Macos Big Sur Unsupported Mac

For Mac users, the release of the newest macOS update is always a big day. What will the new interface look like? What new features are there? And, importantly, will it be compatible with my Mac? Big Sur is a significant update that is supposed to bring macOS more in-line with iOS. However, with every new update older Macs get left behind even though some devices can last for several years. If your old Mac is optimized and you’ve taken good care of it then it’s probably still running great. Although older computers may not officially support Big Sur, it doesn’t mean that it’s impossible to install.

Which Macs Don’t Support Big Sur?

Whether or not your Mac officially supports Big Sur depends on the model as there is no set cut-off point. If you have any of the devices below then you’re going to have to install Big Sur the hard way:

In this video, I am going to show you how to install the final version of macOS Big Sur on an Unsupported Mac (2008-2013)Useful links:The patcher's site (mos. The guide to install macOS Big Sur on Mac not supported. Here are the steps to follow: Start the InstallAssistant.pkg package. Connect the USB stick. Use Disk Utility to initialize the key as “extended macOS (Journaled)” by creating a partition like “GUID”. Open the Terminal and write: sudo / Applications / Install macOS Beta.app. Install macOS normally onto the desired volume. When the install completes, reboot back onto the installer drive. This time, open the 'macOS Post Install' application. In the application, select the Mac model you are using. The optimal patches will be selected for you based on the model you select.

  • MacBook – mid 2010 and earlier
  • MacBook Air – mid 2012 and earlier
  • MacBook Pro – early 2013 and earlier
  • iMac – late 2013 and earlier
  • Mac Mini – late 2012 and earlier
  • Mac Pro – mid 2012 and earlier

All of the devices mentioned above are now seen by Apple as obsolete products, meaning they’re no longer supported technically either by replacement hardware or through OS updates.

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MacBook Pro Issues

Some MacBook Pro users are having difficulty with Big Sur even though their device is technically compatible. Anyone with a late 2013 or mid 2014 model MacBook Pro is able to upgrade their system but may end up facing a permanent black screen. Thankfully, Apple has offered a workaround for users experiencing these kinds of issues. In spite of this, some people are still having problems and in that case the only solution is to contact Apple Support directly for help.

How To Upgrade an Older Mac To macOS Big Sur

Anyone with an incompatible Mac will have noticed that Software Update doesn’t give you the option to install Big Sur. To upgrade you’ll need a patcher to trick Software Update into thinking your computer is compatible. But before you get started, there are a few things you need to do.

First, you need to make sure you’re starting the process with your Mac running Catalina. You’ll also need a couple of USB flash drives with at least 16GB storage. These drives must be modified in Disk Utility to work as your bootable OS installer. The first flash drive is for Big Sur and the second is to be used as a backup installer for Catalina in case anything goes wrong in the process. It’s also worth taking advantage of Time Machine for an extra safety net.

Of course, you’ll also need to obtain a copy of Big Sur since it won’t be available to download automatically. There are two ways to do this. First, you can register with the Apple Beta Software Program for free to download the beta. However, using a beta version can cause issues. Instead, it’s better to register with the Apple Developer program at $99 a year to download the finished article.

Next, you’ll need to find a patcher online that will be able to trick your system into installing Big Sur even if it’s incompatible. There are a few of these around and you’ll easily be able to find one on GitHub, like user barrykn’s micropatcher. But since each patcher works in slightly different ways, it’s important you follow every step of the process to the letter. You don’t want to end up with a broken Mac, after all.

When Not To Update an Unsupported Mac To Big Sur

Just because you can install Big Sur doesn’t necessarily mean that you should. First, it’s a very complicated process as the Big Sur update is one of the most significant in recent times, making it more difficult for patches to be created. In the past, like when upgrading older Macs to High Sierra, there were ready-made patches that made life easy. Anyone who isn’t a technical wizard may have issues with Big Sur if they don’t follow guides exactly. You also need to be sure that you’re confident using the Mac Terminal, as it’s an important part of the process.

Install big sur on older macPatched sur download

Depending on what system you’re upgrading from, you may encounter issues that affect your Wi-Fi connection, graphics bugs that slow down your system, or frequent crashes. This is because Big Sur is relying on more recent hardware that simply doesn’t exist in older models. You’ll also find that new versions of the software you use daily are built with the assumption that you have Big Sur working without any issues. Meanwhile, much older systems will need significant upgrades to even have the capability of running Big Sur in the first place.

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macOS 11 Big Sur is an advanced Macintosh operating system that you can install on your Mac. It has got tons of new features to enhance the user experience, like making safari browser 50% faster, new features of messages, Air Pods improvements, new-design sidebar in mail and photos, widgets in the notification bar, and many more.

Apple announced this new software on 22 June at WWDC. And this time, Apple did a big challenge and released the macOS 11 Big Sur along with iOS 14, iPadOS 14, tvOS 14, and watchOS 7. Meanwhile, Apple highlighted all the new features, changes, and improvements to the current software. You can download this new operating system from various sources now. Unfortunately, some Macs can't receive macOS 11 Big Sur update and they can't install the new operating system. In this article, we will discuss how to install macOS 11 Big Sur on an Unsupported Mac with easy steps.

Part 1: Official List of Big Sur Supported Mac Models

macOS 11 Big Sur Developer Beta is available to download. But you have to check your Mac compatibility first. If you have the below-listed Macs then you don't have to install macOS 11 Big Sur as these models will receive an update for macOS Big Sur automatically.

  • MacBook 2015 and later
  • MacBook Air and Pro Late 2013 and later
  • Mac mini 2014 and later
  • iMac 2014 and later
  • iMac Pro 2017 and later (all models)
  • Mac Pro 2013 and later

Part 2: Unsupported Mac Models of Big Sur (Not Eligible for Direct Upgrade)

On the other hand, if you have the below-listed Mac computers then you can install macOS Big Sur on those models as they are unsupported officially. You have to do some hacks to let Big Sur running on unsupported Macs.

  • MacBook Air 2012
  • MacBook Pro 2012 and Early 2013 MacBook Pro
  • 2012 Mac Mini
  • 2012 and 2013 iMac

Part 3: How to Install macOS Big Sur on an Unsupported Mac

Before the installation, make sure that you take a backup of your Mac on an external hard disk as you will lose all your data when you install the new operating system. There are several backup software like Time Machine, iCloud, Dropbox, and many more. Once you have taken a backup follow the instructions below to install macOS Big Sur on your unsupported Mac.

Step 1: First you need to download two files from the links below to complete the macOS 11 Big Sur installation on your unsupported Mac.

  • macOS Big Sur PKG installer: https://developer.apple.com/macos/
  • macOS Big Sur PKG install hack: https://forums.macrumors.com/simple-installer-hack-zip.926156/

Step 2: After you have downloaded these two files, unzip the hack and copy the hax.dylib file and then paste it to home folder.

Step 3: Click on Install Assistant.pkg to install required contents to your Mac. Make sure that you have enough space on your hard disk as the file will take 20.1 MB size on your computer.

Step 4: Now go ahead and tap on the Install button to install the software on the disk 'Macintosh SSD'. Once you click the 'Install' button then it will ask you to enter your password. Next, click the 'Install Software' button.

Step 5: Next, you have to boot your computer into Recovery mode. You can do that by pressing Command + R immediately on startup until Recovery option appears. In case if you have no recovery partition, you can press down Command + Option +R to get into Internet Recovery. After that, go to Utilities -> Terminal and type 'csrutil disable', followed by pressing the Enter button on your keyboard.

Step 6: Type the following two commands in the terminal. Once you apply the first command, type your login password, and then input the second command.

sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.security.libraryvalidation.plist DisableLibraryValidation -bool true

launchctl setenv DYLD_INSERT_LIBRARIES $PWD/Hax.dylib

Big Sur On Unsupported

Step 7: Next, run the macOS 11 Big Sur installer app that you installed from InstallAssistant.pkg a while ago. Now click on the 'Continue' button and follow the instructions to complete the installation process.

Step 8: The installation will take about 30 minutes approximately. Once the installation is successful you will see the macOS 11 Big Sur wallpaper on your Mac screen. That's it, you have installed macOS Big Sur on your unsupported Mac successfully.

Follow the above-mentioned method to install macOS 11 Big Sur on unsupported Mac devices. The method is quite easy; you just have to focus on the command line and other installation procedures.

Part 4: Alternative Method to Install Big Sur on an Unsupported Mac

The above tutorial is for users who still have access to their device. However, if your Mac is unable to boot into Desktop or you are using a Hackintosh, then you should follow the alternative method instead. In this part, we will show you how to create a macOS Big Sugr bootable USB on a Windows PC and install macOS Big Sur on unsupported Mac by using that bootable media.

Step 1: Make a full backup of important files on your Mac.

Step 2: Download a copy of UUByte DMG Editor and follow the instructions to install it on your Windows PC.

Clean Install Macos Big Sur Unsupported Mac

Step 3: Insert a USB flash drive into PC and open UUByte DMG Editor. Now, click the Burn tab to get into the new window.

Step 4: You will see three options on Burn windows. Please import macOS Big Sur DMG file into the program and choose the USB drive name. You can also set a new name for that USB drive. And this is optional.

Step 5: Once the setting process is completed, just click 'Burn' button located at the bottom to start burning dmg file to USB on your PC. You should wait about 10 minutes for this task.

Step 6: Plug Big Sur bootable USB on your Mac and press Power + Option combine keys to open Startup Manager. At this stage, you are able to select a booting device. Click on the USB drive and start Big Sur installation process.

This part is mainly for Windows users who want to install Big Sur on an unsupported Mac. The most important step is to create a bootable USB drive.

Troubleshooting:

Macos Big Sur Unsupported Mac

Macos big sur unsupported macbook pro

If your system is showing any error message while installing the macOS Big Sur you can try these methods to fix it.

  • Restart your Computer and continue with the installation.
  • Make sure that your Mac’s date and time is correct.
  • Check your Hard Drive to see that you have enough free space to carry out the installation.
  • Make sure that the version of macOS Big Sur is up to date including the macOs installer
  • Run first aid on your startup disk before installing macOS Big Sur to check any system files are damaged or not.

Summary

Big Sur Unsupported Patch

You can see that it is not hard to install macOS Big Sur on an Supported Mac. Make sure that you key in the right command lines which are mentioned above, as typing a wrong command can harm your system. Enjoy the great features that come with the macOS Big Sur on your unsupported device!