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macOS Catalina - Technical Specifications

General Requirements

  • OS X 10.9 or later

  • 4GB of memory

  • 12.5GB of available storage (OS X El Capitan 10.11.5 or later)*

  • Some features require an Apple ID; terms apply.

  • Some features require a compatible internet service provider; fees may apply.

Mac Hardware Requirements

For details about your Mac model, click the Apple icon at the top left of your screen and choose About This Mac. These Mac models are compatible with macOS Catalina:

  • MacBook (Early 2015 or newer)

  • MacBook Air (Mid 2012 or newer)

  • MacBook Pro (Mid 2012 or newer)

  • Mac mini (Late 2012 or newer)

  • iMac (Late 2012 or newer)

  • iMac Pro (2017)

  • Mac Pro (Late 2013 or newer)

Learn about compatibility and how to identify your specific Mac model

Feature Requirements

Siri

Requires a broadband internet connection and microphone (built-in or external).

Hey Siri

Supported by the following Mac models:

  • MacBook Pro (2018 or newer)

  • MacBook Air (2018 or newer)

  • iMac Pro

Dictation, Voice Control, and Voice Memos

Requires a microphone (built-in or external).

Spotlight Suggestions

Requires a broadband internet connection.

Gestures

Requires a Multi-Touch trackpad, Force Touch trackpad, Magic Trackpad, or Magic Mouse.

Force Touch gestures require a Force Touch trackpad.

VoiceOver gestures require a Multi-Touch trackpad, Force Touch trackpad, or Magic Trackpad.

Photo Booth

Requires a FaceTime or iSight camera (built-in or external), or USB video class (UVC) camera.

FaceTime

Audio calls require a microphone (built-in or external) and broadband Internet connection.

Video calls require a built-in FaceTime camera, an iSight camera (built-in or external), or a USB video class (UVC) camera; and broadband Internet connection.

Apple TV

High Dynamic Range (HDR) video playback is supported by the following Mac models:

  • MacBook Pro (2018 or newer)

  • iMac Pro (2017)

  • Mac Pro (2019) with Pro Display XDR

Dolby Atmos soundtrack playback is supported by the following Mac models:

  • MacBook Air (2018 or newer)

  • MacBook Pro (2018 or newer)

Sidecar

Supported by the following Mac models:

  • MacBook (2016 or newer)

  • MacBook Air (2018 or newer)

  • MacBook Pro (2016 or newer)

  • Mac mini (2018 or newer)

  • iMac (late 2015 or newer)

  • iMac Pro (2017 or newer)

  • Mac Pro (2019)

Supported by all iPad models with Apple Pencil support:

  • 12.9-inch iPad Pro

  • 11-inch iPad Pro

  • 10.5-inch iPad Pro

  • 9.7-inch iPad Pro

  • iPad (6th generation or later)

  • iPad mini (5th generation)

  • iPad Air (3rd generation)

Continuity Camera

Requires an iPhone or iPad with a Lightning connector and iOS 12 or later.

Continuity Sketch and Continuity Markup

Requires an iPhone with iOS 13 or an iPad with iPadOS.

Handoff

Requires an iPhone or iPad with a Lightning connector and iOS 8 or later.

Instant Hotspot

Requires an iPhone or iPad with cellular connectivity, a Lightning connector, and iOS 8.1 or later. Requires Personal Hotspot service through your carrier.

Universal Clipboard

Requires an iPhone or iPad with a Lightning connector and iOS 10 or later.

Auto Unlock

Supported by Mac models introduced in mid 2013 or later.

Requires an Apple Watch with watchOS 3 or later or an iPhone 5 or later.

Approve with Apple Watch

Supported by Mac models introduced in mid 2013 or later.

Requires an Apple Watch with watchOS 6 or later or an iPhone 6s or later with iOS 13.

Apple Pay on the Web

Requires MacBook Pro with Touch Bar, an iPhone 6 or later with iOS 10 or later, or an Apple Watch with watchOS 3 or later.

Phone Calling

Requires an iPhone with iOS 8 or later and an activated carrier plan.

SMS

Requires an iPhone with iOS 8.1 or later and an activated carrier plan.

Home

Requires an iPhone with iOS 12 or later and a configured Home app.

AirDrop

AirDrop to iOS and iPadOS devices requires an iPhone or iPad with a Lightning connector and iOS 7 or later.

AirPlay

AirPlay Mirroring requires an Apple TV (2nd generation or later).

AirPlay for web video requires an Apple TV (2nd generation or later).

Peer-to-peer AirPlay requires a Mac (2012 or later) and an Apple TV (3rd generation rev A, model A1469 or later) with Apple TV software 7.0 or later.

Time Machine

Requires an external storage device (sold separately).

Learn more about Time Machine

Power Nap

Supported by the following Mac models:

  • MacBook (Early 2015 or newer)

  • MacBook Air (Mid 2012 or newer)

  • MacBook Pro with Retina display (Mid 2012 or newer)

  • Mac mini (Late 2012 or newer)

  • iMac (Late 2012 or newer)

  • iMac Pro (2017)

  • Mac Pro (Late 2013 or newer)

Boot Camp

Allows Boot Camp installations of Windows 10 on supported Mac models.

Learn more about Boot Camp

Exchange Support

Requires Microsoft Office 365, Exchange 2016, Exchange 2013, or Exchange Server 2010. Installing the latest Service Packs is recommended.

Windows Migration

Supports OS X 10.7 or later and Windows 7 or later.

App Store

Available only to persons age 13 or older in the U.S. and many other countries and regions.

What’s Included

Applications

  • Apple Books

  • Apple News

  • App Store

  • Automator

  • Calculator

  • Calendar

  • Chess

  • Contacts

  • Dictionary

  • DVD Player

  • FaceTime

  • Find My

  • Font Book

  • Home

  • Image Capture

  • Launchpad

  • Mail

  • Maps

  • Messages

  • Mission Control

  • Music

  • Notes

  • Photo Booth

  • Photos

  • Podcasts

  • Preview

  • QuickTime Player

  • Reminders

  • Safari

  • Siri

  • Stickies

  • Stocks

  • System Preferences

  • TextEdit

  • Time Machine

  • TV

  • Voice Memos

Utilities and Features

  • Activity Monitor

  • AirPort Utility

  • Audio MIDI Setup

  • Bluetooth File Exchange

  • Boot Camp Assistant

  • ColorSync Utility

  • Console

  • Digital Color Meter

  • Disk Utility

  • Grapher

  • Keychain Access

  • Migration Assistant

  • Screenshot

  • Screen Time

  • Script Editor

  • Sidecar

  • System Information

  • Terminal

  • VoiceOver Utility

Languages

  • Arabic

  • Catalan

  • Croatian

  • Simplified Chinese

  • Traditional Chinese

  • Traditional Chinese (Hong Kong)

  • Czech

  • Danish

  • Dutch

  • English (Australia)

  • English (UK)

  • English (U.S)

  • Finnish

  • French

  • French (Canada)

  • German

  • Greek

  • Hebrew

  • Hindi

  • Hungarian

  • Indonesian

  • Italian

  • Japanese

  • Korean

  • Malay

  • Norwegian

  • Polish

  • Brazilian Portuguese

  • Portuguese

  • Romanian

  • Russian

  • Slovak

  • Spanish

  • Spanish (Latin America)

  • Swedish

  • Thai

  • Turkish

  • Ukrainian

  • Vietnamese

* If upgrading from OS X El Capitan 10.11.5 or later, macOS Catalina requires 12.5GB of available storage to upgrade. If upgrading from an earlier release, macOS Catalina requires up to 18.5GB of available storage.

Some features may not be available for all countries or regions. View complete list.

iCloud requires an Apple ID, an active internet connection, and up-to-date software. Learn more about specific iCloud feature requirements