How to Install macOS Sonoma on Unsupported Macs (Quick and Easy)

Learn how to install macOS Sonoma on unsupported Macs using the OpenCore Patcher. In this video, I install Sonoma on a late 2013 MacBook Pro. The entire process barely took over an hour - including downloading and creating the Sonoma installer. I quickly cover each step of the process so you won’t have any surprises. Enjoy macOS Sonoma on any Mac (2008 or newer).
📋 Table of Contents
Intro: 0:00
Downloading OpenCore Patcher: 00:13
Creating a macOS installer: 01:46
Installing OpenCore: 03:14
Restarting to Startup Manager: 3:59
Erasing hard drive: 04:56
Installing macOS Sonoma: 05:28
Being patient with restarts: 06:12
Quick setup of new user: 07:55
Installing OpenCore to disk: 08:23
2013 MBP running Sonoma: 09:27
2-month Update:
• Updating Sonoma on Uns...
4-month Update:
• Unsupported Sonoma: 4 ...
macOS Downgrade Guide:
• Safely Downgrade macOS...
🔗 Links Mentioned:
OpenCore Legacy Patcher:
dortania.github.io/OpenCore-L...
Text version of this tutorial:
ansonalex.com/tutorials/upgra...
💻 More Tips and Tutorials
AnsonAlex.com
📚 LinkedIn Learning Courses
/ anson-alexander
🔎 Request a Tutorial
forms.gle/sciVnK4tHno7sCcGA
☎️ Get in Contact with Me
/ ansonalexander
/ ansonalex
🎥 Behind the Scenes
/ ansonalex.c0m

[@AnsonAlexander]

IMPORTANT: Make sure to run post-install patches in OpenCore Legacy Patcher after installing or updating Sonoma Bluetooth mice and keyboards may not work when selecting booting options Other questions answered here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pJCUlaaonpppg7c Downgrade instructions here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/h3KuYmiQap6UaLs

[@juanestebanvalenciavera9696]

The issues got resolved in version 1.10. I installed it on my 2017 MacBook pro. It's awesome

[@danhutchinsonbackup]

I had issues creating the installer for it for my 2017 MacBook Pro and I had to use my late 2015 iMac to create the installer

[@danhutchinsonbackup]

@@juanestebanvalenciavera9696I've now installed it to my one. Runs pretty good just as it does on my late 2015 iMac

[@iandyzhu]

after normally install macOS Sonoma, is that can be update to latest version if it's got update ?

[@danhutchinsonbackup]

@@iandyzhu it already had macOS Sonoma 14.1 which was the latest version at the time I patched

[@martymcgowan5958]

One huge omission in an otherwise phenomenal video is @9:19....you must hold down OPTION again after rebooting and select the EFI option. For some reason, that is glossed over here. Thanks again.

[@Love-bl6ux]

For me (macbook air 2015) I had to press option and select EFI manually every reboot. Patcher 1.5.0 Sonoma 14.5.

[@chrispeck7387]

This is what KZbin is supposed to be all about. Outstanding tutorial Anson, thank you very much. I especially appreciated the part where you made special mention of the need to be patient while Sonoma installs and the MacBook reboots several times. That’s something that for me personally would have been very stressful to go through had I not watched your video before trying this for myself. Keep up the good work, you’ve earned yourself a new subscriber. 👏👏👏

[@gerardllosa261]

just one question. is it possible to reinstall macos Sonoma option 2 on macos Recovery using ethernet cable as I don't have wifi connection to download macos Sonoma from Apple servers due to the fact that I've booted my mac from OpenCore Legacy Patcher USB drive as I was getting black screen! Please need help! Please reply at the soonest!

[@AnsonAlexander]

Thanks Chris, I'm glad it was helpful. I wanted to make sure people didn't get frustrated and hard reset in those moments. Although, when I went to update to 14.2, I had to boot to safe mode from a frozen loading screen.

[@ingkwameasamoa879]

Can i downgrade if I don’t like it ???

[@JEFFQUICKLE9]

LOL in other words this is not what KZbin is? You found this video WHERE exactly? WTF?

[@chrispeck7387]

@@JEFFQUICKLE9 Can you read?

[@JasonBourne969]

After several unsuccessful attempts to install os sonoma on my 2013 mac for almost two weeks, I finally have it installed successfully. Thank you for your kindness in creating this video. May God bless you always. ❤

[@Michael-lg4wz]

As a lifetime windows user who ironically found a Mac completely ridiculous to use for the first hour you made it super easy, barely an inconvenience! My second hour of use is a dream!

[@AnsonAlexander]

That's fantastic to hear! It's great that you're getting more comfortable with your Mac. Enjoy the experience, and thanks for sharing your feedback!

[@militiamuzic618]

Excellent! The most concise, yet thorough tutorial I have ever seen. Thank you so much for your help!

[@plugwrld9423]

This is what guides are supposed to look like , my guy you did an amazing job explaining and going step by step set up on what to do and how to do it. Anson you’ve earned my sub !

[@AnsonAlexander]

Awesome to hear! Glad it worked out and thanks for the sub!

[@plugwrld9423]

@@AnsonAlexander of course ! i do have one question though , how do i keep the sonoma update even when i turn my macbook off ? because i turned it off once and i had to install it back lol

[@kill_uzumaki]

@@plugwrld9423did you apply the post install patches? The video skipped that step

[@chunji6489]

Very nice video. I had spent 3 hours last night, to have my 2014 MAC upgraded with Sonoma. I have followed exactly the instructions in the video, and it works for me. Thanks !

[@AnsonAlexander]

Great to hear, glad to help!

[@dmnddog7417]

Your guide for performing this procedure is the best explained and most concise. I also did a fresh install (as you did in the video) of Sonoma on my mid-2015 15" MBP. So far it seems to work just as well as when it was running Monterey.

[@Asifalirahman1]

A very nice video and a clear explanation indeed but I thought it would be useful for readers to share my experience. I have a 15-inch 2015 Macbook Pro (Which I bought in 2018 through Apple when this model was about to be discontinued). I did exactly what you said in this video. I did install Sonoma perfectly, but with some side effects, I am not willing to compromise on. Netflix and Prime Video don't work on Safari anymore. However, they work fine on Microsoft Edge. Firefox is also very choppy, and some of its plugins, such as video downloader, don't work anymore. The system is a core-i7 quadcore with 16GB RAM, and yet fans turn on repeatedly. The battery drains very quickly, and the entire system is laggy. I'll restore my old system from time machine. I don't recommend Sonoma or any newer system on older Macs. There is no need to compromise a perfectly stable system just because it has an older OS.

[@screenPhiles]

This is exactly what I needed to see, namely that installing MacOS versions not made for the machine might work, but there's a cost that a lot of people might not be willing to pay.

[@gerardllosa261]

just one question. is it possible to reinstall macos Sonoma option 2 on macos Recovery using ethernet cable as I don't have wifi connection to download macos Sonoma from Apple servers due to the fact that I've booted my mac from OpenCore Legacy Patcher USB drive as I was getting black screen! Please need help! Please reply at the soonest!

[@sydsalmon479]

This is exactly the info I was looking for. I'm running Big Sur 11.7.10. Did you end up going with Ventura? If yes, what are your thoughts?

[@gerardllosa261]

@@sydsalmon479 just one more question. Can I run cmd + R to reinstall macos Sonoma if my mac boots from OpenCore Legacy Patcher to update macos Sonoma without loosing data?

[@sydsalmon479]

@@gerardllosa261 As always, back up critical data before running major operations. To directly address your question, *YES* running Command (⌘)-R will launch the built-in macOS Recovery system AND restore your data. The same applies if you use Option-Command-R or Shift-Option-Command-R to start up from macOS Recovery over the Internet. As long as you do not do a *clean install* or erase your hard disk, your data is preserved.

[@ManjunathPrasad-rt3zs]

I’d opened the KZbin in search of Upgrading to Sonomo as my 2014 MacBook Pro stopped updates until Bigsur version. Because of this, I couldn’t able use my Logitech wave keyboard, which I bought recently. In here, I got this video guide and trusted it as it’s demonstrated thoroughly with all the windows popping up during the installation. I loved the way it is presented with such minuscule details included. It worked exactly like Anson has provided the walkthrough. I am able to install Sonoma on my 2014 MacBook Pro. Great Job Anson!

[@Cataddy]

Does your MacBook lag now since the software is too new for it? Im always scared to update since I updated my iPad mini and its lagging now. I have a 2016 Pro

[@RA-tu3on]

@@CataddyI’d like to find that out also. Would be nice to know the specs of his MacBook as well

[@picooloful]

Honestly, top 5 tutorials I've seen in a while. Extremely helpful. Almost bought a new MacBook just for Xcode while having a 2011 Mac mini that will serve me just fine for iOS builds.

[@izn_ziddi]

which macOS you are using now?

[@picooloful]

@@izn_ziddi I updated to the latest version when I made that comment. It was macOS Sonoma 14.4.1 if I'm not mistaken.

[@driven01]

Very helpful. I inherited my dad's 2014 iMac when he passed. Using it as a Blue Bubbles server now. This will be extremely helpful getting it current. Thank you for this.

[@TeslaTales59]

It worked perfectly on my IMac 21.5 2017. I chose to keep everything intact. No issues. About 30 min. to complete. Thanks!

[@kieranblacker]

How was software compatibility? Everything work as you would expect?

[@Sci-Fi_Fan296]

This is so encouraging for those of us who have older mac’s who would like to get more life out of our devices! I look forward to updating my 2011 Mac Mini after watching this tutorial. Well done. Keep up the great work.

[@bjmsamrlm]

Last weekend I updated my 2011 Mac Mini 5,1 (2.3 GHz Dual-Core i5 with 8GB) from High Sierra to Monterey. I encountered an error when upgrading ("Storage/File System Verify or Repair Failed") but no problems with a clean install. It's working great!

[@AnsonAlexander]

That's awesome! Hopefully it will bring a lot more relevancy back to that Mac!

[@Guido.Fawkes.1]

@@AnsonAlexanderdude, this is amazing. It’s exactly what I needed and what many channels promise but cannot deliver.

[@3rdtwirl494]

Did it work?

[@ChrisNova777]

its encouraging? to know that apple will continually screw its own users.... for $$$ ya real encouraging

[@alexferguson9283]

Thank you! I’ve just upgraded my 2014 Mac 5k 32Gb to Sonoma following your tutorial. Amazing results. Subscribed!

[@mohawk9]

Your tutorials have been an absolute life saver. My 2013 iMac got a new lease of life because of you (especially) and many others who have put in hours to try, test and create tutorials. Thank you.

[@kidspaceid]

can i install the Os withotut losing my files sir?

[@mysterisstudios]

I have the same question

[@centaur70]

@@mysterisstudios ....At 4:40 he explains that you can retain your files and not lose them..

[@centaur70]

@@kidspaceid ......Yes you can.. I just installed it and 98% of my files/Apps are there.. Except for my Photoshop/ Illustrator suite and two other Apps it has a circle with a slash through it. It means I have to re-install those Apps I guess. Other than that everything is all there.

[@kidspaceid]

@@centaur70 thanks!

[@jasonp.edouard2307]

I just finished upgrading my MacBook Pro 2011 😂 and everything worked. I took longer because my MacBook Pro is much older. Thank you.

[@gunnarthorburn1219]

What is your feeling or experience after a few days. I am currently typing on my MacBook Pro 2011 2.3Ghz, and I am running Debian 12 on it. I used to run unsupported macOS on a MacBook Pro 2012 15 inch (using stuff from dosdude), and performance was kind of painful. So I hesitate to put Sonoma on this MacBook Pro 2011.

[@Forde-Photos]

It it running same speed as before upgrade or slower?

[@Wolfbruck22]

How much time to instalo?

[@nathong3229]

Perfect! Followed along on my iMac and got my old 2012 MacBook Pro updated to Sonoma after increasing the RAM to 8GB and installing an SSD! Amazing, thanks so much!

[@saadrehman1222]

does it work for imac 2012

[@izn_ziddi]

you got any problem after. updating to Sonoma, any booting problems or wifi, Bluetooth, and others peripherals are working good?

[@nathong3229]

@@izn_ziddi - Hey :) No Problems that I've noticed... I'm just using the laptop purely for my DJ software so not for anything else.

[@AndrewCharnley]

Well, you aid Quick & Easy and after watching your superb training session I have been quipped with the confidence to do this to a number of my 2010, 2013 iMacs. Thank you a good few thousand times...

[@akmalmahmood7344]

Thank you so much, Im learning docker at the minute and and I cant afford a new machine right now, Your video has saved me from getting a loan to buy a new machine, I can finally play with Docker and Containers and not have to spend £££ on a new machine. Thanks from a small council estate in East midlands UK

[@claesnordberg9418]

Best tutoral Ive seen. I have seen some videos on this open core sonoma installation but didnät understand anything. Im just an old dude that know nothing about computers. I followed you step by step and viola! It's alive. Sonoma on a 2015 macbook pro. My first mac.

[@vidpic8311]

Good job ❤

[@AnsonAlexander]

That's great to hear! I'm glad it was helpful and you've got it up and running!

[@tiguidou4]

Please don't mismatch viola with voilà :) There's a big difference.

[@Mattguitarmania]

Excellent tutorial! Thank you for showing all the restarts and for explaining everything so clearly

[@AnsonAlexander]

You're welcome, I'm glad it as helpful. Didn't want people dipping out to early during all of those restarts...

[@BenSheehan-mt5yc]

Terrific tutorial. I am very happy with the results. I have a Late 2013 iMac 27” with 32GB RAM, and had also upgraded to a SSD. Everything runs smooth so far (1 week). The only issue I had during the installation was that the option button would not enable the Startup manager on reboot. I resolved this by connecting and using the original Mac Bluetooth keyboard, instead of a 3rd party keyboard. I didn’t erase the SSD prior to the installation and it all works fine.

[@loversmohale4377]

Am done after 3days of failing iMac 5k 2015 is running like nobody’s business am so excited 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉😂❤thanks my brother you deserve something big

[@shinemooon]

Awesome! 👍 thank you for being considerate and showing the whole process.

[@AnsonAlexander]

You're welcome, I'm glad it helped. I definitely wanted to show people what I went through during the restarts because it can be a bit scary.

[@gerardllosa261]

just one question. is it possible to reinstall macos Sonoma option 2 on macos Recovery using ethernet cable as I don't have wifi connection to download macos Sonoma from Apple servers due to the fact that I've booted my mac from OpenCore Legacy Patcher USB drive as I was getting black screen! Please need help! Please reply at the soonest!

[@GavinLiHunt]

Thanks a mil for this Anson!! Very clear and easy to follow. Worked like a charm 😀

[@gerardllosa261]

just one question. is it possible to reinstall macos Sonoma option 2 on macos Recovery using ethernet cable as I don't have wifi connection to download macos Sonoma from Apple servers due to the fact that I've booted my mac from OpenCore Legacy Patcher USB drive as I was getting black screen! Please need help! Please reply at the soonest!

[@lodicky4067]

After all trouble problems solved, I installed Sonoma on 2011 old Mac book pro ! Thanks for sharing😊

[@gotalove4music]

Thank you soooo much! I have a 2017 Mac and thought I would have to buy a whole new laptop but thanks to you my pocketbook is happy!!!

[@wellokayyes1266]

Bro same mine is 2016 and Apple almost had me looking for new. Bullet dodged.

[@Jamesmc79]

Thanks a lot for this video, it is excellent. Extremely well produced and presented. You have clearly laid out all the steps and brought new life to my 2013 Macbook!

[@gerardllosa261]

just one question. is it possible to reinstall macos Sonoma option 2 on macos Recovery using ethernet cable as I don't have wifi connection to download macos Sonoma from Apple servers due to the fact that I've booted my mac from OpenCore Legacy Patcher USB drive as I was getting black screen! Please need help! Please reply at the soonest!

[@colanimclight5300]

I have followed exactly the instructions in the video, and it works for me. Thanks so much ! Macbook Pro 2011

[@AnsonAlexander]

Awesome, that’s great to hear!

[@tonystephens3649]

As a very new Mac user I found the video extremely useful. Just followed along with the very clear steps and all working Many Thanks

[@74dherman]

Your tutorial was very helpful. I was not able to update my 2013 macbook pro but I followed your tutorial and now I have the latest operating system on my computer. Thank you very much.

[@SamuelFCampbell2003]

You might want to try the Pro again I had it updated from the Catalina 10 to the Sonoma 14.3.1 was working fine until Apple wanted to update to 14.4 that's when I learned the owner had no apple account. Now I need to find my way back to the OpenCore Patchier. As for now, I'm operating with MacBook Pro - Linux Mint

[@RudieRickenbacker]

Worked like a dream on my 27” late 2013 iMac I thought was destined for the bin as I was unable to update Adobe software to the latest versions. All now updated and very happy. Thank you.

[@Humbletrader08]

How did you do that? I have 2013 as well but my is yosemite version. It sayd i need high sierra

[@TheRyanAbrams]

Do you have the i5 or i7 chip? I have a late 2013 27" i5 and am thinking about doing the upgrade as well.

[@AndreaUK1973]

So glad you’re saying this and I’ll update my iMac 21.5 later 2013, but I think I should go to the latest I had in there, which was Catalina? I hope it works. I’m also replacing hadrive to a SSD because HHD original went faulty. Don’t know how to recover the data but we used to work in the iCloud since we made a good backup. I hope I don’t have issues with the fan. I’m relieved to have the option to save it rather than scrapping it😊 we love our babes too much😂

[@iqdaz]

AMAZING! 2013 imac upgraded to sonoma with no issues! Thank you so much saved me big time!

[@MatSpeedle]

Awesome walkthrough, thank you sir. Just upgraded my Macbook 12" Early 2016 to Sonoma.

[@richardbryanesq]

Thank you worked great on my 2013 MBP and late-2015 iMac Retina 27”. Only advice I would add is for users with Bluetooth keyboard/trackpad is to ensure there are cables around to connect the keyboard to the Mac physically.

[@SergeiJuganson]

Hi man! Thank you for advice. Does your iMac now working faster or no difference? Is it worth it?

[@richardbryanesq]

After a few days use in hindsight I would not have done the upgrade to the computer I use in my work environment. I thought I had backed up everything without understanding that Time Machine does not back up hidden folders, including Application Support and the user Library, and that's where many apps store critical data, including 30 years of Quicken data files. Yes it's nice having a bright new fast computer, but I'm spending days figuring out how to reinstall applications critical to my business. All my fault of course, but in hindsight I should not have done the upgrade at this time. Otherwise, the iMac is super fast and since I already upgraded to 64MB of memory and a 2 TB SSD, soon to receive a Thunderbolt 2 to USB-C hub, I'm pretty confident the computer will continue to perform for several more years. Unclear what will happen when Apple releases an update to the OS. Hope that helps; good luck. @@SergeiJuganson

[@peterashman5749]

Helpful comment thanks.

[@ScottMackey]

Great video tutorial thanks. Saving me ££$$ on a perfectly fine old mid 2010 iMac, upgraded to Sonoma. Took like 1hr 40mins but worth it. Now is running faster than it has in a long time too! Thanks again.

[@gerardllosa261]

just one question. is it possible to reinstall macos Sonoma option 2 on macos Recovery using ethernet cable as I don't have wifi connection to download macos Sonoma from Apple servers due to the fact that I've booted my mac from OpenCore Legacy Patcher USB drive as I was getting black screen! Please need help! Please reply at the soonest!

[@ScottMackey]

@@gerardllosa261I would think so but I’ve not had to try it. Sorry I couldn’t be more help.

[@gerardllosa261]

@@ScottMackey but my question is if I look forward to reinstalling macos Sonoma without loosing data on OpenCore Legacy Patcher what will you recommend me to do? Which option should I choose? I've got OpenCore Legacy Patcher USB pendrive!

[@gerardllosa261]

@@ScottMackey just one more question. Can I run cmd + R to reinstall macos Sonoma if my mac boots from OpenCore Legacy Patcher to update macos Sonoma without loosing data?

[@bradwalker4988]

Dude! Hands down this is absolutely the best and most concise video for this. I just updated my Mid 2012 Macbook Pro (i7) from Cataline to Sonoma and this a very simple play/pause process to follow along. Everything pretty much lined up, with the only differences what appear to be how the instal graphics were updated in the 1.4.2 version vs the 1.0.1 version in the video. Every install oddity -- multiple restarts -- and even the timing behaviours were very similar to what you flagged. Thank you!!! 👏👏👏😀

[@ad5772]

Is it usable? Cause when I upgraded to ventura it drove me mad. Totally unusable

[@bradwalker4988]

@@ad5772 For me, it works perfectly. My 13" Mid 2012 MacBook Pro has the i7, 16GB Ram and 1TB SSD. It also supports Metal. I had the SSD split in 2 partitions. One still has 10.10.5 to run subscription free Adobe. The second partition was fairly clean, so when I installed Sonoma, i didn't even bothering wiping it. The subscription Adobe apps work amazingly well. Even my 1GB Photoshop files - 8'x20' building banners -- open just as quick and working on the files are snappy. It's a whole new Mac. The only downside, which is small for me, is the Adobe video apps are one version behind. Likely needs hardware that my Intel doesn't have. I'm a happy camper! By all accounts I should upgrade to a new machine, but I really don't need to just yet.

[@thescallions]

Great video! Your detailed walkthrough made the process a piece of cake. Cheers!

[@Rayyandeniiscool1]

thanks for the tutorial anson, it took some trial and errors but in the end we got there and our 2011 mac was running sonoma it was phenominal!

[@AnsonAlexander]

Awesome, glad to hear it!

[@pegasusproducciones6103]

I've just been giving my Macbook Pro Early 2013 the acid test after installing Sonoma with the fantastic help from your tutorial and all I can say is I'm astounded! I'm a video editor so FCPX is what I use constantly, so I hammered it with all of the hardest plugins, effects, 3D titles on a 4K HEVC h.265 project rendering to an external hard drive. This is also whilst I had 4 heavy websites open including KZbin and I was playing videos in 4K whilst FCPX was rendering. FCPX did crash once early on, but that was after I bombarded the project with so many heavy effects that I wasn't surprised! (not my usual workflow!) But the system remained solid. I can now also play native 4K raw HEVC h.265 video footage directly in Finder without jittering or dropped frames (something that I could not do in Catalina) So, I just wanted to say, thank you so much for your tutorial, it works a treat! Robin

[@YusKiem]

Hi, i also have a 2013 early macbook pro but i have been hesitant to do it. what do you reckon?

[@YusKiem]

and how has your experience been?

[@pegasusproducciones6103]

@@YusKiem I'd definitely give it a try. Mine's been fine since the update, not running too hot, no excessive fans and just as fast as it was with Catalina.

[@ghost-user559]

@@pegasusproducciones610315 inch or 13 inch?

[@whiteboy9335]

Briliant ,the only tutorial that worked for me.Brief, concise and to the point .No unnecessary nonsense 👍👍👍

[@zah3489]

Amazing! The only person on KZbin that actually helped, others were useless.

[@318iSpoons]

YES IT WORKED FOR ME! Early 2015 MacBook Pro with Yosemite 10.10, initially upgraded to Monterey 12 which is the official maximum for my Mac. However, wanted to install Apple’s Pages and Numbers apps but I needed 13 (Ventura) minimum. Found this video and with a lot time spent (3 hours or so, needs lots of patience!) and it worked! Thanks so much Anson!

[@scottbotham6161]

How when every time I try says not enough memory

[@AlexYeahYT]

Yoooo it worked on my mid 2010 IMac you dropped this 👑

[@user-uy4bz6yc3f]

yo bro pls help me i have the same imac bet theres like a ton of issues bro

[@deleons1726]

Runs great on my late 2012 Mac !!! Thanx for making this tutorial video that works great and is so easy to follow!

[@clsanders98]

You saved me $600. I thought I would have to buy a new Mac mini. Instead I just needed a $30 Thunderbolt cable. My 2017 iMac was toast because I tried to upgrade to Sonoma without OCLP out of ignorance. It’s now back from the dead. Thanks!

[@slalomie]

Thanks for the this. Always make a Time Machine backup before attempting this. I’d really consider this if your Mac is stuck on Catalina and can’t even browse websites anymore. I’m sticking with Big Sur on my 2013 Air. It got a solid 7 years of macOS versions and still gets security updates. It runs pretty good for a 10 year old machine with just 4gb RAM. I just got a 2021 MBP 14” and the last 2 macOS versions weren’t too much different.

[@FemiShonubi]

Thanks a LOT for this video!! Clear and easy to follow.👍

[@AnsonAlexander]

You're welcome, I'm glad it was helpful!

[@michaeldaniels9089]

This is one amazing video with so much of details, I love it and can't wait to go back home and try it tonight, Thank you and I shall share my experience with you by tomorrow on how I will manage to do what you did.

[@user-sk9kl9bn1r]

Thank you very much for recording this very handy video. Finally I updated my MacBook Pro 2013 to macOS Sonama.

[@salamo21]

Bro, you sure a genius. You have no clue how much you are saving life and so much money for ppl like myself around the globe. Long story short. I have a 2013 MacBook Pro and it was very slow. Honestly I told my wife that I am going to throw it in the river. Thank goodness I came across this video, your video on KZbin AKA universal university. I followed the exact same steps according to your video and now my Mac works well. Feels new and working faster. Hope we continue to have few more like you in this world. You are making this earth a better place to reside. Thank you bunch 🙏🏿.

[@AnsonAlexander]

Thats great to hear! Thanks so much for the kind words and have fun with the new update!

[@rishabhrastogi4602]

Why would u install sonama in your 2013 mac it will make it slower

[@MicusII]

@@rishabhrastogi4602Because modern day internet browsers are unsupported on my super old MacBook Pro 2010 that is running Mavericks OSX lmao.

[@MicusII]

I just want to browse the web on it not play Tetris and engage with quantum mechanics. All I want is to get such a simple browser to work. Even safari is Jank on it

[@happygamerz9797]

Thought this would be a scam, once again I listened this time and did not skip. And it actually worked Your such a GOAT for that! Im gonna subscribe.

[@AnsonAlexander]

Haha, that’s awesome to hear. Glad it worked and thanks for the sub!

[@kraigpeabody3551]

IT WORKS!!! My MacBook Pro Mid 2010 has been on the sidelines for too long. Now I can actually enjoy being a more complete part of the Apple ecosystem without selling my soul for a new unit. Thank you very much.

[@marissavaillancourt4825]

im at the auto booting and this made me way less nervous THANK YOU, i was freakingggg outtt

[@stevecorcoran9869]

IMPORTANT! Follow this video exactly ONLY if you want to install OpenCore to the machine you are making the installer on. The patcher needs to be set for the mac you intend to use OpenCore on (as the OpenCore website warns you about). If you are building the install disc for a different machine, you will not be able to use it with the other machine unless you select the correct build in the OpenCore settings as you will end up with either a host model installer, or with an installer set for the wrong mac model.

[@tiagodallagnol6588]

This comment should be pinned! That's really relevant.

[@JohnFromArlingtron]

I was wondering why the install was hanging at final reboot!

[@scoti5]

That’s absolutely amazing and useful. Upgrading didn’t work (kept getting an error), but erasing and installing fresh worked perfectly. Using Sonoma on my 13” Macbook Pro Touchbar!

[@AnsonAlexander]

Awesome to hear hear and, yeah, that's one of the reasons I try to go for a clean install right from the get go.

[@gosiagregorczyk9690]

Thank you so much for this video Anson! You are awesome, so happy there are people like you! I upgrade my MakBook pro 2011 no problem at all, and now I am starting with my iMac 2017! Ones more, thanks a million :-)!

[@TrendyTwists]

Will definitely try it! Badly needed, I couldn't afford to upgrade my 2017 MB-Air. Thank you so much!

[@saliheraslan65]

İf you got error message at loading don't give up, I installed without any problem at my second attempt. Anson, you are kinda frickin hilarious creature. Just wonderful 👍

[@AnsonAlexander]

Haha thanks, I think. :) Booting to safe mode also helps if you get stuck at a loading screen during the 14.2 update.

[@corny-horse277]

I have the same issue and it doesn’t go away whatsoever. My 10th attempt. I don’t know why it won’t download. It’s taking off disk space now because of the amount of time I tried downloading.

[@user-mv9jf8bs3j]

@@corny-horse277did you resolve? I am having the same issues

[@corny-horse277]

@@user-mv9jf8bs3j No, I didn’t. I tried repairing my drive. I thought it was a Fusion Drive so I reset it. It restarted my whole iMac. I tried to go get it fixed but they only managed to update it to Siera. I used to have Catalina. So I’m still stuck with an unsupported Mac.

[@RJonBlair]

Thanks for the concise and detailed instructions. Brought my 27" iMac (late 2012) back to life. Keep up the good work for us. Saludos!

[@jadonmuller1576]

Hey my Mac is now way louder than before. Did you notice the same

[@photoholicstudiophotograph9097]

wow, now i want to try it

[@squibblespawpaw7124]

Thanks for the video, just upgraded my 2013 15" MBP to Sonoma 14.2 and it's working flawlessly!

[@user-jz6yv9ks9w]

Bro can i make it in my macbook pro late 2013??

[@squibblespawpaw7124]

@@user-jz6yv9ks9w give it try. Went smooth as glass for me. Remember be patient it will appear frozen or idle for what seems too long, just wait it out.

[@BergProvettiMusic]

New subscriber here; you are awesome, for making this available, thank you! I have a 2015 13" Retina MBP and I was disappointed that, Monterey being the last OS upgrade, it wouldn't accept some newer software being installed; your explanation is very well detailed and straight to the point; thank you!

[@VincentPolisi]

Living proof that not all heroes wear capes. I cannot thank you enough for taking the time to post this video. I've been pulling my hair out with two 2012 27" iMacs that have been used daily since purchase and capped out and could no longer be updated. I've been running several OS versions behind for quite some time. I have tried everything I could find to utilize the iMacs or at the minimum, the fantastic screens (alas, no Target Display Mode). Duet Display and other "alternatives" to push a display from my MacBook Pro to the iMacs was lacking. Too much lag and jitter to be functional. This worked like a charm. Now, I'm enjoying macOS Sonoma 14.1 on my 2012 iMac 27" and it's fantastic! I can use it as a standalone iMac or extended display from my MacBook Pro using Screen Mirroring. 5 Stars and 2 Thumbs UP!

[@gerardllosa261]

just one question. is it possible to reinstall macos Sonoma option 2 on macos Recovery using ethernet cable as I don't have wifi connection to download macos Sonoma from Apple servers due to the fact that I've booted my mac from OpenCore Legacy Patcher USB drive as I was getting black screen! Please need help! Please reply at the soonest!

[@VincentPolisi]

@@gerardllosa261 It's actually better to do it with an Ethernet cable than it is WiFi, so yes.

[@gerardllosa261]

@@VincentPolisi but if I use a ethernet cable will I be able to reinstall macos Sonoma option 2 from Apple servers?

[@VincentPolisi]

@@gerardllosa261Ethernet cable is better than Wifi because it's a direct uninterrupted connection. As long as the Ethernet cable is connected to the Internet, you shouldn't have any issues. That's what I did when it was having issues installing via Wifi.

[@gerardllosa261]

thanks. but on macos Recovery when I choose option 2 reinstall maos Sonoma no wifi connection is available! I'd like to be sure that if I use ethernet cable I will be able to download macos Sonoma from Apple servers when I boot my iMac from OpenCore Legacy Patcher USB drive. I'd like to avoid black screen!😬@@VincentPolisi

[@fjt383]

Thank you! This was a great tutorial. I was able to salvage my early 2013 iMac. Last year I upgraded the fusion drive to a SSD. Now that I have an updated OSX I hope to get many many years of use out of it.

[@Kingcake1103]

Was everything exactly likr in the video or did something go wrong?

[@gerardllosa261]

just one question. is it possible to reinstall macos Sonoma option 2 on macos Recovery using ethernet cable as I don't have wifi connection to download macos Sonoma from Apple servers due to the fact that I've booted my mac from OpenCore Legacy Patcher USB drive as I was getting black screen! Please need help! Please reply at the soonest!

[@adamcolville2057]

awesome video mate, i now feel quite comfortable to update my iMac late 2014 and you now have a new subscriber

[@TXLogic]

Really appreciated this video! I just watched it on my Mac Air whilst installing Sonoma on my beloved late 2014 iMac 5k. You made the experience easy and stress-free! Liking and subscribing.

[@shelithah244]

I couldn’t get the assets to load ? I’m trying to update a late 2015 high sierra to at least Catalina or higher is this possible?

[@araz1977]

Fixed the issue with the Sandisk jump drive, was able to set the partition as GUID and filing system to APFS... Followed Anson's instructions to the T, my iMac A1486 mid 2012 now runs on Sonoma... Heeeeehaaaaawww... Thank you so much Anson for making/editing/posting this most intuitive video...

[@TWSmith42]

Just followed these instructions on a late 2013 MBP i5 with 8/256 GB. Works well. Two notes: a 15 GB USB was too small. I had a 16 with over 15 GB of space after formatting and all, and it was too small. Second, there is a step on setting up Sonoma where the installer wants to look to import backups from Mac/TimeMachine or Windows--this step gets stuck; however, there is a selection to skip this squirreled away in the bottom left of the screen, so select that.

[@AnsonAlexander]

Great tip, thanks for sharing and glad its working out for you!

[@THRIVEAFFIRMATIONS]

OMG Thank you so much!!!! - not now - save me!

[@Jayant0023]

Does i need to have a backup separately in time machine or it takes the data directly from the older version?

[@jcruise24]

This is insane! I just upgraded a 2015 MBPR to Sonoma by following the instructions to a T. I was about to sell this computer, but now I’ll just keep it and continue using it! Thank you so much, thumbs up!

[@faizelnoorgat7141]

How’s the performance after the upgrade?

[@jcruise24]

@@faizelnoorgat7141it’s pretty good actually. It still handles heavy tasks, like recording music, ok. I still have yet to do something much heavier, but it’s been great this far. I still need to try editing video as well. The install was pretty easy too, and this isn’t my forte. Hopefully that wasn’t too much info!

[@jcmeyers1208]

@@faizelnoorgat7141 don’t do it, I just updated my new Mac and it broke my computer. Crashes every app. Fl studio won’t even open.

[@jcmeyers1208]

@@faizelnoorgat7141 dont do it, I just installed on a newer Mac and it broke it. All apps crash, can’t even open fl studio

[@jcmeyers1208]

@@faizelnoorgat7141 don’t do it, just updated a newer Mac and it broke it. Every app crashes and I can’t even open fl studio

[@nelsoncruz-os7nz]

Hey man awesome video!!! I've been searching to the point of wanting to break this thing like you just saved a MacBook Pro from becoming a frisbee. Truly thank you so much!!

[@dinhhg-mx8ox]

Million thank you for your clear, short, and logic instruction to install latest Sonoma 14.4.1 in my MacBook Pro 13 2011.

[@shelithah244]

I couldn’t get the assets to load ? I’m trying to update a late 2015 high sierra to at least Catalina or higher is this possible?

[@Taras-Nabad]

This video was so spot on. Installed Monterey on 5,1 CMP. So easy. Can't thank you enough. I would have installed Sonoma but when creating installer it said there was a possible compatibility issue so I opted for Monterey. UPDATE: I ran the updater on Monterey, it updated directly to Sonoma with no issues. At the end it prompted to update the OpenCore for compatibility. Works PERFECT!! If you want to install Opencore, follow this video step by step.

[@awatercolourist]

Hi! Thanks for your comment. What do you mean by updater? Is that a feature in OpenCore?

[@Taras-Nabad]

@@awatercolouristThe built in mac os updater. About mac, software update.

[@awatercolourist]

@@Taras-Nabad Thanks! I did that, but once Sonoma got installed my internal trackpad and keyboard stopped working 😕.

[@vidpic8311]

​@@awatercolouristdid u fix it, u figure it out ?

[@awatercolourist]

@@vidpic8311 No, unfortunately not. I had to buy a usb hub and connect a mouse and a keyboard to it. That worked and I was able to use them during the installation. Once you setup your macOS, the internal mouse and keyboard will work again.

[@moeTV2023]

Wow! You saved me $1700 with this idea! Awesome!

[@dinhhg-mx8ox]

It is great and I follow your clear and short instructions, I installed Sonoma 14.4.1 in my MacBook Pro 13 late 2011 today. Thank you so much.

[@Wolfbruck22]

Any problemas with wifi?

[@robertleach9719]

Great video, I had to watch it a few times but I got Sonoma loaded to an old iMac27inch 2015 which is now a great KZbin machine working at the side of my main computer set-up. thnX

[@bogarcortez3931]

FIRST VIDEO THAT SHOWS STEP BY STEP AND MY MAC DOES THE SAME THING ON THE VIDEO. THANKS!!!!

[@AnsonAlexander]

Woop woop, enjoy Sonoma!

[@batchjs]

EXCELLENT TUTORIAL!! Followed the procedure to the letter. Successfully installed MacOS Sonoma 14.1 to my 2014 MacBook Pro Intel Core i7 that was tapped out at MacOS Big Sur. It was a bit tricky to get the OpenCore Legacy Patcher installed to the internal drive to eliminate the necessity for the USB drive to boot. If you don't get the pop-up window at conclusion of MacOS Sonoma install as shown in the tutorial simply run the Patcher again and select the internal drive for Patcher installation. Patcher will rebuild on the internal drive. Reboot the machine while holding down Option key and select the INTERNAL EFI drive for the reboot drive. Once reboot from the internal EFI drive is complete shut down the machine and restart - holding the Option NOT NECESSARY at restart. Machine will restart into MacOS Sonoma on the internal EFI drive and launch MacOS Sonoma normally. Enjoy!!

[@gonzalomcampos]

hey! I have a mid 2014 15” macbook pro 256GB, 16GB RAM. Do you think is safe for me to install Sonoma? or should I go for Ventura instead? I really want to upgrade it from Big Sur but i’m a bit scared my Macbook pro will start behaving weird and slow. Would Appreciate some advice

[@jaestreets751]

@@gonzalomcamposI have a MB air 2015 and it’s running smooth on my MacBook.

[@gonzalomcampos]

Thats great! Thanks for sharing. Im a bit reticent about it tho. Ive seen some comments saying how the process broke their machines and im scared hahaha@@jaestreets751

[@patroooo]

@@gonzalomcampos I have the same one as you, but with 512Gb and 2.5GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processor. I've upgraded to sonoma yesterday from big sur, it is ok. My only problem is that I need to reboot with usb key inserted, otherwise it doesn't work. Can't apply the opencore patcher so to can boot without usb storage.

[@muraliz]

@@patroooo Did you manage to solve it?

[@gyugyusz]

Thank you so much for your work, my friend. The video is detailed and precise. Thanks to you, I was able to solve my problem without any trouble. Wishing you good luck!

[@AgbamGorrity]

Awesome tutorial thank you so much for your help!! I just got gifted an iMac 2012 and I was able to install macOs Sonoma flawlessly. 😃

[@semilife]

Thanks a lot Anson, a really concise and detailed tutorial into the steps, you are the creators KZbin needs. I have installed on an unsupported Mid 2013 Macbook air. The installation was smooth enough, I installed onto a second disk to prove this would work and it seems to have installed and working well. I will test to see if this is a significant burden on the processor and memory compared to the previous OS, at the time of writing I used opencore patcher 1.21. I have a couple question have you had any issues installing any of the apple OS updates at all, and will opencore on mky system need updating at some point?

[@gerardllosa261]

just one question. is it possible to reinstall macos Sonoma option 2 on macos Recovery using ethernet cable as I don't have wifi connection to download macos Sonoma from Apple servers due to the fact that I've booted my mac from OpenCore Legacy Patcher USB drive as I was getting black screen! Please need help! Please reply at the soonest!

[@doniu5970]

Super!! Its working. thanks (macbook air 2015)

[@AnsonAlexander]

Awesome, enjoy Sonoma!

[@mercynik2019]

Hey i have the sane macbook air 2015 please tell me is screen mirroring , airplay everything working or not ? And is there any glitch or something….?

[@user-hr9vg2vw1i]

Worked for my MacBookPro 13" mid 2021 too. I had to do it two times. For me it was necessary to install Sonoma from scratch and after transfering data from backup Well done, Thank You!

[@Jefe332]

This is such a great video. Saved me hundreds of dollars. I was literally waiting in a parking lot to buy a new Macbook Air off marketplace, when this popped up on my feed. I cancelled the meetup went home and installed Sonoma without a hitch on my 2016 MacBook pro! Thanks a ton!

[@erroashivudhi7713]

voetseke

[@craigmadsen4307]

I followed your video on my 2010 27inch iMac and when I was done last night I was very impressed. Everything appeared to be working just fine. I felt the iMac was pretty warm, so I shut it down for the night. When I turned it on today, I very quickly get a full white screen, that lasts for about a minute, then goes to a black screen and absolutely nothing? I've let it sit here for quite a while, rebooted several times, but still nada? Any thoughts?

[@Sudanstamps]

Just installed on my late 2015 MacBook Pro (which I purchased new from Apple in 2017!). Awesome. Thanks for sharing this video. It’s very helpful. One question do apple updates happen now or does the deliberate obsolescence programing of apple corp still kick in. I have installed the open core to my mac as you suggested.

[@_ston3bridge]

I am wondering the same about future updates. Please share if you find out

[@Tokzz69]

Great tutorial! Installed Sonoma on my macbook pro 15" 2010, works like charm with ssd and 8bg ram upgrade!

[@bjorker40]

That was an amazing explanation of something I can’t wait to try on my 2012 iMac

[@lecolintube]

Thanks for the awesome video. Out of curiosity: What are the benefits of installing Sanoma on older macs/imacs? Do the system requirements mean that things run slowly on these older machines? (Or a majority of the new features don’t even run?) Due to the method of installing, does it then allow further updates through the Apple Store? Or is that all locked out & any further updates need to be done through OpenCore?

[@theINQBS]

This will allow you to run the latest software that won't install once the installer file sees you're running an older system, and you can run current web browsers that eliminate online surfing errors and issues stemming from simply running an older browser that is no longer supported.

[@GuitarFool1569]

Are updates done automatically (download & go) or do you have to create a new bootable installer for each iteration of Sonoma?

[@jamesrundio8455]

Thanks this helped alot,been wanting to update both of my MacBooks scores while now

[@cgwamba]

Epic video. Worked seamlessly on my macbook pro 2016. Liked and subbed!!

[@roberthenry6732]

Nice presentation. One issue: when I got to the point of selecting the EFI Drive, I had to quickly grab a wired mouse and plug it in to select. The wireless keyboard and mouse were both inop. I guess I’ll know in a few minutes whether I have a Mac Sonoma or a brick. And... success, a 27" Mac with Sonoma 14.1. Now I can update those apps I couldn't update before.

[@NeilSnapePhotography]

Yes same here, but it's not the first time my 27 iMac 2017 needs a wired mouse and keyboard. But alls good>

[@roberthenry6732]

A couple of days later I've just found it blacked out, hot, with the fan racing. I shut it down and was able to get back into it with Command R. But it won't run. The only option it offers is to reinstall OS X. I tried using my OpenCore stick to reload Sonoma, but it said that the HD was incompatible. So, I'm stuck. Right now, I'm trying to let it reload OS X and maybe then I can retry OpenCore + Sonoma. After that, I guess I'll have to give up on it. Apple wins. Just tried having it re-install OS X, but now can't get past agree to Terms and Conditions (Agree button greyed out). So, I re-tried running OpenCore to set up Sonoma again, but it still says the HD is incompatible. So, it's a brick, unless I can find another way around.

[@Wolfbruck22]

​@@roberthenry6732this OS sonó a dont work with Hdd drivers?

[@roberthenry6732]

I'm not sure how but I finally got it running. Went back and started from scratch. Probably had made a mistake somewhere, but now it work as Sonoma. Now, when Sonoma flags that a new version is available, I can just click and update it as usual, and the update takes care of everything. After the update finishes, the OpenCore pops up a message offering to update itself too.

[@Gracefaithbear]

You gained a sub thank you ❤ and a like!!

[@AnsonAlexander]

Awesome to hear, glad it helped!

[@hewifewi940]

Thank you so much this is the only video that worked for me. I tried like ten other videos

[@Milez99]

Thanks so much bro I followed all the steps with my 15 inch 2015 MacBook Pro earned a sub for sure

[@haidzk3k]

Please don’t ever retire from KZbin, this actually worked for my 13” Mac from 2013! Runs around the same speed and it feels great!

[@SwapnilManral-id1nq]

Is this also work for 2008

[@RA-tu3on]

What’s your specs?

[@ivandubinsky1857]

I'm glad I found this video. I hope it will work with my 2012 Mac Pro cheese grater as it would give it new life. This just shows that Apple could make their newer OS's work on older models if they wanted to instead of trying to force people to buy new computers.

[@theINQBS]

There used to be a SIMPLE way to do this back int he day which was to start the machine you wish to upgrade in target mode and connect to a newer machine and run the installer to the main drive of the target machine ad then disconnect, reboot and viola! But then Apple got smart to that and then you had to simply remove the HD front he machine altogether and install a new system via the newer machine and then simply re-install the HD back int he older machine and that worked well for many years but then they added chipset checking software so it kicks out an error and never reboots which is why you have to now install the Core Legacy Patcher.

[@argonk]

Excellent guidance! Thank you.