Apple has released the latest version of the Mac operating system: macOS Catalina (10.15). Currently, there are no plans to push this upgrade out via AirWatch, so staff may choose to manually install if desired. However, a couple of things to keep in mind before you upgrade:
Catalina drops support for 32-Bit apps
We don’t recommend upgrading to macOS Catalina without first confirming that the apps you need are 64-Bit. 32-Bit apps will not work on Catalina.
How can I tell which apps are 32-Bit?
Here’s a quick and easy way to check:
- Click the Apple icon on the left side of your menu bar
- Select About This Mac
- Select System Report…
- Under Software (third drop-down), choose Applications
- Look under the field 64-Bit (Intel) to see which of your apps are 64-Bit vs 32-Bit; you can click on the field to sort 32-Bit apps first
What do I do if an app I need is 32-Bit?
First, check to see if your app is up-to-date; if not, install the updates. If this doesn’t resolve the issue, then you’ll have to stick with your current version of macOS until you can find a suitable alternative, or the app’s developer updates to 64-Bit.
Upgrading Parallels
Upgrading macOS before installing the latest version of Parallels may prevent your VMs from booting up. If you use Parallels and would like to upgrade macOS, please let LTDS know via INFORM so we can purchase a new Parallels license for you first.
With that said, it’s generally a good idea to wait for a major update (10.15.1) or two (10.15.2) before upgrading to a new macOS. This gives Apple time to identify and resolve many of the initial issues related to a new macOS release. If you have any questions or concerns about updating your Mac to Catalina, please let us know!