someone else and had multiple Spaces, Screen Sharing could show the other person random windows in other Spaces, which could range from embarrassing (adult pictures) to seriously problematic (passwords or financial details).

Reason Three: New Features

Third, on the positive side, many operating system releases introduce welcome new features. When Apple unveils its next set of operating systems at the Worldwide Developer Conference in June, some of the promised features won’t appear with the initial releases. New features that shipped in later releases of macOS 14 Sonoma, iOS 17, iPadOS 17, and watchOS 10 include:

• watchOS’s double-tap gesture for tapping the default button in many apps
• AirDrop transfers continuing over the Internet when you move out of AirDrop range
• Adding NameDrop to share contact info when you bring two devices near each other
• Additional options to control when the iPhone screen shuts off in StandBy
• The option to choose a specific album for the Lock Screen’s Photo Shuffle wallpaper
• HomeKey support for Matter locks
• Expanded Favorites in the Music app
• A new automatic Favorite Songs playlist in the Music app
• The addition of Apple’s Journal app
• A Translate option for the Action button in the iPhone 15 Pro models
• 10-day precipitation forecasts in the Weather app
• Sharing of eligible passes in the Wallet app via NameDrop-like proximity
• A catch-up arrow in Messages that lets you jump to the first unread message
• Multiple timers in the Clock app on the Mac
• Stolen Device Protection for the iPhone
• Collaborative playlists in Apple Music
• Support for streaming content to TVs in select hotel rooms using AirPlay

Just Update It

Updates provide both a carrot (user-facing bug fixes and new features) and a stick (security fixes). That’s why we recommend updating soon after Apple pushes out a new release and why devices under management usually receive updates quickly. Even if a security breach is unlikely, the liability of allowing devices to remain unpatched is too high for most organizations. Installing updates is an easy way to reduce worry about things like compromised accounts and ransomware.

There are three types of operating system releases:

• Minor bug fix and security updates: Install these as soon as convenient, usually within a few days. Examples of these include macOS 14.3 to 14.3.1.
• Interim feature updates: Because these include bug fixes and security updates alongside the new features, you’ll also want to install these within a few days. An example is iOS 17.2.1 to iOS 17.3.
• Major version upgrades: Because Apple always releases security updates for the two versions of macOS before the current one, you can wait a month or three before installing a major upgrade, such as from macOS 13 to macOS 14. However, once you’ve verified that your apps and workflow are compatible with the new version, we recommend upgrading because skipping a major version of macOS often results in a more difficult upgrade experience.

In each of these cases, if you’re worried about how an update might impact your workflow, check online forums for discussions of each update and feel free to ask us what we recommend for your particular situation.

For all Apple product repairs, MacTech Solutions is your source in Texoma for Apple Authorized Service, using ONLY authentic Apple replacement parts.

Stop by 4020 Rhea Road in Finishing Touch Plaza, Monday through Friday, 10am to 6pm

(Featured image by iStock.com/Fokusiert)

Social Media: We know it seems like your Apple devices are constantly asking you to install an update. Other than for major upgrades, we recommend updating shortly after updates appear so you can take advantage of bug fixes, security updates, and new features.

Our confidence comes from our positive experience working with those who have upgraded to Sonoma and the fact that Sonoma has received only three updates so far.  None included significant bug fixes:

• macOS 14.1 fixed two bugs that could reset the System Services settings within Location Services and prevent encrypted external drives from mounting.
• macOS 14.1.1 came with generic release notes, but the community discovered that it fixed a bug introduced in 14.1 that affected Photoshop and another that could prevent a new M3 24-inch iMac that shipped with macOS 13 Ventura from upgrading to Sonoma.
• macOS 14.1.2 focused on fixing two WebKit-related security vulnerabilities that were exploited in iOS.

Apple will likely release another update before the end of the year, probably macOS 14.2, with some promised features, a few more bug fixes, and the usual handful of security improvements. After that, the company will continue with an update every month or so to address newly discovered bugs and security vulnerabilities.

That said, you can put off the Sonoma upgrade as long as you’re running macOS 12 Monterey or macOS 13 Ventura and are staying current with Apple’s security updates. Earlier macOS versions no longer receive security fixes, rendering them more vulnerable to attack. Possible reasons to continue delaying include:

• You’re too busy. The upgrade process will take a few hours, plus some additional time to configure everything properly afterward. When you are ready to upgrade, aim for when a little downtime will be convenient.
• You rely on incompatible software. The jump from Monterey or Ventura to Sonoma isn’t a big one, so most modern apps should have been updated by now. But if you’re still running macOS 10.14 Mojave or earlier with 32-bit apps, you’ll lose access to them if you upgrade. There’s nothing new here—32-bit apps stopped working in macOS 10.15 Catalina in 2019. Rather than delaying, consider running Mojave and your 32-bit apps in a virtual machine using VMware Fusion or Parallels Desktop.
• You need consistent versions for workflow reasons. We’re unaware of any examples here, but it’s conceivable that a coworker could be stuck on an older version of macOS and older versions of shared productivity apps. If your upgrade would force you to update those apps and introduce compatibility issues when collaborating with that coworker, you may have to wait until your coworker can upgrade as well.

Sonoma won’t transform your experience of using a Mac, but it has new features you might appreciate. The most noticeable is probably desktop widgets that provide updated information at a glance—you can even add widgets from your iPhone. Sonoma also lets you turn websites in Safari into standalone apps, enjoy aerial screensavers from the Apple TV, create a video overlay of yourself on video calls when sharing your screen, autofill PDF forms, and use the keyboard while dictating.

Before You Upgrade

Once you’ve decided to upgrade to Sonoma, you have three main tasks:

• Update apps: Make sure all your apps are as up-to-date as possible. If you regularly put off updates, now’s the time to let them complete so you have Sonoma-compatible versions.
  
• Clear space: Sonoma may need as much as 25 GB of free space to upgrade, and the Sonoma installer itself is about 12 GB, so we recommend making sure you have at least 37 GB free. Don’t cut this close—you should always have at least 10–20% free space for virtual memory, cache files, and breathing room. Check in Ventura by choosing System Settings > General > Storage; in earlier versions of macOS, choose About This Mac from the Apple menu and click Storage. System Settings provides quick ways to free up space. Another easy one for iCloud Drive users is to Control-click large folders and choose Remove Download to “evict” the local versions of those files temporarily; Box, Dropbox, and Google Drive have similar features.
  
• Make a backup: Never, ever install an update to macOS without ensuring you have at least one current backup first. In an ideal world, you’d have an updated Time Machine backup, a duplicate, and an Internet backup. That way, if something goes wrong, you can quickly revert.
  

Upgrading

After completing those tasks, ensure you won’t need your Mac for a few hours. There’s no telling exactly how long the upgrade will take, so never start an upgrade if you need the Mac soon.

Initiating the upgrade is just a matter of opening System Settings > General > Software Update in Ventura (System Preferences > Software Update in previous versions of macOS), clicking the Upgrade Now button, and following the instructions. If you’d like more handholding, check out Joe Kissell’s ebook Take Control of Sonoma.

After You Upgrade

Part of the reason to set aside plenty of time for your Sonoma upgrade is that there are usually cleanup tasks afterward. We can’t predict precisely what you’ll run into, depending on what version of macOS you’re running now and what apps you use, but here are a few situations we’ve noticed in the past:

• macOS may need to update its authentication situation by asking for your Apple ID password, your Mac’s password, and if you have another Mac, its password as well. Don’t worry that your Mac has been compromised by malware—it’s fine.
• Some apps may have to ask for various permissions even though you previously granted them. Again, that’s fine and won’t happen again.
• If you use your Apple Watch to unlock your Mac and apps (and you should, it’s great!), you may need to re-enable that in System Settings > Touch ID & Password (or Login Password on a non-Touch ID-enabled Mac (previously, it was in System Preferences > Security & Privacy > General).
• If you use Gmail, Google Calendar, or other Google services, you may need to log in to your Google account again.
• Websites that usually remember your login state may require that you log in again. If you’re using a password manager like 1Password, that’s easy.
• You may have to re-enable text message forwarding to your Mac. You do this on your iPhone in Settings > Messages > Text Message Forwarding.

With all that housekeeping done, it’s time to check out all the new features in Sonoma!

(Featured image by Apple)

Apple previewed these releases at its Worldwide Developers Conference in June, and many people have been testing the public betas since. Once Apple judges each of its operating systems to be ready for public consumption, the question arises—when should you upgrade?

Note that we say when and not if. There’s no harm in delaying a major operating system upgrade until Apple has sanded off any rough edges that slipped through testing. But waiting too long puts you at risk from security vulnerabilities, increases compatibility annoyances, and prevents you from taking advantage of new features. Plus, when you buy a new Mac, iPhone, or iPad after these operating systems have shipped, you’ll get the latest version, which could pose problems for your existing apps or compatibility with older hardware or workflows. It’s best to be prepared if you have to replace a device unexpectedly.

Given that we don’t know precisely when each operating system will come out, here’s our recommendation for the general upgrade order that we anticipate and how long we suggest waiting after the release appears, along with a few new features that might sweeten the deal.

Remember, always make a backup before upgrading a Mac, iPhone, or iPad so you can revert if necessary.

iOS 17

It’s usually safe to upgrade iOS fairly quickly because Apple puts significant effort into ensuring that the new iOS version is a good experience for those who buy the new iPhones that come with it. However, because iPhones are so crucial to our everyday lives, it’s worth delaying the upgrade to iOS 17 for a few weeks, just in case. After that, you can install it and enjoy the new features.

Foremost among them for those who make phone calls are contact posters that let you create a full-screen image others will see when you call and live voicemail that transcribes the message as it’s being left. Exchanging contact information is easier with NameDrop, which shares information wirelessly when you bring your iPhone near someone else’s iPhone or Apple Watch. You can also leave audio or video voicemail messages when someone misses your FaceTime call, and you’ll be able to have FaceTime calls on an Apple TV. Messages improves location sharing and can automatically notify friends or family members when you arrive at your destination. Autocorrect should work better, and iOS 17 can even offer inline predictions as you type. The new StandBy mode makes your iPhone more useful when charging on its side by displaying Live Activities, Siri results, and more.

Some of these features, such as the enhanced autocorrect and inline predictions, don’t work on all iPhone models that otherwise support iOS 17. Others, notably NameDrop, require that other people also be running iOS 17. Finally, a few promised features won’t ship with the initial release of iOS 17, including the new Journal app, collaborative playlists in Music, and AirPlay in supported hotel rooms. There’s no reason to delay upgrading for those future features; consider them an incentive to update when they arrive.

watchOS 10

Once you upgrade your iPhone to iOS 17, there’s no reason to delay upgrading your Apple Watch to watchOS 10. Few of the changes are likely to force significant adjustments in your usage patterns.

The two new features you may notice quickly are the Smart Stack, a collection of widgets available on any watch face when you turn the Digital Crown, and the new shortcut for activating Control Center from within any app: just press the side button.

Other improvements include a Snoopy watch face, logging of mental health states, tracking of time outdoors for kids to improve vision health, and follow-up medication reminders for missed pills. Serious cyclists will appreciate new metrics when connected to Bluetooth-enabled accessories, a Power Zones view in Workout for those with power meters, and a cycling workout Live Activity for display on handlebar-mounted iPhones. Hikers get new views in the Compass app, trail information on the watch, topographic maps, and elevation alerts.

iPadOS 17

Last year, Apple delayed the release of iPadOS 16 until October but has made no mention of such a delay this year. Regardless of when iPadOS 17 becomes available, our general advice is that it’s OK to install it shortly after it ships. For the most part, iPadOS is a superset of iOS, so if you’re comfortable upgrading to iOS 17, think of iPadOS 17 similarly. The main caveat is when you rely heavily on a particular app. In that case, check with the developer to ensure your app is compatible before upgrading.

The most noticeable enhancements to iPadOS 17 appear on the Lock screen. As with iPhones running last year’s iOS 16, you can now customize the iPad Lock screen with wallpapers that go beyond what was possible on the iPhone, such as the motion effect for Live Photos on the Lock screen. The Lock screen is more useful and more attractive, thanks to support for Live Activities that provide constantly updating information and widgets that give you at-a-glance access to information like weather, battery levels, and upcoming events.

Also, widgets on the Home screen can be interactive, you can auto-fill PDF forms and collaborate on PDFs with others, the Freeform whiteboard app offers new tools and a Follow Along mode when collaborating, Stage Manager features more flexible layouts, and you can use an external display’s camera for FaceTime calls. Of course, iPadOS 17 also receives most of the changes in iOS 17.

tvOS 17

We don’t know when Apple will release tvOS 17, but it’s probably safe to update within a week or two of release, depending on the level to which you depend on your Apple TV. This year’s upgrade is more compelling than many previous ones, mainly thanks to support for FaceTime calls on the big screen. You’ll use the microphone and camera on an iPhone or iPad (running iOS 17 or iPadOS 17, naturally) to capture audio and video, displaying it all on your TV. It even supports Center Stage, so it will follow you as you move around. Other improvements include a new Control Center, the capability to use an iPhone to find a lost Siri Remote (second generation and later), curated Memories as screen savers, and support for third-party VPNs.

If nothing in that list encourages you to upgrade as soon as tvOS 17 ships, let your Apple TV (the fourth-generation model and later) upgrade itself when it gets around to it, assuming you have automatic updates turned on in Settings > Software Updates.

macOS 14 Sonoma

The hardest upgrade decision revolves around upgrading your Mac to macOS 14 Sonoma, and that assumes you can upgrade, given that Apple has dropped support for iMacs, MacBook Pros, and MacBooks released in 2017. (Consider it an excuse to get a new Mac—you’ll love the M-series Macs.) The problem with upgrading macOS is that Apple’s changes are seldom more compelling than keeping your Mac working the way it is now. It can take a month or three before the apps you use every day all work without compromise.

What capabilities does Sonoma promise? If you like widgets on your iPhone, you may also appreciate having them on your Mac desktop—both Mac-native widgets and those loaded and updated wirelessly from your iPhone. In Safari, you can turn websites into apps, and Safari also introduces Profiles that let you separate work and personal browsing history, extensions, Tab Groups, cookies, and favorites. The Presenter Overlay feature enables you to stay visible while sharing your screen. As with iPadOS 17, Preview helps you fill out PDFs faster with AutoFill, pulling your saved information from Contacts. Some of these features require Apple silicon, so your old Intel-based iMac may not match up to a newer Mac.

We always encourage caution when upgrading to a new version of macOS. Wait at least a few months before upgrading your primary Mac to Sonoma. App compatibility isn’t usually a long-term problem with iOS and iPadOS, but many people rely on older Mac apps that may not work in the latest version of macOS. Even once you’re confident that your apps will work properly in Sonoma, there may be workflow or intra-office compatibility concerns if some people upgrade and others don’t. And, of course, unanticipated bugs could crop up at inconvenient times—important work takes place on Macs! Please, do not upgrade to Sonoma without checking with us first. With luck, the start of the new year will have brought both the bug fixes and app updates necessary to give the green light.

(Featured image by Apple)

That when could be now. There’s no reason you must upgrade to macOS 13 Ventura right away, but if you want to, you should now be able to do so without undue interruptions. Ventura has been quite stable and has received only three updates since its initial release in October 2022:

• macOS 13.0.1 provided just unspecified bug fixes and two security fixes.
• macOS 13.1 introduced the Freeform digital whiteboard app, Advanced Data Protection for iCloud, improved searching for photos in Messages, participant cursors for shared notes in Notes, and the option to play sounds in the Find My app. There were also a couple of bug fixes and important security fixes.
• macOS 13.2 added support for Security Keys for Apple ID for those who need the utmost security, fixed a few bugs, and blocked more security vulnerabilities.

Apple may have another feature or two up its sleeve for Ventura, and we’ll undoubtedly see more updates to address bugs and newfound security vulnerabilities, but there’s no significant reason to wait any longer.

That said, you can continue to delay as long as you’re running macOS 11 Big Sur or macOS 12 Monterey and are staying up to date with Apple’s security releases. (Both have received important updates recently.) Earlier versions of macOS no longer receive security fixes, rendering them more vulnerable to attack. Reasons to delay include:

• You’re too busy. The upgrade process will take a few hours, and it may take additional time to configure everything properly afterward. When you are ready to upgrade, aim for when a little downtime will be convenient.
• You’re still using incompatible software. The jump from Big Sur or Monterey to Ventura isn’t a big one, so most modern apps should have been updated to ensure compatibility with Monterey by now. But if you’re still running macOS 10.14 Mojave or earlier with 32-bit apps, you’ll lose access to them if you upgrade. (That first happened with macOS 10.15 Catalina in 2019.) With Mojave no longer receiving security updates, you need to find replacements for those apps and upgrade soon.
• You need consistent versions for workflow reasons. We’re unaware of any examples here, but it’s not inconceivable that a coworker could be stuck on an older version of macOS and thus older versions of shared productivity apps. If your upgrade would force you to update those apps and introduce compatibility issues when collaborating with that coworker, you may have to wait until your coworker can upgrade as well.

Ventura won’t upend your experience of using a Mac, but it has numerous useful features, large and small. Along with the features mentioned above that shipped in updates, the new iCloud Shared Photo Library enables you to share photos and videos with up to five family members in a separate shared library. Stage Manager provides a new paradigm for window management. Messages lets you edit messages, undo sending, and mark conversations as unread. Similarly, Mail lets you undo sending, schedule messages to send later, and get follow-up reminders for replying. For better videoconferencing quality, Continuity Camera enables you to use your iPhone as a webcam, complete with Desk View for showing what’s on your desk during a call. The Mac finally gets its own Weather app. Perhaps even more important, Ventura shares some of these features with Apple’s other operating systems: iOS 16, iPadOS 16, watchOS 9, and tvOS 16. To take full advantage of those features across all your Apple devices, your Mac must be running Ventura.

However, we want to be upfront about one downside to upgrading to Ventura. Apple replaced System Preferences with System Settings. While we wouldn’t have described System Preferences as having a stellar user interface, it was at least familiar after decades of use. The new System Settings, which tries to mimic the Settings app in iOS and iPadOS, moves numerous settings around and makes some odd and unfortunate design decisions. You may find yourself relying heavily on its search field to find commonly used options.

Before You Upgrade

Once you’ve decided to upgrade to Ventura, you have three main tasks:

• Update apps: Make sure all your apps are as up-to-date as possible. If you regularly put off updates, now’s the time to let them complete so you have Ventura-compatible versions.
  
• Clear space: Ventura needs about 25 GB of free space to upgrade, and the Ventura installer itself is about 12 GB, so we recommend making sure you have at least 37 GB free. Don’t cut this close—you should always have at least 10–20% free space for virtual memory, cache files, and breathing room. Check by choosing About This Mac from the Apple menu and then clicking Storage.
  
• Make a backup: Never, ever install an update to macOS without ensuring that you have at least one current backup first. In an ideal world, you’d have an updated Time Machine backup, a bootable duplicate, and an Internet backup. That way, if something goes wrong, you can easily restore.
  

Upgrading

After completing the above-listed tasks, ensure you don’t need your Mac for a few hours. There’s no telling exactly how long the upgrade will take, so never start an upgrade if you need the Mac soon.

Initiating the upgrade is just a matter of opening System Preferences > Software Update, clicking the Upgrade Now button, and following the instructions. If you’d like more handholding, check out Joe Kissell’s ebook Take Control of Ventura.

After You Upgrade

Part of the reason to set aside plenty of time for your Ventura upgrade is that there are usually cleanup tasks afterward. We can’t predict precisely what you’ll run into, depending on what version of macOS you’re running now and what apps you use, but here are a few situations we’ve noticed in the past:

• macOS may need to update its authentication situation by asking for your Apple ID password, your Mac’s password, and if you have another Mac, its password too. Don’t worry that your Mac has been compromised by malware—it’s fine.
• Some apps may have to ask for various permissions even though you previously granted them. Again, that’s fine and won’t happen again.
• If you use your Apple Watch to unlock your Mac and apps (and you should, it’s great!), you may need to re-enable that in System Settings > Touch ID & Password (it’s an example of something that moved; previously, it was in System Preferences > Security & Privacy > General).
• If you use Gmail, Google Calendar, or other Google services, you may need to log in to your Google account again.
• Websites that usually remember your login state may require that you log in again. If you’re using a password manager like 1Password, that’s easy.
• You may have to re-enable text message forwarding to your Mac. You do this on your iPhone in Settings > Messages > Text Message Forwarding.

With all that housekeeping done, it’s time to check out all the new features in Ventura!

(Featured image by Apple)

1. Make sure you know your Apple ID and password! You will likely have to enter them at least once during this process.
2. If you have an Apple Watch, it’s safest to unpair it from your old iPhone, which automatically backs up your Apple Watch. (In theory, unpairing shouldn’t always be necessary, but it never hurts.)

   There are two caveats when unpairing. First, if you have a cellular Apple Watch, you’ll be asked if you want to keep or remove your plan. Assuming that you’re keeping your Apple Watch to re-pair with your new iPhone, keep the plan. Second, if you use a transit card in the Wallet app, Apple recommends removing your transit card from your Apple Watch before unpairing.

   Using the Watch app on your old iPhone, go to the My Watch tab, tap All Watches (at the top left of the screen), tap the ⓘ button next to your Apple Watch, and tap Unpair Apple Watch.
   

3. Make a backup of your old iPhone to iCloud or your Mac. (If you back up to a Mac, be sure to encrypt the backup, or else it won’t include saved passwords, Wi-Fi settings, browsing history, Health data, and call history.) Or back up to both, for safety’s sake. We prefer iCloud backups because they’re easier and don’t introduce additional variables. Apple will even give you temporary iCloud storage to make a backup when moving to a new iPhone. To initiate an iCloud backup, go to Settings > Your Name > iCloud > iCloud Backup and tap Back Up Now.
   
4. You may need to transfer your SIM card from your old iPhone to your new one. However, that’s highly unlikely if you ordered through Apple and connected to your cellular carrier account during purchase; if you did that, activating the new iPhone should cause it to take over your phone number. Even if that isn’t the case, it’s better to contact your carrier and get them to activate the new SIM in the new iPhone because old SIMs don’t always support all current cellular features, such as full 5G support.
5. Transfer your data, settings, apps, and purchased content in one of these three ways. None of them will be quick, so do the transfer when you have time:
   • Quick Start: With the Quick Start feature, content from your old iPhone copies directly from your old iPhone to your new one. We recommend this technique because it generally preserves app logins, something that’s less true when restoring from an iCloud backup. Put your iPhones next to each other (and plugged into power), use the old iPhone to scan the animation on the new one, and then follow the rest of the steps.
     
   • iCloud: With this technique, the new iPhone will download your content from your old iPhone’s iCloud backup. Once you’ve joined a Wi-Fi network on the new iPhone and tapped the Restore from iCloud Backup button, you’ll have to select the correct backup—likely the most recent one you just made. Keep your new iPhone plugged into power the entire time to ensure that all your content syncs during this step.
   • Finder or iTunes: With this approach, you’ll restore your old iPhone’s content from a backup made to your Mac. Connect your new iPhone to your Mac using an appropriate cable, open a Finder window (or iTunes on an old Mac), select your device, click Restore Backup, and choose the appropriate backup—likely the most recent one.
6. Perform post-transfer tasks. Ensure that you can make and receive a phone call. Pair your Apple Watch with the new iPhone if necessary. You’ll also need to pair your Bluetooth accessories—including AirPods—with your new iPhone. Plus, some app data needs to sync to your new iPhone, so open the Mail, Contacts, and Calendar apps and check if they have your data. It could take a few minutes for them to fill up. Apps may ask for notification permissions again, and you may need to download content and in-app purchases.
7. Finally, and this post-transfer task is becoming increasingly important, if you use two-factor authentication with an app like 1Password, Authy, or Google Authenticator, make sure that you can get your 2FA codes using your new iPhone. 1Password and Authy should be good about providing access to your 2FA codes from multiple devices—just log in to your account from each device—but Google Authenticator may require some additional setup since it didn’t originally offer any way to transfer codes to a new phone or among multiple devices.

Although Apple works hard to make the process of transferring from an old iPhone to a new one as painless as possible, some things may fail to transfer seamlessly. For that reason, we strongly recommend holding onto your old iPhone for a week or so to ensure the new one can do everything the old one could. During that time, put the new iPhone through its paces with an eye toward checking every app you need.

(Featured image by Adam Engst)

That “when” could be now. There’s no reason you must upgrade to macOS 12 Monterey right away, but if you want to, you should now be able to do so without undue interruptions. Monterey has been quite stable and has needed only two updates since its initial release in October 2021. The macOS 12.1 feature release in December 2021 added support for SharePlay, the Apple Music Voice Plan, Memories improvements in Photos, and Legacy Contacts, along with bug fixes and security updates. The macOS 12.2 maintenance release from January 2022 includes only unspecified bug fixes and some security updates. The upcoming macOS 12.3 will add the long-promised Universal Control feature for controlling multiple Macs and iPads from one keyboard and mouse. After that, Monterey should be feature-complete and will likely receive only bug fixes and security updates.

You can continue to delay as long as you’re running macOS 10.15 Catalina or macOS 11 Big Sur and are staying up to date with Apple’s security updates. Earlier versions of macOS no longer receive security fixes, rendering them more vulnerable to attack. Reasons to delay further include:

• • You’re too busy. The upgrade process will take a few hours, and it may take additional time to configure everything properly afterward. When you are ready to upgrade, aim for when a little downtime will be convenient.
  • You’re using incompatible software. The jump from Catalina or Big Sur to Monterey isn’t a big one, so most modern apps should have been updated to ensure compatibility with Monterey by now. But if you’re still running macOS 10.14 Mojave or earlier with 32-bit apps, you’ll lose access to them if you upgrade. (That happened first with Catalina.) With Mojave no longer receiving security updates, you need to find replacements for those apps and upgrade soon.

• You need consistent versions for workflow reasons. We’re unaware of any major issues here, but it’s not inconceivable that a coworker could be stuck on an older version of macOS and thus older versions of shared productivity apps. If your upgrade would force you to update those apps and introduce compatibility issues when collaborating with that coworker, you may have to wait until your coworker can upgrade as well.

Monterey won’t upend your experience of using a Mac, but it has numerous welcome features, both large and small. Apple radically improved FaceTime, introduced the Shortcuts app from iOS, added privacy enhancements like iCloud Private Relay and Hide My Email, enables you to copy text from images with Live Text, provides screen sharing in FaceTime calls, lets you always display the menu bar in full-screen mode, and much more. Perhaps even more important, Monterey shares numerous features with Apple’s other operating systems: iOS 15, iPadOS 15, watchOS 8, and tvOS 15. To take full advantage of those features across all your Apple devices, your Mac must be running Monterey.

Before You Upgrade

Once you’ve decided to upgrade to Monterey, you have three main tasks:

• Update apps: Make sure all your apps are as up-to-date as possible. If you regularly put off updates, now’s the time to let them complete so you have Monterey-compatible versions.
  
• Clear space: Monterey needs about 36 GB of free space to upgrade, and the Monterey installer itself is about 12 GB, so we recommend making sure you have at least 50 GB free. Don’t cut this close—you should always have at least 10–20% free space for virtual memory, cache files, and breathing room.
  
• Make a backup: Never, ever install a major upgrade to macOS without ensuring that you have at least one current backup first. In an ideal world, you’d have an updated Time Machine backup, a bootable duplicate, and an Internet backup. That way, if something goes wrong, you can easily restore.
  

Upgrading

After the above-listed tasks are complete, make sure you don’t need your Mac for a few hours. There’s no telling exactly how long the upgrade will take, so never start an upgrade if you need the Mac soon.

Initiating the upgrade is just a matter of opening System Preferences > Software Update, clicking the Upgrade Now button, and following the instructions. If you’d like more hand-holding, check out Joe Kissell’s ebook Take Control of Monterey.

After You Upgrade

Part of the reason to set aside plenty of time for your Monterey upgrade is that there are usually cleanup tasks afterward. We can’t predict precisely what you’ll run into, depending on what version of macOS you’re running now and what apps you use, but here are a few situations we’ve noticed in the past:

• macOS may need to update its authentication situation by asking for your Apple ID password, your Mac’s password, and if you have another Mac, its password too. Don’t worry that this is a security breach—it’s fine.
• Some apps may have to ask for permission to access your contacts and calendar even though you previously granted permission. Again, that’s fine and won’t happen again.
• If you use your Apple Watch to unlock your Mac and apps (and you should, it’s great!), you may need to re-enable that in System Preferences > Security & Privacy > General.
• If you use Gmail, Google Calendar, or other Google services, you may need to log in to your Google account again.
• Websites that usually remember your login state may require that you log in again. If you’re using a password manager like 1Password, that’s easy.
• You may have to re-enable text message forwarding to your Mac on your iPhone in Settings > Messages > Text Message Forwarding.

With all that housekeeping done, it’s time to check out all the new features in Monterey!

(Featured image by Apple)