Upgrade to OS X Yosemite.

Free on the Mac App Store.

1. Check your Mac hardware.

To get details about your Mac model, click the Apple icon at the top left of your screen, choose About This Mac, then choose More Info. These Mac models are compatible with OS X Yosemite:

  • iMac (Mid 2007 or newer)
  • MacBook (Late 2008 Aluminum, or Early 2009 or newer)
  • MacBook Pro (Mid/Late 2007 or newer)
  • MacBook Air (Late 2008 or newer)
  • Mac mini (Early 2009 or newer)
  • Mac Pro (Early 2008 or newer)
  • Xserve (Early 2009)

2. Check your version of OS X.

While you have the About This Mac window open, check what version of OS X your Mac is running. You’ll see it listed beneath your serial number. You can upgrade to OS X Yosemite from the following:

  • OS X Snow Leopard (v10.6.8)
  • OS X Lion (v10.7)
  • OS X Mountain Lion (v10.8)
  • OS X Mavericks (v10.9)

Upgrading from previous
versions of OS X

Upgrading from OS X Snow Leopard

If you’re running Snow Leopard (10.6.x), update to the latest version of Snow Leopard before you download OS X Yosemite from the Mac App Store. Click the Apple icon and choose Software Update to install OS X Snow Leopard 10.6.8, the latest version.

Upgrading from OS X Leopard

If you’re running Leopard and would like to upgrade to OS X Yosemite, first you’ll need to upgrade to OS X Snow Leopard. You can purchase OS X Snow Leopard here.

3. Upgrade to OS X Yosemite for free.

Visit the OS X Yosemite page on the Mac App Store. Click the download button, and follow the onscreen instructions to begin your upgrade. If you don’t have broadband access, you can upgrade your Mac at any Apple Retail Store.

General Requirements

  • OS X v10.6.8 or later
  • 2GB of memory
  • 8GB of available storage
  • Some features require an Apple ID; terms apply.
  • Some features require a compatible Internet service provider; fees may apply.

Feature Requirements

Handoff and Instant Hotspot

Supported by the following Mac models:

  • MacBook Air (2012 or newer)
  • MacBook Pro (2012 or newer)
  • iMac (2012 or newer)
  • Mac mini (2012 or newer)
  • Mac Pro (Late 2013)

Handoff requires an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with a Lightning connector and iOS 8.

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

Phone Calling

Phone Calling requires an iPhone with iOS 8. Requires an activated carrier plan.

SMS

SMS requires an iPhone with iOS 8.1. Requires an activated carrier plan.

AirDrop

AirDrop between Mac computers and iOS devices is supported by the following Mac models:

  • MacBook Air (2012 or newer)
  • MacBook Pro (2012 or newer)
  • iMac (2012 or newer)
  • Mac mini (2012 or newer)
  • Mac Pro (Late 2013)

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

AirDrop between two Mac computers is supported by the following Mac models:

  • MacBook Pro (Late 2008 or newer)*
  • MacBook Air (Late 2010 or newer)
  • MacBook (Late 2008 or newer)*
  • iMac (Early 2009 or newer)
  • Mac mini (Mid 2010 or newer)
  • Mac Pro (Early 2009 with AirPort Extreme card, or Mid 2010 or newer)

Time Machine

Requires an additional hard drive or AirPort Time Capsule (sold separately).

Photo Booth

Requires a FaceTime or iSight camera (built in or external), USB video class (UVC) camera, or FireWire DV camcorder. Backdrop effects when using a DV camcorder require fixed focus, exposure, and white balance.

FaceTime

Video calls require a built-in FaceTime camera, an iSight camera (built in or external), a USB video class (UVC) camera, or a FireWire DV camcorder; and a 128-Kbps upstream and downstream Internet connection. Making HD video calls requires a built-in FaceTime HD camera and a 1-Mbps upstream and downstream Internet connection. Receiving HD video calls requires a supported Intel-based Mac. Learn more

Boot Camp

Supports existing Boot Camp installations with Windows XP Service Pack 2, Windows Vista, or Windows 7. New Boot Camp installations require Windows 7 or Windows 8 (sold separately).

Spotlight Suggestions

Requires a broadband Internet connection.

Exchange Support

Requires Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 Service Pack 1 Update Rollup 4, Exchange Server 2010, or Exchange 2013. Auto-setup requires enabling the Autodiscovery feature of Microsoft Exchange Server.

AirPlay Mirroring

Requires an Apple TV (2nd generation or later). Supported by the following Mac models:

  • MacBook Pro (Early 2011 or newer)
  • MacBook Air (Mid 2011 or newer)
  • iMac (Mid 2011 or newer)
  • Mac mini (Mid 2011 or newer)
  • Mac Pro (Late 2013)

Peer-to-Peer AirPlay

Requires a Mac (2012 or later) with OS X Yosemite and an Apple TV (3rd generation rev A, model A1469 or later) with Apple TV software 7.0 or later.

Power Nap

Supported by the following Mac models:

  • MacBook Pro with Retina display (Mid 2012 or newer)
  • MacBook Air (Late 2010 or newer)
  • iMac (Late 2012 or newer)
  • Mac mini (Late 2012 or newer)
  • Mac Pro (Late 2013)

Gestures

Requires a Multi‑Touch trackpad, Magic Trackpad, or Magic Mouse.

VoiceOver Gestures

Requires a Multi‑Touch trackpad or Magic Trackpad.

Dictation

Requires a microphone (built in or external).

Mac App Store

Available only to persons age 13 or older in the U.S. and many other countries. Requires compatible hardware and software and Internet access; broadband recommended (fees may apply). Terms apply.

Download the OS X Yosemite Core Technologies Overview (PDF)

What’s Included

Applications
  • Automator
  • Calculator
  • Calendar
  • Chess
  • Contacts
  • Dashboard
  • Dictionary
  • DVD Player
  • FaceTime
  • Font Book
  • iBooks
  • Image Capture
  • iTunes
  • Launchpad
  • Mac App Store
  • Mail
  • Maps
  • Messages
  • Mission Control
  • Notes
  • Photo Booth
  • Preview
  • QuickTime Player
  • Reminders
  • Safari
  • Stickies
  • System Preferences
  • TextEdit
  • Time Machine
Learn more about
built-in apps
Utilities
  • Activity Monitor
  • AirPort Utility
  • AppleScript Editor
  • Audio MIDI Setup
  • Bluetooth File Exchange
  • Boot Camp Assistant
  • ColorSync Utility
  • Console
  • DigitalColor Meter
  • Disk Utility
  • Grab
  • Grapher
  • Keychain Access
  • Migration Assistant
  • System Information
  • Terminal
  • VoiceOver Utility
Languages
  • Arabic
  • Catalan
  • Croatian
  • Simplified Chinese
  • Traditional Chinese
  • Czech
  • Danish
  • Dutch
  • English
  • Finnish
  • French
  • German
  • Greek
  • Hebrew
  • Hungarian
  • Indonesian
  • Italian
  • Japanese
  • Korean
  • Malay
  • Norwegian
  • Polish
  • Brazilian Portuguese
  • Portuguese
  • Romanian
  • Russian
  • Slovak
  • Spanish
  • Spanish (Mexico)
  • Swedish
  • Thai
  • Turkish
  • Ukrainian
  • Vietnamese