Since the launch of Apple’s macOS Sonoma beta update for Supported Macs, every Mac user has been in awe of the unique and amazing macOS Sonoma hidden features. The exceptional security upgrades, bug fixes, smooth and user-friendly user interface, performance upgrades, and many other brilliant features that come with the macOS Update make it Apple’s milestone release. Therefore, if you are a MacBook customer considering switching to the new macOS Sonoma, let us inform you that this upgrade takes sufficient time to download and install on your Mac.
MacOS Sonoma Beta is Available for these Supported macs. The latest macOS is currently available for download and has support for almost all Mac devices that run on macOS Ventura except for some of the earlier versions of the device. The new software update is backed by incredible features, bug fixes, essential security patches, and various other enhancements to deliver a better user experience to its customers.
Talking about the time taken for the macOS update, we need to consider the macOS version you are currently using. The older the operating system, the larger the download size and the more time it will take to install on your system. For Mac users with the macOS 14 installed on their devices, the download size and the installation time required for the macOS Sonoma is the most minor compared to macOS Ventura.
Practically speaking, some Mac users might want to avoid upgrading to the macOS Sonoma due to the problems often caused while shifting to the newer operating system from an old one. Thus, we recommend the users keep a close eye on the download and installation process of the new macOS on their MacBooks to prevent such problems.
It is not practical to tell you the exact time of download and installation of macOS 14 on your MacBooks due to the reasons discussed above. But we can provide the Mac users with an approximate time that they should set aside should you choose to install the update on your system.
On a fast WiFi connection, the transition from your older firmware to the macOS Sonoma should take almost less than 30 minutes to install on your device.
For MacOS Sonoma Time Chart
| Task | Time |
| Backup to Time Machine (Optional) | 5 Minutes – 1 Day (depending on the amount of data and External Storage Copying speed) |
| macOS Sonoma Software 14 Download | [13 GBs Setup file] 5 Minutes to 45 Minutes + |
| macOS Sonoma Firmware 14 Installation | 10 Minutes to 20 Minutes |
| Total macOS Sonoma 14 Update Time | 15 Minutes to an Hour + |
For MacOS Monterey Time Chart
| Task | Time |
| Backup to Time Machine (Optional) | 5 Minutes – 1 Day (depending on the amount of data and External Storage Copying speed) |
| macOS Monterey Software 12.3 Download | 5 Minutes to 45 Minutes + |
| macOS Monterey Firmware 12.3 Installation | 10 Minutes to 20 Minutes |
| Total macOS Monterey 12.3 Update Time | 15 Minutes to an Hour + |
The complete download and installation process of the macOS Sonoma can be divided into four segments- Preinstallation, macOS Sonoma software download, installation of macOS Sonoma firmware, and the post-installation process.
1: The Pre Installation process of macOS Sonoma
Before installing the macOS Sonoma on your MacBooks, there are a few things that every user should take care of for better safekeeping of their data and avoid any problems during the installation. Before installing the firmware to your system, it is advised to create a backup of all of the critical data saved on your MacBook as the upgrade process wipes your system clean.
Keeping all the passwords and checking for all the users’ reviews of the newly launched macOS Sonoma operating system can help avoid any problems caused during the installation of the macOS Sonoma.
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2: macOS Sonoma software Download
Once you are ready with the backup and all the other pre-installation activities, it is now time to download the macOS Sonoma software on your Macs.
Let us remind you again that the size of the download will entirely depend on the model and the version of macOS currently installed. The newer the version, the smaller the download, and if you are running on an older version, the download size will be comparatively large.
On a fast internet connection, the download of macOS Sonoma can take as little as 10 mins. However, the download time will increase if the internet speed is slow, shifting from an older version or downloading during heavy traffic hours.
To check Available Software Update: Go to the Apple logo from the top Mac menu > System Settings > Software Update > Download and install.
3: macOS Sonoma Firmware Installation
As soon as the download of the macOS Sonoma is complete, the installation of the new operating system will automatically begin on your Mac. The time for installing the macOS Sonoma on a Mac running on macOS Sonoma 14 should be approximately 10 minutes. One of the users posted about the time taken to install the same on a 2017 Apple MacBook Pro as 11 minutes.
Therefore, the installation time is very minimal, and the Mac will automatically reboot itself a couple of times during the whole installation process. Once the installation is complete, your MacBook will boot up normally to the new macOS Sonoma.
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4: Post-installation process of macOS Sonoma
After the successful installation of the macOS Sonoma on your system, the device will boot up normally, as discussed earlier. Still, the users will have to undergo a few of the crucial steps to use the applications and other features of the operating system to their fullest.
These crucial steps include signing in to your iCloud account, logging in to the various application services, and setting up Apple Play on your Mac. You also need to administer the backed-up data from the previous version of the operating system to check if it was adequately carried over to the newer updated version of the OS.
Once this has been taken care of, the users should try running a few essential applications and services on their Macs to ensure that they are working correctly. If you face any problem with any application, try downloading the latest version of that app to fix this problem.
In this newsletter, we have covered all the essential points that every Mac user who is thinking about shifting to the macOS Sonoma takes into consideration. The time it takes for the complete installation process solely depends on the model of your Mac and the version of the macOS that it is running on. Therefore, we recommend you go through all the key points discussed in this post to avoid any problems during the upgrade.
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