How to Download macOS Big Sur on Unsupported Mac An EliteMacx86 Exclusive Guide - This guide covers downloading a copy of macOS Big Sur, unofficially. Overview Recently, Apple announced their new macOS lineup i.e macOS Big Sur 11.0 which is Apple's newest and most awaited OS. How to Install macOS Big Sur on an Unsupported Older Mac Laura Angelica updated on 2020-09-25 16:26:16 The latest and more advanced Mac operating system was announced at the Worldwide Developer Conference by Apple. MacOS Big Sur, also known as macOS 11 is a great catch as it comes with numerous new features such as redesigned icons and menu.
Installing Big Sur on an unsupported Mac can’t be done the regular way through System Preferences > Software update. However, if the machine’s not too old, there’s still a way to install Big Sur on an unsupported Mac using a specially developed patcher tool.
At first glance, it may seem impossible to install macOS Bug Sur on a machine that’s not supported. If you are using a Mac that’s too old and go to its Software Update section, you will see that you are simply not allowed to install the Big Sur upgrade. If, however, you are determined to get Big Sur on your Mac, it may still be done in a roundabout way, by using a specially-developed patcher that you can download from here.
Depending on how old your Mac is, the patcher may or may not enable you to install Big Sur – some Macs are just too old, and even the patcher cannot make it possible for the latest macOS to be installed on them.
On the linked page (from where you can download the patcher), you can find notes that show for which Mac models (and hardware compositions) the patcher is most likely to work and for which it’s not recommended to try it. Carefully look through those notes and if it turns out that your Mac doesn’t have the necessary prerequisites, it’s best if you don’t try the patcher as it will probably not work and may cause unnecessary complications that could be difficult to fix. There is a reason why the latest macOS isn’t supported on older Mac models. The system requirements of Big Sur are higher than what most of the older models can effectively handle and so, unless you are certain that your Mac can run on Big Sur (check the notes in the link), it would probably be best if you kept its current macOS, that it can run stably.
Also, it is important that you back up your important data – even if your Mac model and hardware composition are compatible with the patcher according to the notes, you should still make sure that any important data you don’t want to lose is safely backed up.
Another thing to mention is that, if you are using FireVault, you need to have it turned off, or else the patcher will probably not work.
The last precaution before you start with the Big Sur installation is to download the current macOS that you have on your Mac/MacBook onto a USB stick so that, should there be a problem with the Big Sur installation, you can always install the older macOS onto the machine using the USB stick.
With all that out of the way, here’s how you can use the Big Sur patcher to upgrade your unsupported Mac to the latest macOS.
To install Big Sur on an unsupported Mac, you must first create a bootable USB drive using a special patcher app. Then you need to use the USB drive to install Big Sur on the unsupported Mac, and, lastly, you must install the needed patches.
The first phase of the process involves creating a bootable USB drive with the help of a special patcher, so here’s how to do that:
Once you have the bootable USB stick ready, it’s time to install Big Sur on your Mac.
Patiently wait for the installation to complete and once your Mac starts again, you will have Big Sur installed onto it. If you have performed a fresh install of Big Sur (if you’ve first erased your previous OS, you will have to go through several normal setup steps that are very easy to complete).
The last phase of the Big Sur installation is to install several important patches to make your Mac function properly.
Once this is finished, your Mac will be ready for use with the macOS Big Sur installed on it. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask them in the comments section below.
For Mac users, the release of the newest macOS update is always a big day. What will the new interface look like? What new features are there? And, importantly, will it be compatible with my Mac? Big Sur is a significant update that is supposed to bring macOS more in-line with iOS. However, with every new update older Macs get left behind even though some devices can last for several years. If your old Mac is optimized and you’ve taken good care of it then it’s probably still running great. Although older computers may not officially support Big Sur, it doesn’t mean that it’s impossible to install.
Whether or not your Mac officially supports Big Sur depends on the model as there is no set cut-off point. If you have any of the devices below then you’re going to have to install Big Sur the hard way:
All of the devices mentioned above are now seen by Apple as obsolete products, meaning they’re no longer supported technically either by replacement hardware or through OS updates.
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Some MacBook Pro users are having difficulty with Big Sur even though their device is technically compatible. Anyone with a late 2013 or mid 2014 model MacBook Pro is able to upgrade their system but may end up facing a permanent black screen. Thankfully, Apple has offered a workaround for users experiencing these kinds of issues. In spite of this, some people are still having problems and in that case the only solution is to contact Apple Support directly for help.
Anyone with an incompatible Mac will have noticed that Software Update doesn’t give you the option to install Big Sur. To upgrade you’ll need a patcher to trick Software Update into thinking your computer is compatible. But before you get started, there are a few things you need to do.
First, you need to make sure you’re starting the process with your Mac running Catalina. You’ll also need a couple of USB flash drives with at least 16GB storage. These drives must be modified in Disk Utility to work as your bootable OS installer. The first flash drive is for Big Sur and the second is to be used as a backup installer for Catalina in case anything goes wrong in the process. It’s also worth taking advantage of Time Machine for an extra safety net.
Of course, you’ll also need to obtain a copy of Big Sur since it won’t be available to download automatically. There are two ways to do this. First, you can register with the Apple Beta Software Program for free to download the beta. However, using a beta version can cause issues. Instead, it’s better to register with the Apple Developer program at $99 a year to download the finished article.
Next, you’ll need to find a patcher online that will be able to trick your system into installing Big Sur even if it’s incompatible. There are a few of these around and you’ll easily be able to find one on GitHub, like user barrykn’s micropatcher. But since each patcher works in slightly different ways, it’s important you follow every step of the process to the letter. You don’t want to end up with a broken Mac, after all.
Just because you can install Big Sur doesn’t necessarily mean that you should. First, it’s a very complicated process as the Big Sur update is one of the most significant in recent times, making it more difficult for patches to be created. In the past, like when upgrading older Macs to High Sierra, there were ready-made patches that made life easy. Anyone who isn’t a technical wizard may have issues with Big Sur if they don’t follow guides exactly. You also need to be sure that you’re confident using the Mac Terminal, as it’s an important part of the process.
Depending on what system you’re upgrading from, you may encounter issues that affect your Wi-Fi connection, graphics bugs that slow down your system, or frequent crashes. This is because Big Sur is relying on more recent hardware that simply doesn’t exist in older models. You’ll also find that new versions of the software you use daily are built with the assumption that you have Big Sur working without any issues. Meanwhile, much older systems will need significant upgrades to even have the capability of running Big Sur in the first place.
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