It’ll show up as an update in the OS X app store, and should just need a few clicks to start the install. Apple launched El Capitan on September 30 last year, and the chances are it’ll target a similar date for Sierra. If you’re planning on waiting for the official release, circle September in your diary. After that, it’s just a matter of waiting until July for Apple to roll out the public beta to everyone. When there isn’t much free space and your drive is almost full, Sierra will start running slow. Macs use available storage space on hard drives for the smooth running of the OS. If you’ve read the paragraph above, you can skip the bit about checking your devices are eligible for upgrades – just follow the instructions and you’ll end up with a beta profile on your device. Afterall, a clean Sierra is a fast Sierra Step 5 - Clean up full Mac hard drive to speed up Sierra. In many ways, Macs are built for convenience: They have backlit keyboards, theres a variety of ways to take and save screenshots, and they come with a wide assortment of shortcuts that can speed up your work. On a speedy broadband connection, you’ll probably be done in about an hour.įor the rest of us, you’ll want to head over to the Apple Beta Software Program and log in with your Apple ID. To update your Mac, open the System Preferences app or the 'About This Mac' menu. Log in to the Apple Developer Download Center and follow the instructions. You’ll need to be enrolled in Apple’s Developer Program (a £70 per year investment that’s definitely not worth the cash if you’re only after beta access). The only people that upgrade today are developers. First off, make sure to back up your Mac! We’ve got a handy guide to backing up your hard disk or SSD right here – it was originally meant to help early OS X Yosemite adopters, but the steps stay the same for El Capitan.