macOS High Sierra 10.13.6 macOS Catalina 10.15 , you must first ensure your hardware is compatible. If your Mac is a supported model, you can download the installer directly from the Apple App Store 1. Check Compatibility
Your Mac must be one of the following models or newer to officially run Catalina: Apple Support : Early 2015 MacBook Air : Mid 2012 MacBook Pro : Mid 2012 : Late 2012 : Late 2012 : Late 2013 2. Prepare for Installation Backup Your Data Time Machine to back up your entire system to an external drive. Check Storage : Ensure you have at least of available storage. Update Current Apps : Go to the to install any pending High Sierra security updates first. Apple Support 3. Download and Install Catalina
Because High Sierra is an older OS, Catalina will not appear in the standard "Software Update" menu in System Preferences. wikidot wiki Open the App Store : Search for "macOS Catalina" or use the official App Store link Download the Installer . The file is roughly Run the Installer
: Once the download completes, the "Install macOS Catalina" app will open automatically from your Applications folder. Follow On-Screen Steps to the license terms.
Select your primary hard drive (e.g., "Macintosh HD") and click Enter your administrator password when prompted. Restart and Finalize
: Your Mac will restart multiple times. Stay plugged into power throughout this process. Note for Unsupported Macs macOS Catalina - Technical Specifications - Apple Support
To update macOS High Sierra 10.13.6 to macOS 10.15 Catalina, you must first ensure your hardware is compatible and your data is safely backed up. Catalina is a major transition as it discontinues support for 32-bit applications. 1. Check Hardware Compatibility
Your Mac must be one of the following models to officially support 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 or newer Mac Pro: Late 2013 or newer 2. Prepare Your Mac
Back Up Your Data: Use the built-in Time Machine utility to back up your files to an external drive.
Check Storage: You need at least 12.5GB to 18.5GB of available storage to perform the upgrade.
Verify Apps: Catalina only runs 64-bit apps. Use a tool like Go64 to identify which of your current apps will stop working after the update. 3. Download and Install macOS Catalina
Since you are on High Sierra, the update may not appear automatically in "Software Update." You should use the App Store method: Updating and Upgrading macOS High sierra - Apple Community how to update macos high sierra 10136 to 1015
Important Note: The version number you provided (10.13.6) is the final release of High Sierra. There is no version 10.13.136. This guide assumes you meant updating from macOS High Sierra 10.13.6 to macOS Catalina 10.15.x (the immediate successor to Mojave, as High Sierra cannot directly jump to newer OS versions like Ventura or Sonoma on most older hardware).
If you are looking to perform the update described in the story, here is the technical breakdown of the steps Elias took:
1. The Backup (Crucial Step) Before any major OS upgrade, use Time Machine to back up your data to an external drive. Updates can fail, and data loss is a real risk.
2. Check Compatibility macOS Catalina (10.15) runs on these Macs:
3. The Update Method High Sierra (10.13.6) will not always show Catalina in the standard "Software Update" section because it is not the latest version available (Big Sur, Monterey, Ventura, etc., are newer).
4. Installation Once the installer downloads, it will launch automatically. Follow the prompts. Note that your Mac will restart several times. If you are upgrading from High Sierra on a spinning Hard Drive (HDD) to an SSD file system (APFS), the installation process may take significantly longer than usual.
Once upon a time, in the land of Silicon Valley, there lived an old but reliable Mac running macOS High Sierra 10.13.6
. Its owner, a diligent worker, realized that the world was moving forward, and their trusty machine needed a new heart— macOS Catalina 10.15
But this was no simple task; it was a quest that required preparation, the right tools, and a bit of digital magic. Chapter 1: The Ritual of Preparation Before the journey began, the owner performed the sacred
. They knew that even the bravest machines could stumble. Using the Time Machine
and an external drive, they tucked away every precious photo and document, safe from any potential storm. They also checked the Scroll of Compatibility . To run Catalina, the Mac had to be from a specific era: : Early 2015 or newer MacBook Air / Pro : Mid 2012 or newer Mac mini / iMac : Late 2012 or newer. Chapter 2: Searching for the Hidden Link The owner opened the macOS High Sierra 10
, but the path wasn't clear. Catalina was a "hidden" update, no longer appearing in the standard search bar for those on older systems.
To find it, they had to use a special portal: a direct link. They opened and navigated to the Official Apple Support Page to find the macOS Catalina download link
. With a click, the App Store finally revealed the 8GB prize: macOS Catalina Chapter 3: The Long Descent (Download) The owner clicked
and watched as the blue bar slowly crept across the screen. They knew this was a test of patience, sometimes taking over an hour depending on the strength of their internet. To keep the connection strong, some whispered that typing a special command like ping swcdn.apple.com helped keep the servers awake. Chapter 4: The Transformation Once the download was complete, a window appeared: "Install macOS Catalina." They clicked
and agreed to the Terms and Conditions (the fine print of the digital realm). They selected their main hard drive and entered their Administrator Password to grant the installer the power to change the system.
The screen went dark. The Mac restarted—not once, but several times—its fan whirring like a dragon’s breath as it rewrote its own history. Chapter 5: A New Beginning
After thirty minutes of silence and progress bars, the Mac chimed one last time. A new desktop appeared. The owner logged in and was greeted by setup questions about Screen Time , and the choice between Light and Dark mode. High Sierra was gone. The Mac was now running Catalina 10.15
, refreshed and ready for modern adventures. A lonely folder called "Relocated Items"
sat on the desktop—a graveyard of old files that no longer worked in this 64-bit-only world—but the owner didn't mind. They had successfully bridged the gap between the old and the new. specific Mac model is ready for this journey or how to handle 32-bit apps that might not survive the update?
Updating from macOS High Sierra (10.13.6) to macOS Catalina (10.15) is a significant jump that introduces new features like dedicated Music, TV, and Podcasts apps, but also marks the end of support for 32-bit applications. 1. Check Hardware Compatibility
Before starting, verify that your Mac is officially supported. You can check your model by clicking the Apple icon > About This Mac. Catalina-Compatible Mac Models: 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 2. Prepare for the Upgrade How to Update macOS High Sierra 10
Stuck at version 10.13.6, need 10.15. Not… - Apple Community
To update from macOS High Sierra 10.13.6 macOS Catalina 10.15
, you must first verify that your Mac hardware is compatible, as Catalina dropped support for many older models. Apple Support Community 1. Check Compatibility To check your Mac's model, click the Apple menu () About This Mac
. Your hardware must be one of the following to run Catalina officially: : Early 2015 or newer MacBook Air : Mid 2012 or newer MacBook Pro : Mid 2012 or newer : Late 2012 or newer : Late 2012 or newer : All models (2017) : Late 2013 or newer Apple Support Community 2. Prepare Your Mac Backup Data Time Machine
to back up your files, as major OS upgrades can occasionally fail. Check Disk Space : Ensure you have at least of available storage if upgrading from High Sierra. Software Note : Catalina does not support 32-bit apps . Use a tool like to identify apps that will stop working after the update. Apple Support Community 3. Download and Install
Since Catalina is an older version of macOS, it may not show up in your regular "Software Update" pane in System Preferences. JustAnswer
It looks like you want to upgrade from macOS High Sierra (version 10.13.6) to macOS Catalina (version 10.15) — I assume “10136” is a typo for 10.13.6, and “1015” means 10.15.
Here’s a clear report on how to do that update, including important prerequisites and steps.
Apple no longer prominently features Catalina on the App Store because newer OS versions exist. Here’s how to find it.
You now have macOS Catalina. However, several essential tasks remain.