How To Update Macos High Sierra 10.13.6 To 10.15 May 2026

Your Mac will restart, show a black screen with an Apple logo and progress bar, then restart again. This is normal.

Do not close the lid, unplug power, or force shut down. If on a laptop, keep it plugged into AC power.

Catalina dropped support for many Macs from 2010-2012. Your Mac must be one of the following models: how to update macos high sierra 10.13.6 to 10.15

Crucial Check: Your Mac must have a Metal-capable graphics card. If you have a 2011 or older Mac (especially with AMD HD 6000 series), you cannot install Catalina via official means.

Since you are on High Sierra, the official method is via the App Store: Your Mac will restart, show a black screen

If you cannot find Catalina: Apple sometimes hides older OS versions. Use this direct App Store link:
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/macos-catalina/id1466841314?mt=12

Date: October 2023 (updated for historical context) Prepared For: Users running macOS High Sierra 10.13.6 Subject: Feasibility, prerequisites, and step-by-step procedure for upgrading to macOS 10.15 (Catalina) Do not close the lid, unplug power, or force shut down

Try opening an older app you thought was 64-bit. If it bounces and quits, check System Reports → Applications again. Some apps falsely reported “Yes” for 64-bit but still fail due to deprecated frameworks.

You cannot install Catalina. Stay on High Sierra or consider:

Since macOS Catalina is no longer the latest version, it may not appear in the “Updates” or “Recommended for you” section. Use one of these methods: