If you don’t want to wait to install the next version of macOS – which we now know will be called Sonoma after Apple revealed all the details at WWDC in June, you can join the beta program and try it out on your Mac before it is released to the public in September or October.

The developer beta of macOS 14 Sonoma is already available to download. This year the developer beta isn’t just available to developers who have paid to join Apple’s Developer Program (which costs $99/£79), Apple has opened it up to anyone who is a registered developer. We explain how to get a free developer account below.

The slightly more stable public beta version will be available for anyone to sign up for the public beta program around the beginning of July.

Even though macOS 14 is now in beta, the beta program is still running for macOS 13 with testers currently running macOS 13.5. If you would prefer to run that beta you can do so.

In this article, we’ll run through what you need to do to get your hands on the beta of the next version of the Mac operating system, how to install it, and what you should bear in mind if you don’t want to end up in a pickle. If you would prefer to wait for the full version of macOS Sonoma here’s how to update macOS on your Mac.

Update 7/5/23: Apple has released the beta 3 of macOS Sonoma to developers.

macOS Sonoma beta release date

The first version of the developer beta of Ventura arrived after the WWDC keynote on June 5, 2023 as expected. On July 5, Apple released the third developer beta.

The surprise was that Apple made this Developer Beta available to anyone who had registered as a developer, even if they weren’t a paid-up member of Apple’s Developer Program. As a result, people who have a basic free developer account are able to download the macOS Sonoma developer beta already, and we will show you how to register below.

Whether you should download the developer beta if you aren’t a developer is another question. We don’t recommend you install the developer beta if you aren’t a developer. Instead, our recommendation is to wait a few more weeks until the public beta arrives.

macOS Sonoma public beta release date and differences

The public beta of Ventura was released on July 11, 2022, so we expect a similar timescale for macOS Sonoma, perhaps July 10, 2023.

There are a few differences between the public and developer betas. The public beta is not the same as the beta that is released through the developer program.

Developers get updates to their beta first, and possibly more frequently. But you should keep in mind that betas are by nature not stable, and because the public beta comes after the developer beta it could be a little safer to install.

The most significant difference is probably the motive of the testers: Developers usually have the aim of ensuring their apps work when the updated macOS is released to the general public, while public beta testers are essentially helping Apple detect bugs and offering feedback on the features. Because of this developers may get to test new features not available in the public beta. 

If you want to get the public beta the first thing you need to do, if you haven’t already, is join Apple’s beta programs read this for more information: How to become an Apple beta tester.

How to get a free developer account

If you just want a free Apple Developer account so you can access the beta you can get this via Xcode or the Apple Developer app in iOS. Here’s how to do it via the Apple Developer app on an iPhone:

1. Get the Apple Developer App from the App Store. 
2. Open the app on your iPhone. 
3. Tap on Account. 
4. Tap on Sign In. 
5. Sign in using your usual Apple ID. 

If you wish to actually publish applications to the App Store or receive support, you’ll need to pay $99/£79 per year for a paid account. You can compare the free and paid accounts here.

How to get the macOS Sonoma beta

The Sonoma developer beta should show up on your Mac if you are running macOS Ventura 13.4 or later, have paid $99/£79 to enroll in Apple’s Developer program (here) or if you have a free developer account (follow the instructions above).

When the Public Beta becomes available it will also show up on your Mac in macOS Ventura 13.4, as long as you have signed up for the Public Beta program on Apple’s beta webpage, signed the NDA, and enrolled your Mac.

Before you download a few warnings:

• We strongly advise that if you aren’t a developer you don’t download the developer beta.
• We also strongly recommend that you back up your Mac before you upgrade to the Sonoma beta.
• We recommend that you do not run Sonoma on your primary Mac; ideally, you run it in a separate volume. This should minimize any risks to you.

If you are running macOS Ventura 13.4 or later:

1. Open Software Updates on your Mac. (System Settings > General > Software Updates.)
2. You should see two options: Automatic Updates and Beta Updates. Click on the (i) beside Beta Updates.
3. You can now turn on Beta Updates (if they weren’t already on).
4. Choose the beta you want to download.
5. If your developer account is tied to a different Apple ID to your usual one you can change that here.
6. Click Done.
7. Now your Mac will Check for updates and eventually show the Sonoma Developer Beta as an upgrade. Click on Upgrade Now.

If you are running macOS Ventura 13.3 or earlier:

Apple changed the way it delivers betas in Ventura 13.4. If you aren’t yet running that version of macOS you will need to download the macOS Developer Beta Access Utility or macOS Public Beta Access Utility.

If you were already running an earlier macOS Public Beta you’ll find the new macOS beta as an upgrade via Software Update. Just click on Upgrade Now. You may have to update to the latest version of your current beta before you can do so, if not follow the steps below to get the beta access utility.

1. If you are enrolled in the Developer Program, go to Apple’s beta download page. Click on Install Profile to download the new macOS Developer Beta Access Utility to your Mac.
2. If you are enrolled as a public beta tester, download the macOS Public Beta Access Utility.
3. Go to Downloads on your Mac and click on the macOS Beta Access Utility to open it.
4. Double-click on the dmg file and the installer will run.
5. Once the new macOS beta is installed Software Update will check to see if there are any updates. Click Update and the latest version will download.
6. You’ll see a prompt to install the latest macOS beta, click on Continue.
7. Agree to the Ts&Cs (more on them below).
8. Click Install.

How to update macOS beta versions

Once you are running the beta the updates will come through to your Mac automatically, you just need to click to install.

1. You will receive a notification when the next update to the beta is available.
2. Updates will be available via Software Update (in System Settings/System Preferences)

Everything else you need to know about beta testing

That covers how to get the betas, but once you have them what can you do, and what should you do? We’ll cover that below.

Is the macOS beta stable?

By its nature, a beta has the potential to be unstable. Therefore it’s not advised that you install it on a Mac that you rely on. If you have a second Mac that isn’t mission-critical then install it there. We strongly recommend that you don’t risk all by putting the macOS beta on your primary macOS, especially not in the early days of the beta development. 

If you don’t have a second Mac there are a couple of ways you could run macOS beta on your Mac without running the risk of losing data or finding your Mac stops working:

• We recommend installing it on a partition – which these days is really a volume (and is much easier to create than a partition was). Read about how to do that here: How to dual-boot Mac: Run two versions of macOS on a Mac.
• Alternatively, you could install the macOS beta on an external drive and run it on that.

We discuss the safety of the macOS beta and the risks you might be taking in more detail in a separate article.

If the stability of the beta worries you then you are probably better off waiting until the final version is out, or at least waiting until testing has been happening for a few months before getting the beta.

How to prepare your Mac for the beta

Update your software: We recommend you have the latest full version of macOS installed, although Apple says that the macOS Developer Beta Access Utility requires macOS 10.8 or later.

Make space: We’d recommend at least 15GB of available space because the macOS betas tend to be very large. If you end up requiring more space read: How to free up space on Mac. Note that we always recommend that you have at least 10% space free on your Mac at any time, so if you don’t have that expect problems!

Back up: Before you install a beta on your Mac you should make a backup of your data and files. You can find out how to use Time Machine to back up your Mac. We also have a round-up of suitable backup solutions.

How to send feedback to Apple

Should you come across an error or a bug you should use the Feedback Assistant app to provide feedback to Apple. Launch the app and follow the appropriate steps, selecting the area about which you’re providing feedback and then any specific sub-area. Then describe your issue in a single sentence, before providing a more detailed description, including any specific steps that reproduce the issue. You’ll also be able to attach other files.

You’ll also have to give permission for the Feedback Assistant app to collect diagnostic information from your Mac.

It won’t always be obvious whether something is a bug or just not as easy to use as you might have hoped. Either way, if your feedback is that something appears to work in an illogical way, Apple will want to know that.

If you are having trouble with a third-party app you can let Apple know by reporting it through the 3rd-party Application Compatibility category in the Feedback Assistant. However, we’d suggest that you also provide feedback to the app’s developer who will no doubt be grateful.

Will I be able to update from macOS beta to the final version?

Beta users will be able to install the final build of the OS on release day without needing to reformat or reinstall.

Can I talk about the beta publicly?

According to Apple and the license agreement all beta testers must agree to, the beta is “Apple confidential information”. By accepting those terms, you agree not to discuss your use of the software with anyone who isn’t also in the Beta Software Program. That means you can’t “blog, post screenshots, tweet, or publicly post information about the public beta software.”

However, you can discuss any information that Apple has publicly disclosed; the company says that information is no longer considered confidential.

How to downgrade from the macOS beta

You can always revert to an earlier version of macOS, though depending on how you back up, it’s not necessarily a painless process.

Start by making sure the data on your drive is backed up, then erase the drive and install the latest public version of macOS. When you first startup your Mac you can use the Migration Assistant to import your data from the backup. Here’s a more detailed tutorial on downgrading from the macOS beta we also have a tutorial on downgrading to an older version of the Mac OS.

Personal Software

If you don’t want to wait to install the next version of macOS – which we now know will be called Sonoma after Apple revealed all the details at WWDC in June, you can join the beta program and try it out on your Mac before it is released to the public in September or October.

The developer beta of macOS 14 Sonoma is already available to download. This year the developer beta isn’t just available to developers who have paid to join Apple’s Developer Program (which costs $99/£79), Apple has opened it up to anyone who is a registered developer. We explain how to get a free developer account below.

The slightly more stable public beta version will be available for anyone to sign up for the public beta program around the beginning of July.

Even though macOS 14 is now in beta, the beta program is still running for macOS 13 with testers currently running macOS 13.5. If you would prefer to run that beta you can do so.

In this article, we’ll run through what you need to do to get your hands on the beta of the next version of the Mac operating system, how to install it, and what you should bear in mind if you don’t want to end up in a pickle. If you would prefer to wait for the full version of macOS Sonoma here’s how to update macOS on your Mac.

Update 7/5/23: Apple has released the beta 3 of macOS Sonoma to developers.

macOS Sonoma beta release date

The first version of the developer beta of Ventura arrived after the WWDC keynote on June 5, 2023 as expected. On July 5, Apple released the third developer beta.

The surprise was that Apple made this Developer Beta available to anyone who had registered as a developer, even if they weren’t a paid-up member of Apple’s Developer Program. As a result, people who have a basic free developer account are able to download the macOS Sonoma developer beta already, and we will show you how to register below.

Whether you should download the developer beta if you aren’t a developer is another question. We don’t recommend you install the developer beta if you aren’t a developer. Instead, our recommendation is to wait a few more weeks until the public beta arrives.

macOS Sonoma public beta release date and differences

The public beta of Ventura was released on July 11, 2022, so we expect a similar timescale for macOS Sonoma, perhaps July 10, 2023.

There are a few differences between the public and developer betas. The public beta is not the same as the beta that is released through the developer program.

Developers get updates to their beta first, and possibly more frequently. But you should keep in mind that betas are by nature not stable, and because the public beta comes after the developer beta it could be a little safer to install.

The most significant difference is probably the motive of the testers: Developers usually have the aim of ensuring their apps work when the updated macOS is released to the general public, while public beta testers are essentially helping Apple detect bugs and offering feedback on the features. Because of this developers may get to test new features not available in the public beta. 

If you want to get the public beta the first thing you need to do, if you haven’t already, is join Apple’s beta programs read this for more information: How to become an Apple beta tester.

How to get a free developer account

If you just want a free Apple Developer account so you can access the beta you can get this via Xcode or the Apple Developer app in iOS. Here’s how to do it via the Apple Developer app on an iPhone:

1. Get the Apple Developer App from the App Store. 
2. Open the app on your iPhone. 
3. Tap on Account. 
4. Tap on Sign In. 
5. Sign in using your usual Apple ID. 

If you wish to actually publish applications to the App Store or receive support, you’ll need to pay $99/£79 per year for a paid account. You can compare the free and paid accounts here.

How to get the macOS Sonoma beta

The Sonoma developer beta should show up on your Mac if you are running macOS Ventura 13.4 or later, have paid $99/£79 to enroll in Apple’s Developer program (here) or if you have a free developer account (follow the instructions above).

When the Public Beta becomes available it will also show up on your Mac in macOS Ventura 13.4, as long as you have signed up for the Public Beta program on Apple’s beta webpage, signed the NDA, and enrolled your Mac.

Before you download a few warnings:

• We strongly advise that if you aren’t a developer you don’t download the developer beta.
• We also strongly recommend that you back up your Mac before you upgrade to the Sonoma beta.
• We recommend that you do not run Sonoma on your primary Mac; ideally, you run it in a separate volume. This should minimize any risks to you.

If you are running macOS Ventura 13.4 or later:

1. Open Software Updates on your Mac. (System Settings > General > Software Updates.)
2. You should see two options: Automatic Updates and Beta Updates. Click on the (i) beside Beta Updates.
3. You can now turn on Beta Updates (if they weren’t already on).
4. Choose the beta you want to download.
5. If your developer account is tied to a different Apple ID to your usual one you can change that here.
6. Click Done.
7. Now your Mac will Check for updates and eventually show the Sonoma Developer Beta as an upgrade. Click on Upgrade Now.

If you are running macOS Ventura 13.3 or earlier:

Apple changed the way it delivers betas in Ventura 13.4. If you aren’t yet running that version of macOS you will need to download the macOS Developer Beta Access Utility or macOS Public Beta Access Utility.

If you were already running an earlier macOS Public Beta you’ll find the new macOS beta as an upgrade via Software Update. Just click on Upgrade Now. You may have to update to the latest version of your current beta before you can do so, if not follow the steps below to get the beta access utility.

1. If you are enrolled in the Developer Program, go to Apple’s beta download page. Click on Install Profile to download the new macOS Developer Beta Access Utility to your Mac.
2. If you are enrolled as a public beta tester, download the macOS Public Beta Access Utility.
3. Go to Downloads on your Mac and click on the macOS Beta Access Utility to open it.
4. Double-click on the dmg file and the installer will run.
5. Once the new macOS beta is installed Software Update will check to see if there are any updates. Click Update and the latest version will download.
6. You’ll see a prompt to install the latest macOS beta, click on Continue.
7. Agree to the Ts&Cs (more on them below).
8. Click Install.

How to update macOS beta versions

Once you are running the beta the updates will come through to your Mac automatically, you just need to click to install.

1. You will receive a notification when the next update to the beta is available.
2. Updates will be available via Software Update (in System Settings/System Preferences)

Everything else you need to know about beta testing

That covers how to get the betas, but once you have them what can you do, and what should you do? We’ll cover that below.

Is the macOS beta stable?

By its nature, a beta has the potential to be unstable. Therefore it’s not advised that you install it on a Mac that you rely on. If you have a second Mac that isn’t mission-critical then install it there. We strongly recommend that you don’t risk all by putting the macOS beta on your primary macOS, especially not in the early days of the beta development. 

If you don’t have a second Mac there are a couple of ways you could run macOS beta on your Mac without running the risk of losing data or finding your Mac stops working:

• We recommend installing it on a partition – which these days is really a volume (and is much easier to create than a partition was). Read about how to do that here: How to dual-boot Mac: Run two versions of macOS on a Mac.
• Alternatively, you could install the macOS beta on an external drive and run it on that.

We discuss the safety of the macOS beta and the risks you might be taking in more detail in a separate article.

If the stability of the beta worries you then you are probably better off waiting until the final version is out, or at least waiting until testing has been happening for a few months before getting the beta.

How to prepare your Mac for the beta

Update your software: We recommend you have the latest full version of macOS installed, although Apple says that the macOS Developer Beta Access Utility requires macOS 10.8 or later.

Make space: We’d recommend at least 15GB of available space because the macOS betas tend to be very large. If you end up requiring more space read: How to free up space on Mac. Note that we always recommend that you have at least 10% space free on your Mac at any time, so if you don’t have that expect problems!

Back up: Before you install a beta on your Mac you should make a backup of your data and files. You can find out how to use Time Machine to back up your Mac. We also have a round-up of suitable backup solutions.

How to send feedback to Apple

Should you come across an error or a bug you should use the Feedback Assistant app to provide feedback to Apple. Launch the app and follow the appropriate steps, selecting the area about which you’re providing feedback and then any specific sub-area. Then describe your issue in a single sentence, before providing a more detailed description, including any specific steps that reproduce the issue. You’ll also be able to attach other files.

You’ll also have to give permission for the Feedback Assistant app to collect diagnostic information from your Mac.

It won’t always be obvious whether something is a bug or just not as easy to use as you might have hoped. Either way, if your feedback is that something appears to work in an illogical way, Apple will want to know that.

If you are having trouble with a third-party app you can let Apple know by reporting it through the 3rd-party Application Compatibility category in the Feedback Assistant. However, we’d suggest that you also provide feedback to the app’s developer who will no doubt be grateful.

Will I be able to update from macOS beta to the final version?

Beta users will be able to install the final build of the OS on release day without needing to reformat or reinstall.

Can I talk about the beta publicly?

According to Apple and the license agreement all beta testers must agree to, the beta is “Apple confidential information”. By accepting those terms, you agree not to discuss your use of the software with anyone who isn’t also in the Beta Software Program. That means you can’t “blog, post screenshots, tweet, or publicly post information about the public beta software.”

However, you can discuss any information that Apple has publicly disclosed; the company says that information is no longer considered confidential.

How to downgrade from the macOS beta

You can always revert to an earlier version of macOS, though depending on how you back up, it’s not necessarily a painless process.

Start by making sure the data on your drive is backed up, then erase the drive and install the latest public version of macOS. When you first startup your Mac you can use the Migration Assistant to import your data from the backup. Here’s a more detailed tutorial on downgrading from the macOS beta we also have a tutorial on downgrading to an older version of the Mac OS.

Personal Software

If you don’t want to wait to install the next version of macOS – which we now know will be called Sonoma after Apple reveal all the details at WWDC in June, you can join the beta program and try it out on your Mac before it is released to the public in September or October.

The developer beta of macOS 14 Sonoma is already available to download. This year the developer beta isn’t just available to developers who have paid to join Apple’s Developer Program (which costs $99/£79), Apple has opened it up to anyone who is a registered developer. We explain how to get a free developer account below.

The slightly more stable public beta version will be available for anyone to signs up for the public beta program around the beginning of July.

Even though macOS 14 is now in beta, the beta program is still running for macOS 13 with testers are currently running macOS 13.5. If you would prefer to run that beta you can do so.

In this article, we’ll run through what you need to do to get your hands on the beta of the next version of the Mac operating system, how to install it, and what you should bear in mind if you don’t want to end up in a pickle. If you would prefer to wait for the full version of macOS Sonoma here’s how to update macOS on your Mac.

June 8: Added details of how to get the macOS Developer Beta with a free Apple developer account.

macOS Sonoma beta release date

The first version of the developer beta of Ventura arrived after the WWDC keynote on June 5, 2023 as expected.

The surprise was that Apple made this Developer Beta available to anyone who had registered as a developer, even if they weren’t a paid-up member of Apple’s Developer Program. As a result people who have a basic free developer account are able to download the macOS Sonoma developer beta already, and we will show you how to register below.

Whether you should download the developer beta if you aren’t a developer is another question. We don’t recommend you install the developer beta if you aren’t a developer. Instead our recommendation is to wait a few more weeks until the public beta of iOS arrives.

macOS Sonoma public beta release date and differences

The public beta of Ventura was released on July 11, 2022, so we expect a similar timescale for macOS Sonoma, perhaps July 10, 2023.

There are a few differences between the public and developer betas. The public beta is not the same as the beta that is released through the developer program.

Developers get updates to their beta first, and possibly more frequently. But you should keep in mind that betas are by nature are not stable, and because the public beta comes after the developer beta it could be a little safer to install.

The biggest difference is probably the motive of the testers: Developers usually have the aim of ensuing their apps work when the updated macOS is released to the general public, while public beta testers are essentially helping Apple detect bugs and offering feedback on the features. Because of this developers may get to test new features not available in the public beta. 

If you want to get the public beta the first thing you need to do, if you haven’t already, is join Apple’s beta programs read this for more information: How to become an Apple beta tester.

How to get a free developer account

If you just want a free Apple Developer account so you can access the beta you can get this via Xcode or the Apple Developer app in iOS. Here’s how to do it via the Apple Developer app on an iPhone:

1. Get the Apple Developer App from the App Store. 
2. Open the app on your iPhone. 
3. Tap on Account. 
4. Tap on Sign In. 
5. Sign in using your usual Apple ID. 

If you wish to actually publish applications to the App Store or receive support, you’ll need to pay $99/£79 per year for a paid account. You can compare the free and paid accounts here.

How to get the macOS Sonoma beta

The Sonoma developer beta should show up on your Mac if you are running macOS Ventura 13.4 or later, have paid $99/£79 to enroll in Apple’s Developer program (here) or if you have a free developer account (follow the instructions above).

When the Public Beta becomes available it will also show up on your Mac in macOS Ventura 13.4, as long as you have signed up for the Public Beta program on Apple’s beta webpage, signed the NDA, and enrolled your Mac.

Before you download a few warnings:

• We strongly advise that if you aren’t a developer you don’t download the developer beta.
• We also strongly recommend that you back up your Mac before you upgrade to the Sonoma beta.
• We recommend that you do not run Sonoma on your primary Mac and that, ideally, you run it in a separate volume. This should minimise any risks to you.

If you are running macOS Ventura 13.4 or later:

1. Open Software Updates on your Mac. (System Settings > General > Software Updates.)
2. You should see two options: Automatic Updates and Beta Updates. Click on the (i) beside Beta Updates.
3. You can now turn on Beta Updates (if they weren’t already on).
4. Choose the beta you want to download.
5. If your developer account is tied to a different Apple ID to your usual one you can change that here.
6. Click Done.
7. Now your Mac will Check for updates and eventually show the Sonoma Developer Beta as an upgrade. Click on Upgrade Now.

If you are running macOS Ventura 13.3 or earlier:

Apple changed the way it delivers betas in Ventura 13.4. If you aren’t yet running that version of macOS you will need to download the macOS Developer Beta Access Utility or macOS Public Beta Access Utility.

If you were already running an earlier macOS Public Beta you’ll find the new macOS beta as an upgrade via Software Update. Just click on Upgrade Now. You may have to update to the latest version of your current beta before you can do so, if not follow the steps below to get the beta access utility.

1. If you are enrolled in the Developer Program, go to Apple’s beta download page. Click on Install Profile to download the new macOS Developer Beta Access Utility to your Mac.
2. If you are enrolled as a public beta tester, download the Download the macOS Public Beta Access Utility.
3. Go to Downloads on your Mac and click on the macOS Beta Access Utility to open it.
4. Double click on the dmg file and the installer will run.
5. Once the new macOS beta is installed Software Update will check to see if there are any updates. Click Update and the latest version will download.
6. You’ll see a prompt to install the latest macOS beta, click on Continue.
7. Agree to the Ts&Cs (more on them below).
8. Click Install.

How to update macOS beta versions

Once you are running the beta the updates will come through to your Mac automatically, you just need to click to install.

1. You will receive a notification when the next update to the beta is available.
2. Updates will be available via Software Update (in System Settings/System Preferences)

Everything else you need to know about beta testing

That covers how to get the betas, but once you have them what can you do, and what should you do? We’ll cover that below.

Is the macOS beta stable?

By its nature, a beta has the potential to be unstable. Therefore it’s not advised that you install it on a Mac that you rely on. If you have a second Mac that isn’t mission-critical then install it there. We strongly recommend that you don’t risk all by putting the macOS beta on your primary macOS, especially not in the early days of the beta development. 

If you don’t have a second Mac there are a couple of ways you could run macOS beta on your Mac without running the risk of losing data or finding your Mac stops working:

• We recommend installing it on a partition – which these days is really a volume (and is so much easier to create than a partition was). Read about how to do that here: How to dual-boot Mac: Run two versions of macOS on a Mac.
• Alternatively, you could install the macOS beta on an external drive and run it on that.

We discuss the safety of the macOS beta and the risks you might be taking in more detail in a separate article.

If the stability of the beta worries you then you are probably better off waiting until the final version is out, or at least wait until testing has been happening for a few months before getting the beta.

How to prepare your Mac for the beta

Update your software: We recommend you have the latest full version of macOS installed, although Apple says that the macOS Developer Beta Access Utility requires macOS 10.8 or later.

Make space: We’d recommend at least 15GB of available space because the macOS betas tend to be very large. If you end up requiring more space read: How to free up space on Mac. Note that we always recommend that you have at least 10% space free on your Mac at any time, so if you don’t have that expect problems!

Back up: Before you install a beta on your Mac you should make a backup of your data and files. You can find out how to use Time Machine to back up your Mac. We also have a round-up of suitable backup solutions.

How to send feedback to Apple

Should you come across an error or a bug you should use the Feedback Assistant app to provide feedback to Apple. Launch the app and follow the appropriate steps, selecting the area about which you’re providing feedback and then any specific sub-area. Then describe your issue in a single sentence, before providing a more detailed description, including any specific steps that reproduce the issue. You’ll also be able to attach other files.

You’ll also have to give permission for the Feedback Assistant app to collect diagnostic information from your Mac.

It won’t always be obvious whether something is a bug or just not as easy to use as you might have hoped. Either way, if your feedback is that something appears to work in an illogical way, Apple will want to know that.

If you are having trouble with a third-party app you can let Apple know by reporting it through the 3rd-party Application Compatibility category in the Feedback Assistant. However, we’d suggest that you also provide feedback to the app’s developer who will no doubt be grateful.

Will I be able to update from macOS beta to the final version?

Beta users will be able to install the final build of the OS on release day without needing to reformat or reinstall.

Can I talk about the beta publicly?

According to Apple and the license agreement all beta testers must agree to, the beta is “Apple confidential information”. By accepting those terms, you agree not to discuss your use of the software with anyone who isn’t also in the Beta Software Program. That means you can’t “blog, post screenshots, tweet, or publicly post information about the public beta software.”

However, you can discuss any information that Apple has publicly disclosed; the company says that information is no longer considered confidential.

How to downgrade from the macOS beta

You can always revert to an earlier version of macOS, though depending on how you back up, it’s not necessarily a painless process.

Start by making sure the data on your drive is backed up, then erase the drive and install the latest public version of macOS. When you first startup your Mac you can use the Migration Assistant to import your data from the backup. Here’s a more detailed tutorial on downgrading from the macOS beta we also have a tutorial on downgrading to an older version of the Mac OS.

Personal Software

If you don’t want to wait to install the next version of macOS, for which Apple will be revealing the details of at WWDC in June, you can join the beta program and try it out on your Mac before it is released to the public in September or October.

The developer beta of macOS 14 will be available to download, if you are a registered developer, shortly after the Apple Keynote on June 5. The public beta version will then be available for anyone to signs up for the Public Beta program around the beginning of July.

While you wait for the beta of macOS 14 to drop you can test the next update to macOS 13 Ventura. Testers are currently running macOS 13.5.

In this article, we’ll run through what you need to do to get your hands on the beta of the next version of the Mac operating system, how to install it, and what you should bear in mind if you don’t want to end up in a pickle.

If you would prefer to wait for the full version of macOS 14 here’s how to update macOS on your Mac.

macOS 14 beta release date

The first version of the developer beta of Ventura arrived after the WWDC keynote on June 6, 2022 so we expect that the first developer beta of macOS 14 (name tbc) will arrive similarly after the keynote on June 5, 2023. It is normal for Apple to release the first beta following the keynote so that developers can immediately start testing to make sure their apps work.

The public beta of Ventura was released on July 11, 2022., so we expect a similar timescale for macOS 14, perhaps July 10, 2023.

Who can get the macOS beta?

Apple lets developers get their hands on beta versions of its operating system early so that they can make sure that the software works – and so they can use new tools in the next version of the macOS to enhance their own programs ready for launch when the final version of macOS is ready.

But it’s not just developers who get an early look, though. Back at WWDC 2015 Apple announced that it was going to let members of the public test the upcoming new version of its Mac operating system as part of a free beta program. That means that anyone can get their hands on the new version of macOS before it is released to the general public later in the year, you just need to be prepared for bugs and other problems.

If you want to get the beta the first thing you need to do, if you haven’t already, is join Apple’s beta programs read this for more information:
How to become an Apple beta tester.

As we explained, there are two types of Apple beta program. One for developers who need to test their apps, and one for members of the public willing to test early versions of Apple’s software.

If you want to be a public beta tester, you can sign up to join the Apple Beta Software Program here. There’s more information on signing up below in the article mentioned above.

If you’re after the beta because you are an Apple Developer you need to go to enroll in the program here. We have more information on signing up in the ‘How to become an Apple beta tester’ article linked above.

Public vs Developer beta – what’s the difference?

The public beta is not the same as the beta that is released through the developer program.

Price: To be part of the Developer Beta program you need to be a paid up member of the Apple Developer Program (which is $99 a year). The Public beta is free.

Timing: Developers will get updates to the beta first, and possibly more frequently. They may also get to test new features not available in the public beta. 

Stability: Betas by nature are not stable. Public beta testers, because the public beta is released after the Developer Beta, do at least have a few days

Aim: Developers usually have the aim of ensuing their apps work when the updated macOS is released to the general public. Public Beta testers are essentially helping Apple detect bugs and offering feedback on the features.

Is the macOS beta stable?

By its nature, a beta has the potential to be unstable. Therefore it’s not advised that you install it on a Mac that you rely on. If you have a second Mac that isn’t mission-critical then install it there. We strongly recommend that you don’t risk all by putting the macOS beta on your primary macOS, especially not in the early days of the beta development. 

If you don’t have a second Mac there are a couple of ways you could run macOS beta on your Mac without running the risk of losing data or finding your Mac stops working:

• We recommend installing it on a partition – which these days is really a volume (and is so much easier to create than a partition was). Read about how to do that here: How to dual-boot Mac: Run two versions of macOS on a Mac.
• Alternatively, you could install the macOS beta on an external drive and run it on that.

We discuss the safety of the macOS beta and the risks you might be taking in more detail in a separate article.

If the stability of the beta worries you then you are probably better off waiting until the final version is out, or at least wait until testing has been happening for a few months before getting the beta.

How to prepare your Mac for the beta

Update your software: We recommend you have the latest full version of macOS installed, although Apple says that the macOS Developer Beta Access Utility requires macOS 10.8 or later.

Make space: We’d recommend at least 15GB of available space because the macOS betas tend to be very large. If you end up requiring more space read: How to free up space on Mac. Note that we always recommend that you have at least 10% space free on your Mac at any time, so if you don’t have that expect problems!

Back up: Before you install a beta on your Mac you should make a backup of your data and files. You can find out how to use Time Machine to back up your Mac. We also have a round-up of suitable backup solutions.

How to get the macOS developer beta

Here’s how to download and install a beta version of macOS on your Mac.

If you haven’t yet registered as a developer you need to enroll in the program – here.

1. Go to developer.apple.com
2. Click on Account and log in.
3. If you aren’t signed up for the Apple Developer program you can do so here: Click on Join the Apple Developer Program and then click on Enroll (top right). Then click on Start Your Enrolment. Enrolment in the Apple Developer Program costs $99.
4. Once you are enrolled in the Developer Program, go to Apple’s beta download page.
5. Click on Install Profile to download the new macOS Developer Beta Access Utility to your Mac.
6. Go to Downloads on your Mac and click on the new macOS Developer Beta Access Utility to open it.
7. Double click on the macOSDeveloperBetaAccessUtility.pkg and the installer will run.
8. Once the new macOS beta is installed Software Update will check to see if there are any updates. Click Update and the latest version will download.
9. You’ll see a prompt to install the latest macOS beta, click on Continue.
10. Agree to the Ts&Cs (more on them below).
11. Click Install.

How to get the macOS beta if you aren’t a developer

If you aren’t a developer you can install the public beta. However, some people are impatient and will be looking for ways to download the macOS Developer Beta Access Utility so they can try out the developer beta before the pubic beta launches.

In the past this is has been possible to install the developer beta because third-party sites offered the profile required to get the macOS Developer Beta Access Utility. However, since the arrival of macOS 13.4 Apple may have made this impossible because updates to the beta will only be available through Software Update and will be tied to the Apple ID you use on your Mac.

If you need another reminder of why it’s not a good idea to download the betas this way, here are a couple of reasons to steer clear:

• Apple does not support or control these sites and could decide to take legal action against these sites and their users.
• We cannot provide any guarantee that the content found on these sites is harmless. Downloading is very much at your own risk.

We recommend that you become an official Public Beta tester. Find out how to become an Apple Beta Tester here.

How to get the macOS public beta

Follow these steps to install the public beta of macOS.

If you were already running an earlier macOS Public Beta you’ll find the new macOS beta as an upgrade via Software Update. Just click on Upgrade Now. You may have to update to the latest version of your current beta before you can do so.

In macOS 13.4 and later

1. Before you install the beta make sure you back up your Mac – if you decide to stop using the beta you will need to revert to this backup version.
2. Go to Apple’s beta webpage.
3. Click on Sign In and enter your Apple ID and password (or Sign Up if you haven’t yet – in which case return to the section above for those steps).
4. Click on Enroll Your Devices.
5. Click on the macOS tab.
6. You’ll have backed up your Mac, as we advised above, so now click on Open Software Update
7. If you are using Software Update make sure you sign in with the same Apple ID as you have for the beta program. Beside Beta Updates select macOS Public Beta.
8. You will now be able to install the macOS public beta from Software Update. Click Update Now and the beta will download and install.

In macOS 13.3 or earlier

If you are running Ventura 13.4 or later, follow the same steps as above to enroll but instead of clicking on Open Software Update you will need to Download the macOS Public Beta Access Utility.

1. Click on Download the macOS Public Beta Access Utility here.
2. The installer may open automatically, but if not, open your Downloaded items folder and locate the file called macOSPublicBetaAccessUtility.dmg. Double click on the dmg file. 
3. Go through the steps to install it, including signing in to the Feedback Assistant.
4. Once you have downloaded the Beta Access Utility you will be able to download the beta via Software Update (which you can get to by clicking on the Apple logo).
5. You will either see Software Update prompting you to download the Public Beta, or the Mac App Store will open on the macOS Beta Page. Click on Download and the public beta version will download. You’ll be able to continue to use your Mac while this takes place (it usually takes over half an hour for us).
6. Once the beta has been downloaded you will see an invitation to install it. When you click to install, your Mac will shut down, so finish what you are doing as your Mac will be out of action for another half hour or so.
7. Finally, your Mac will restart.
8. Click on Continue.
9. Sign in with your Apple ID and password.

How to update macOS beta versions

Once you are running the beta the updates will come through to your Mac automatically, you just need to click to install.

1. You will receive a notification when the next update to the beta is available.
2. Updates will be available via Software Update (in System Settings/System Preferences)

Everything else you need to know about beta testing

That covers how to get the betas, but once you have them what can you do, and what should you do? We’ll cover that below.

How to send feedback to Apple

Should you come across an error or a bug you should use the Feedback Assistant app to provide feedback to Apple. Launch the app and follow the appropriate steps, selecting the area about which you’re providing feedback and then any specific sub-area. Then describe your issue in a single sentence, before providing a more detailed description, including any specific steps that reproduce the issue. You’ll also be able to attach other files.

You’ll also have to give permission for the Feedback Assistant app to collect diagnostic information from your Mac.

It won’t always be obvious whether something is a bug or just not as easy to use as you might have hoped. Either way, if your feedback is that something appears to work in an illogical way, Apple will want to know that.

If you are having trouble with a third-party app you can let Apple know by reporting it through the 3rd-party Application Compatibility category in the Feedback Assistant. However, we’d suggest that you also provide feedback to the app’s developer who will no doubt be grateful.

Will I be able to update from macOS beta to the final version?

Beta users will be able to install the final build of the OS on release day without needing to reformat or reinstall.

Can I talk about the beta publicly?

According to Apple and the license agreement all beta testers must agree to, the beta is “Apple confidential information”. By accepting those terms, you agree not to discuss your use of the software with anyone who isn’t also in the Beta Software Program. That means you can’t “blog, post screenshots, tweet, or publicly post information about the public beta software.”

However, you can discuss any information that Apple has publicly disclosed; the company says that information is no longer considered confidential.

How to downgrade from the macOS beta

You can always revert to an earlier version of macOS, though depending on how you back up, it’s not necessarily a painless process.

Start by making sure the data on your drive is backed up, then erase the drive and install the latest public version of macOS. When you first startup your Mac you can use the Migration Assistant to import your data from the backup. Here’s a more detailed tutorial on downgrading from the macOS beta we also have a tutorial on downgrading to an older version of the Mac OS.

Personal Software

Macs may be a far less tempting target for malware and viruses, but they’re not immune from attack. Even if you don’t care about adware or being used as means to infect users on other platforms, it’s still possible to fall victim to ransomware, or password theft.

Accordingly, good antivirus for Mac software will protect your Mac on all of these fronts. It’ll catch malware that’s still spreading or in circulation; block ransomware; protect older systems with out-of-date software from security vulnerabilities; prevent your Mac from acting as a carrier for malware aimed at other operating systems; and keep infected files off of any virtual machines you’re running.

As to the question of which Mac antivirus software you should choose, our current top pick is Intego Mac Internet Security. However, you will find several other recommendations below that may suit you better, depending upon the type and number of devices that need protection and also how much you want to pay.

Our top contenders in our best Mac antivirus round up dominate by posting perfect (or virtually near perfect) scores from security research labs, passing our own malware detection tests with flying colors, offering well-designed interfaces, and even throwing in extra features like a firewall or password manager.

For some great discounts and deals see our best Mac antivirus deals round up.

Updated May 5, 2023 to update the F-Secure review.

Best antivirus for Mac reviews

Best Mac antivirus at a glance comparison

Here is an overview of the top Mac antivirus software tested above.

Developer

Product name

USB scan

Ransomware protection

Adware prevention

Anti phishing  protection

Email protection

Firewall

VPN

iOS version

Parental Controls

Support

Trial

Price

Intego

Internet Security X9

Y

Y

X

Y

X

Y

X

Y

Y

Y

7 days

$49.99/£49.99 / ye ($24.99/£20.99 /yr deal)

Clario

Antivirus 1.5 for Mac

Y

Y

Y

Y

X

X

Y

Y

X

Y

7 days

£107.88/£107.88 / ye (currently $50/£50 /ye); ($4.17/£4.17 / mo for a year, or $8.99/£8.99 /mo billed monthly)

AVG

AntiVirus for Mac

X

X

X

X

Y

X

X

Y

X

X

60 days

Free (Paid for version is $2.49 per month for one year / $2.39 a month for two-years / $2.29 a month for three-years)

Norton

360 Deluxe

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

30 days

$39.99/£34.99/yr

McAfee

Total Protection

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

30 days

$34.99/£34.99/yr

Avast

Premium Security

Y

Y

X

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

X

Y

60 days

$44.99/£39.99/yr

Bitdefender

Total Security

Y

Y

X

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

30 days

$39.97/£34.99/yr

Eset

Cyber Security Pro

Y

Y

X

Y

Y

Y

X

X

Y

Y

30 days

$49.95/£39.95/yr

Trend Micro

Antivirus for Mac

X

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

30 days

$39.99/£49.95

Avira

Prime

Y

Y

Y

Y

X

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

30 days

$99.99/£85.99

Do Macs need Mac antivirus software?

Plenty of Mac aficionados will tell you that Apple computers are inherently secure and don’t require protection. We’d argue that they are wrong – or overconfident, at the very least.

Not long ago, the Silver Sparrow malware was detected on Macs powered by the M1 processor and infected hundreds of thousands of Macs in total. The bad guys, then, are still very much targeting Mac users and they’re getting smarter and greedier. As a result, cyber security is something you can’t afford to ignore, and good Mac antivirus is a very good place to start if you want to stay safe.

Macs are generally more secure than their Windows brethren for two reasons. On the technical side, macOS is a Unix-based operating system. As a Unix-based operating system macOS is sandboxed.

Sandboxing is like having a series of fire doors: even if malware gains access to your Mac, it is unable to spread to other areas of the machine. They are more difficult to exploit than Windows PCs, but Macs are not unhackable.

More general advice can be found in our Mac security tips; and those who have been hit by a malware attack should try how to remove a virus from a Mac.

How to choose the best Mac antivirus

Features fundamental to all packages are two ways to find viruses: on-demand protection and via always-on protection. The former finds viruses by examining one file after another during scheduled scans, or when you choose to undertake a scan, perhaps because you’re worried your Mac might be infected. The speed at which the Mac antivirus app can do this is important, because some take a long time and also hog the Mac’s CPU while they do so. Waiting six hours to find out if your Mac is infected is neither convenient nor relaxing.

Always-on malware protection is what protects the user outside of the times when scans are run. If some malware arrives, perhaps via an email or a downloaded file, then the always-on protection should be able to detect it and either quarantine it (copy it to a safe folder so the user can decide what to do with it), or simply delete it. Usually a notification is shown when malware is detected in this way, but not all antimalware apps show the same amount of explanation of what’s happened – and this was one of the factors we examined in our testing.

Outside of direct malware detection, many security suites include additional tools such as ransomware protection. Ransomware is a type of malware that, once it’s infected a computer, encrypts all the user’s files and then demands a fee to decrypt them. To protect against this infection, anti-ransomware features typically block any app from writing to a user’s home folders, such as Documents or Photos, unless the app’s pre-approved (a process called whitelisting). Lots of apps come already pre-approved, of course, such as Microsoft Word, or Apple’s own Photos app. But you can add others.

Several products also include virtual private network (
VPN) add-ons. These protect an internet connection by encrypting it, and this is useful when utilising unsafe open WiFi such as that provided by a café or hotel. In our experience, these are not replacements for separate paid-for VPN services as many do not unblock video streaming services and some are cut-down versions which constantly nag you to pay extra for the full, premium versions.

Web protection via browser plugins or extensions is also a common component and aims to stop you (or your children) doing anything you regret online, such as visiting fake or infected websites or handing over personal information.

There are usually different options from each vendor, and you get more extras with the top packages, and far fewer with free ones. They might include password managers, parental controls, cloud storage – the list goes on. Generally, the underlying antimalware engine is the same in all products from the same company, so you can save money if you don’t need those additional features.

Do bear in mind that all antivirus for Mac apps are sold as yearly subscriptions. That’s right, you can’t just pay once and use forever. Often there’s a hefty discount for that first year’s subscription, but this can burn you when automatic renewal occurs a year later and the full retail price is charged: often 100% more. Alternatively, you can purchase several years’ subscriptions at once for a bigger discount.

Some of the best Mac antivirus subscriptions allow you to install the software on more than one computer (including Windows and Android devices), which can sometimes add significantly to the value – all computers, phones and tablets within a household can be protected with one subscription.

Spotting fake Mac antivirus software

Beware that, due to the fact that people are so concerned about malware threats on the Mac, there have been cases of malware disguising itself as an antivirus app, such as the Mac Auto Fixer pop-ups that appeared on some Macs suggesting that software needs to be installed (at a high price). This is similar to another fake antivirus app called MacDefender.

Another Mac antivirus company that is often thought of as unscrupulous is MacKeeper. In the past various reports have suggested it is a scam or at worst malware. In recent times MacKeeper has attempted to transform itself and leave its disreputability behind. It has, for example, gained Apple Notarization – which means the software is checked by Apple for malicious components. The company has also been working to get certifications from various bodies to prove it isn’t a PUP, including an AV-Test certificate. If you have any problems with MacKeeper we do explain how to remove it here: How to uninstall MacKeeper.

How we test Mac antivirus software

Each software package is evaluated creating a clean installation of macOS, cloning it for each AV product, and then booting separately into each one to install a different package. This was to ensure that previous app installations didn’t interfere with new ones – sometimes AV software treats other AV software as an infection.

In addition to visiting malicious websites, downloading known malicious software, and even running said malware on our Mac, we also reference the most recent reports from two labs that regularly cover macOS malware: AV Comparatives and AV-TEST. These laboratories test AV software against sets of known malware as well as products that are grouped as potentially unwanted applications (like adware).

The latter doesn’t damage or expose your computer or its files but may consume power and CPU cycles. Because the testing effectively looks at a combination of virus databases and behavior, they remain good gauges even after many months. When an antivirus for Mac software package lacks a rating from a known security research lab, we do more extensive testing with real malware.

Finally, while we gave props for a lot of different features and behaviors, we marked products down if they lacked any or all of the following:

• A nearly perfect score on macOS malware detection
• Ransomware monitoring
• Native browser plug-in or system-level Web proxy
• A high score on Windows malware detection

Privacy concerns

Using a Mac antivirus product, especially any that includes tools to also improve your online privacy, may lull you into believing you’re safe from personal and private information leaking out. That’s not quite the case. While there’s no reason to panic, you should consider a few reasonable issues.

First, an antivirus for Mac product may upload the complete text of files flagged to the cloud, where it can be analyzed by separate tools hosted there. This practice is normal and sensible: Some malware can detect when a running process may examine it, and will then engage in subterfuge. Antivirus software makers also can access their massive databases to examine files with characteristics that trigger their algorithms—certain elements that match known malware. As a result, security researchers discover new viruses, worms, Trojans horses, and the like.

However, helping the greater good means you’ll have to be comfortable with trusting a third-party with your file contents. Where appropriate, we noted privacy policy issues in individual reviews.

Second, this software may also rely partly or entirely on cloud-based checks of URLs, malware, and the like. Accordingly, an AV package might upload every URL you visit, metadata about files, signatures of files, information about your computer’s hardware, a list of running or installed applications, and more. Companies vary on their disclosure of such policies, and may not let you opt out of this kind of sharing. We note issues in each review as available.

Third, anti-virus software makers also get a sense of what behavior is happening on your computer that’s being monitored or blocked, and may use that information for their own purposes. In some cases, you can opt out of this information gathering.

Antivirus, Personal Software, Security