Last Updated on June 8, 2022 by srinivas
Wondering what is the name of the latest macOS version? Curious about the earlier versions of Mac OS X? Here we will fill you in in order with the names of the different versions of the Mac operating system: from the latest macOS to the first version of Mac OS X and the code names that Apple used before. We’ll also show you how to check which version of macOS you’re running and which is the latest version of macOS.
If you’re wondering what the latest version of macOS is, it’s Monterey! Also known as macOS 12. Monterey arrived on Monday, October 25, 2021. For more information, read: Everything you need to know about macOS Monterey.
Monterey won’t be the latest version of macOS for long, though. Apple revealed its plans for the next version of macOS at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on June 6, 2022. During the keynote that kicked off the WWDC conference, Apple revealed details of macOS 13 Ventura. The final version will then be available for download in the autumn (usually in the period of September or October).
If you need help installing Monterey, read: Updating MacOS: Update to Monterey and fixes for Macs that don’t update macOS. To install the beta of macOS Ventura, read about joining Apple’s beta program.
History of macOS
Mac OS X was launched more than twenty-one years ago on March 24, 2001. A lot has changed in those two decades: good and bad. From the problems with the first edition (it was slow and didn’t run major apps like Microsoft Word), Mac OS X has evolved through several iterations and different designs to what we know today. We’ve seen tight integration with iOS devices, the integration of the cloud and the arrival of excellent and useful features, including integrated Time Machine backups, Quick Look – which allows you to preview a document without having to open the application. open, and innovations such as Expose and Spaces and Desktop Stacks to help you work efficiently.
In this article, we’ll go through the long history of Mac OS X, or macOS as it’s known today.
Watch our video above for an overview of the features of the different versions of the Mac operating system and how it has evolved over time. If you want to know the names Apple assigned to Mac OS X over the years, and the codenames used internally, read on.
List of macOS version names
Here’s an overview of every version of macOS and Mac OS X that Apple has released. You’ll find a full list of OS X version codenames, along with internal codenames (if available):
- OS X 10 Beta: Kodiak – September 13, 2000
- OS X 10.0: Cheetah – March 14, 2001
- OS X 10.1: Puma – September 15, 2001
- OS X 10.2: Jaguar – August 14, 2002
- OS X 10.3 Panther (Pinot) – October 24, 2003
- OS X 10.4 Tiger (Merlot) – Apr 29, 2005
- OS X 10.4.4 Tiger (Chardonnay) – January 10, 2006 (for Intel Macs)
- OS X 10.5 Leopard (Chablis) – October 26, 2007
- OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard – August 28, 2009
- OS X 10.7 Lion (Barolo) – July 20, 2011
- OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion (Zinfandel) – July 25, 2012
- OS X 10.9 Mavericks (Cabernet) – October 22, 2013
- OS X 10.10: Yosemite (Syrah) – October 16, 2014
- OS X 10.11: El Capitan (Gala) – September 30, 2015
- macOS 10.12: Sierra (Fuji) – September 20, 2016
- macOS 10.13: High Sierra (Lobo) – September 25, 2017
- macOS 10.14: Mojave (Liberty) – September 24, 2018
- macOS 10.15: Catalina (Jazz) – October 7, 2019
- macOS 11: Big Sur (GoldenGate) – November 12, 2020
- macOS 12: Monterey (Star) – October 25, 2021
- macOS 13: Ventura – Coming Fall 2022
We’ve got a full list of which Macs are running which versions of Mac OS X and macOS here.
Mac OS X and macOS names
As you can see from the list above, with the exception of the first OS X beta, all versions of the Mac operating system from 2001 to 2012 are all named after big cats, from Cheetah to Panther to Mountain Lion.
But while the crowd-pleasing builds were named after big cats, internally they were named after wines (apart from OS X 10.6 which wasn’t codenamed).
Even after Apple swapped public code names for places in California in 2013, it continued to name them after wines internally until 2014. In 2015, Apple decided to change the theme of internal codenames from wines to apples. Original.
In 2016, Apple took the plunge to unify the branding of its operating systems by renaming Mac OS X to macOS, which fits nicely alongside iOS, tvOS, and watchOS, paving the way for macOS 11, the successor to Mac OS X, which arrived. twenty years after the first beta version of Mac OS X.
What is the latest version of macOS?
On October 25, 2021, Apple released macOS Monterey, also known as macOS 12. If it’s compatible with your Mac, you can download Monterey from System Preferences > Software Update. Read: How to update to macOS Monterey. We’ll also cover many of the issues people typically face when updating a Mac in macOS that Monterey can’t install: Solutions.
Whatever version of macOS you’re using, you should always keep it up to date with the latest updates and security fixes from Apple. Apple releases several updates to the operating system throughout the year, so you can expect updates from time to time. Learn about the latest updates in our latest version of the Monterey article.
- The latest version of Monterey is macOS 12.4 (released May 16, 2022)
The version of macOS before Monterey was Big Sur: you may be interested in reading Monterey vs Big Sur for a feature comparison. We have a dedicated article detailing new features and security fixes in the latest version of Big Sur. You can download Big Sur here.
- The latest version of Big Sur is macOS 11.6.6 (released May 16, 2022)
The version of macOS before Big Sur was Catalina, in which case we have a comparison of Big Sur and Catalina. Read about the latest version of Catalina here for the latest information about the security update. You can download Catalina here. Apple keeps the past three versions of macOS up to date with security fixes, so until the new version of macOS launches later in 2022, Catalina will be included in these necessary updates.
- The latest version of Catalina is macOS 10.15.7 Security Update 2022-004 (released May 16, 2022)
Prior to the release of Catalina, we had macOS 10.14 Mojave. Download Mojave here. Learn more about the latest version of macOS Mojave here. Apple only supports the last three versions of macOS with security updates, so Mojave is unlikely to get any more updates now.
- The latest version of Mojave is macOS 10.14.6 Security Update 2021-005 (released July 21, 2021)
Before Mojave, macOS was High Sierra. High Sierra is available here.
If you want an even older version of macOS, check out our article on getting old versions of macOS and Mac OS X.
How to see which macOS you are using
You can see which version of macOS you’re running by clicking the Apple logo in the top left and choosing About This Mac.
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How to install the latest version of macOS
If you want to update your Mac to a newer version of macOS, the method depends on the version of macOS you’re using.
Very old versions of Mac OS X came on a disc and any security updates came via Software Update. Since the release of the Mac App Store in 2011 (as an update to Snow Leopard), versions of Mac OS X and macOS can be downloaded from the Mac App Store.
However, that changed somewhat with Mojave, arriving in 2018. Now operating system updates come in through a new Software Updates panel in System Preferences. You can still find the software in the Mac App Store, but you’ll also see it in System Preferences > Software Update. One of the benefits of this is that your Mac can be set up to automatically download and install the latest updates, keeping your Mac up to date with minimal effort.
You can go to System Preferences via the Apple menu: Click the Apple logo in the top left and choose System Preferences. You may be taken directly to the Software Update panel, if not, click the Software Update gear icon. Your Mac will look for an update and if there is one, you can choose Update Now.
Some Macs are set to update macOS automatically. If you want your Mac to update automatically, follow these steps:
In Monterey, Big Sur, Mojave or Catalina:
- Open System Preferences.
- Click Software Update.
- Check the box next to Download new updates when available.
- Now select the Install macOS updates box.
In High Sierra or earlier:
- Open System Preferences.
- Click on App Store.
- Check the box next to Automatically check for updates – there should be a check mark just like the four options below that…
- Now uncheck the box next to Download newly available updates in the background.
Read all about updating your Mac here.