How to get and install macOS Mojave

The much anticipated new macOS update has arrived. It’s called Mojave (after the Mojave Desert) and it’s a major one, which means lots of new features to get excited about including Dark Mode, which transforms the desktop with a darkened color scheme, Stacks, for organizing even the most cluttered of desktops, and an overhauled Mac App Store. It’s an update worth having, that’s for sure.

On September 25, the long-awaited macOS update, Mojave 10.14, has finally arrived and is now available for free. In this article, we’ll tell you how to prepare your Mac for the clean install of the updated version.

MacOS Mojave Release Timeline

Tapping into the history, there have been three releases of MacOS Mojave:

• Developer Preview — Available since early June
• Public Beta — Available since late June
• Official version — Available for everyone to download since September 25.

The fall release brought the whole bunch of new opportunities for Mac users. Previously, the members of Apple Development Program with an Apple ID could get a feel of macOS Mojave by using the developer preview. This was followed by a more stable Public Beta version. Yet both versions weren’t disposed of errors.

Stabilized and polished, the latest version of Mojave should help Mac users enjoy life without showstopper bugs and instability issues.

How to upgrade your Mac to macOS Mojave 10.14

You can clean install the new, shiny version of macOS Mojave 10.14 (this way entails one important fact: all your files and data will be deleted during the process.) Or you can simply upgrade your Mac. 

Upgrading to macOS Mojave is seamlessly simple, taking up little time and almost no effort. And with the upgrade guide we’ve prepared, you’re going to be running new OS in no time. 

An upgrade install also offers at least two benefits over a standard install: 

• it's a simple process
• it retains almost all of your settings, files, and apps from the version of macOS that you're currently using.

How to download Mojave and install it safety

Apple's new Mac software, macOS Mojave, is available now. However, as the operating system is still so new, there may be some macOS 10.14 Mojave problems that are still present. If you're worried, it may be worth waiting a few weeks so that all the issues are fixed.

If you're going to perform an install Mojave, you need to check is your Mac ready for Mojave, backup your important data, and, finally, run installer. So, let's preparing Mac for the upgrade to macOS Mojave.

MacOS Mojave compatibility

Before you download macOS Mojave you’ll need to make sure that your system can run it. Apple says that the OS will be available for Macs introduced in mid-2012 or later, plus 2010 and 2012 Mac Pro models with recommended Metal-capable graphics cards.

To see how much space is available on your Mac, choose Apple () menu > About This Mac, then click Storage.:

• iMac Pro (2017)
• iMac (late 2012 or newer)
• Mac Pro (late 2013, plus mid-2010 and mid-2012 models with Metal-capable graphics cards)
• MacBook (2015 or newer)
• MacBook Air (mid-2012 or newer)
• MacBook Pro (mid-2012 or newer)
• Mac mini (late 2012 or newer)

Hardware requirements haven’t changed much since last time:

• Required memory: 4GB or more (macOS tends to run best with more memory)
• Required disk storage: 4.8GB free space

Сan your Mac run Mojave? To see you Mac's model and how much space is available on your Mac, click on the Apple () logo in the menu bar  and select About This Mac

In the Overview tab, you’ll see the Mac model and year

In the Storage tab, you'll check your storage space

Backup your Mac before installing the new macOS

No matter which version of macOS Mojave you’re installing, you should backup your Mac first. You can do this via the Time Machine or with an app like Get Backup Pro (it’s more powerful than Apple’s Time Machine.)

Note: You need a backup of every important file that you'll want to reinstall on your new macOS. But there's no point in running a straight clone of your previous files: you'll just end up with the same junk floating around your new operating system. 

So, before backup clean up your hard drive from junk data, old and useless data, and duplicates. An easy way to go about this is to get a Mac cleaning app like CleanMyMac. It will save to hours of manual file cleanup before the backup. Junk removal with CleanMyMac takes only a few minutes and absolutely safe for your Mac. The duplicate files finder like Gemini helps you to detect duplicate files on any folder, preview duplicate pictures, videos, music, archives, documents, and all other specific extensions, and get rid of useless versions.

You don't need to dig through Internet to search and and download each apps mentioned in this guide, all of them available on Setapp.

How to backup a Mac with Time Machine

Backing up your system with Mac’s built-in Time Machine feature couldn’t be easier.

1. Go to System Preferences > Time Machine and check that it’s turned on.
2. Under Select Backup Disk choose a hard drive to backup your system.

Time Machine will then perform automatic backups of your system and store them on your chosen hard drive for easy retrieval.

How to backup important data only with Get Backup Pro

Get Backup Pro offers a more comprehensive way to backup your Mac, allowing you to make copies of your system files in four different ways: simple copy, clone, incremental, and versioned. It’s a great app to use alongside Time Machine and lets you recover files to any computer — handy if anything goes seriously wrong with Mojave.

The slick user interface of Get Backup Pro makes it easy to use.

1. Click the + button at the bottom of the project list, then name the project.
2. Choose a backup destination and select whether you want to store original files and folders, or inside a disk image.
3. Drag and drop files and/or folders to the list in the main window, then click Start.

Get Backup Pro is available now from the Setapp collection where you can download it for free with a 7-day trial.

That's all. Now let's start the installation.

How to install the new macOS

If your Mac is Mojave-compatible and you’ve backed up your system in case something goes drastically wrong, you’re ready for the installation. 

There is also an option to create a partition so that it runs separately to your current OS, which was particularly relevant with the previous versions. Here’s how to create a partition:

1. Launch Disk Utility, then select the disk you’d like to partition from the list and click Partition.
2. Click the + button, then choose a size for the partition using the pie chart (you’ll need at least 4.8GB for Mojave).
3. Name the partition, then click Apply.

When you purchase macOS Mojave from the Mac App Store, the installer will be downloaded to your Mac and placed in the Applications folder. Once completed, the Mojave installer will open, and you can follow the onscreen instructions to install macOS Mojave on your Mac.

The macOS update can be performed just in four steps:

1. Go to the Apple menu in the top left corner.
2. Tap the App Store.
3. Click Updates.
4. Choose Mojave and click Download. Once macOS Mojave has downloaded, an Apple terms and conditions window will open. 
5. Click the button to install, and when a window appears, click "Continue" to begin the process and choose the option to install Mojave.

MacOS Mojave promises to be the best Mac operating system yet and we can’t blame you for wanting to get your hands on it as soon as possible. Remember, though: the early versions of the OS are works in progress — there are bugs and errors that will affect system performance. Make sure you backup your Mac before installing. That warning aside, enjoy Mojave — we think you’ll love it.