College Supported Mac Models

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College Supported Mac Models 

Starting May 14, 2025, we are requiring upgrading to Tahoe on any compatible Mac computer. Previously, we restricted general availability to OIT for 30 days and early adopters for 90 days after Apple’s public release. During the Winter Break and Spring Semester, people were allowed to upgrade at their leisure. Since Tahoe’s release, OIT has not received any reported issues with Microsoft Office, network security, nor antivirus software. Some minor issues with Adobe on older Intel hardware.  

 We expect a similar release cycle for Golden Gate with restrictions for the first 30 days to OIT and hope to make it available to early adopters 30 or 60 days after release. With general availability of 90 days and forced updates at spring break or end of spring semester. 

If you have software known to be not compatible with macOS 27 Golden Gate and wish to be added to the do not upgrade list, please email the helpdesk@slcc.edu. 

College macOS Requirements and Supported Macs Models 

Salt Lake Community College limits support and access to the internet and network resources to Macintosh computers that can receive security updates from Apple, Adobe, Microsoft, etc. Following Apple’s lead most developers only prove security updates for the last three macOS versions. 

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SLCC Support for Legacy Macs Models 

  Existing computers deployed and actively in use but incompatible with the latest macOS, can be used until their macOS version is retired. We will send notifications directly to the machine weekly starting in January.  Apple stops providing security updates in July, So the college will remote lock computers after grades are due for summer semester. On computers that can upgrade but are running an old macOS, they will be remotely locked after spring semester, prior to the projected final security update in July. Computers that cannot run a support macOS should be surplus. 

But computers from surplus, a department’s inactive reserves or spare computers must be capable of running the latest macOS to be brought back into service and circulation. 

Apple is currently supporting macOS Versions: 

macOS 27 Golden Gate In testing by OIT, will be deployed spring of 2027  (Apple silicon is mandatory for macOS 27; no Intel Macs are supported) 

  • MacBook Air (M1, M2, M3 and newer) 
  • MacBook Pro (13-inch, 14-inch, 16-inch with M1, M2, M3and newer) 
  • iMac (24-inch M1, M3 and later) 
  • Mac mini (M1, M2, M3 and later) 
  • Mac Studio (M1 Max, M1 Ultra, M2 Max, M3 and newer) 
  • Mac Pro (Apple silicon models and newer) 
  • MacBook Neo (A18 Pro and newer) the Neo does not meet  SLCC Mac's minimal of 16 GB of memory and an SSD of 512 GB

macOS 26 Tahoe Preferred OS, retiring Summer of 2028  (Last macOS to any Support Intel Processors) 

  • MacBook Pro 2019 and later. 
  • MacBook Air M1 2020 and later. 
  • iMac 2020 and later 
  • Mac mini M1 2020 and later. 
  • Mac Studio 2022 and later. 
  • Mac Pro 2019 and 2023. 

  

macOS 15 Sequoia Legacy OS retiring Summer of 2027(Last macOS to Support Firewire) 

  • iMac 2019 and later 
  • Mac Pro 2019 and later. 
  • iMac Pro 2017 and later. 
  • Mac Studio 2022 and later. 
  • MacBook Air 2020 and later. 
  • Mac mini 2018 and later. 
  • MacBook Pro 2018 and later. 

  

macOS 14 Sonoma Legacy OS retiring Aug. 14th, 2026 

  • iMac 2019 and later 
  • Mac Pro 2019 and later. 
  • iMac Pro 2017. 
  • Mac Studio 2022 and later. 
  • MacBook Air 2018 and later. 
  • Mac mini 2018 and later. 
  • MacBook Pro 2018 and later. 

  

Apple discontinued support and retired these versions of macOS: 

        

Ventura macOS 13 Legacy OS retired Fall 2025 

  • MacBook Pro (2017 and later) 
  • MacBook Air (2018 and later) 
  • MacBook (2017) 
  • iMac Pro (2017) 
  • Mac mini (2018 and later) 
  • iMac (2017 and later) 
  • Mac Pro (2019) 
  • Mac Studio (2022) 

   

Monterey macOS 12 Legacy OS retiring Fall 2024 

  • MacBook (early 2016 and later) 
  • MacBook Air (early 2015 and later) 
  • MacBook Pro (early 2015 and later) 
  • Mac mini (late 2014 and later) 
  • iMac (late 2015 and later) 
  • iMac Pro (2017 and later) 
  • Mac Pro (late 2013 and later) 

  

Big Sur macOS 11 Legacy OS retired December 2023 

  • MacBook (2015 or newer) 
  • MacBook Air (2013 or newer) 
  • MacBook Pro (Late 2013 or newer) 
  • Mac mini (2014 or newer) 
  • iMac (2014 or newer) 
  • iMac Pro (2017 or newer) 
  • Mac Pro (2013 or newer) 

  

Catalina macOS 10.15.6 Retired December 2022 

Mojave macOS 10.14.6 Retired December 2021 

High Sierra macOS 10.13 Retired March 2021 

    

New macOS Support 

  ​​​​​OIT performance testing of new macOS releases to find and addressed the incompatible software issues before allowing the general college population to install. This process usually takes 1-4months from Apple’s Public release date for our critical software vendors to issue compatibility updates. 

 

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