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macOS Big Sur - Technical Specifications

General Requirements

  • OS X 10.9 or later

  • 4GB of memory

  • 35.5GB available storage on macOS Sierra 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 Big Sur:

  • MacBook (2015 or later)

  • MacBook Air (2013 or later)

  • MacBook Pro (Late 2013 or later)

  • Mac mini (2014 or later)

  • iMac (2014 or later)

  • iMac Pro (2017 or later)

  • Mac Pro (2013 or later)

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 later)

  • MacBook Air (2018 or later)

  • iMac Pro (2017 or later)

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 later)

  • iMac Pro (2017 or later)

  • Mac Pro (2019) with Pro Display XDR

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

  • MacBook Air (2018 or later)

  • MacBook Pro (2018 or later)

Sidecar

Supported by the following Mac models:

  • MacBook (2016 or later)

  • MacBook Air (2018 or later)

  • MacBook Pro (2016 or later)

  • Mac mini (2018 or later)

  • iMac (late 2015 or later)

  • iMac Pro (2017 or later)

  • 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 and 4th generation)

Continuity Camera

Requires an iPhone or iPad that supports iOS 12 or later.

Continuity Sketch and Continuity Markup

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

Handoff

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

Instant Hotspot

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

Universal Clipboard

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

Auto Unlock

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

Approve with Apple Watch

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

Apple Pay on the Web

Requires a MacBook Pro or MacBook Air with Touch ID, 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 or with USB-C 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

Maps electric vehicle routing

Requires an iPhone with iOS 14 and a compatible electric vehicle.

Maps license plate restrictions

Requires an iPhone running iOS 14 or an iPad running iPadOS 14.

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.

Photos

The improved Retouch tool is supported on the following Mac models:

  • MacBook Pro (15-inch and 16-inch models) introduced in 2016 or later

  • iMac (Retina 5K models) introduced in 2014 or later

  • iMac (Retina 4K models) introduced in 2017 or later

  • iMac Pro (2017 or later)

  • Mac Pro introduced in 2013 or later

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 macOS Sierra or later, macOS Big Sur requires 35.5GB of available storage to upgrade. If upgrading from an earlier release, macOS Big Sur requires up to 44.5GB 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

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