Apple released OS X Mavericks recently. The best part of all? This latest version of OS X is completely free and available right now from the Mac App Store. Now, installing a new OS always seems like a daunting task, but thanks to it being available digitally, the installation of OS X Mavericks can be as simple or as thorough as you want it to be. So, if you plan to upgrade to OS X Mavericks, let’s take a look at a few different steps that you should take care of before doing so.
Is Your Mac Compatible?
Surprisingly, instead of being available only for Macs a couple of generations old, OS X Mavericks supports devices all the way from 2007. Here is a list of all the devices supported:
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)
To see which device you have, go to the Apple menu on the menu bar and select About This Mac. Then click on the More Info… button and see your Mac’s model on the next window.
Clean Up Your Mac
There is no better time to do some cleaning to your Mac than when installing a new OS. This clean up usually entails getting rid of files you don’t need (which you can find by using a tool like Daisy Disk) and most importantly, by verifying and repairing your Mac’s disk permissions.
Backup Your Mac
This is an essential step when it comes to any upgrade, so it should be even more so when installing a new version of OS X. Check this post to learn how to create a bootable backup of your Mac easily and for free.
Installing OS X Mavericks the Easy Way
One of the greatest things about installing OS X Mavericks is that the Mac App Store makes the process super easy if you are not an advanced user. In order to install it, first open the Mac App Store on your Mac and look for OS X Mavericks (here is a link just in case). Once you find it, click on Free Upgrade and then on Install App. After that, authenticate your account by using your Apple ID and then wait for OS X Mavericks to download (it is a pretty hefty file at about 5.29 GB). Once your download is ready, click on Continue on the OS X Mavericks install window. Then agree to the terms and conditions, select the main hard drive where the OS will be installed and click on Install. After a few minutes OS X Mavericks will be installed and your Mac will restart on its own. All left for you to do will be to set up iCloud Keychain (a new feature of this new OS) and you will be all set and ready to enjoy a Mac that will feel almost as fresh as new.
