macOS Sonoma Release Date & Time: What You Need to Know

The macOS Sonoma release date is getting closer and we’re getting questions about the next operating system for Mac. In this guide we’ll take curious Mac users through everything there is to know about the macOS Sonoma release as we push through the summer.

It’s official. macOS Sonoma will replace macOS Ventura later this year. The software is in development and it’s set to bring new features and enhancements to eligible Macs.

We don’t have a firm macOS Sonoma release date from Apple yet, but we have a pretty good idea about what to expect from the release window and release time.

Our macOS Sonoma release date guide we’ll help you properly manage your expectations and help you prepare for its release later this year.

Which Macs Will Get macOS Sonoma?

Apple’s confirmed the full list of macOS Sonoma eligible Mac models and most macOS Ventura-powered devices will make the move to the operating system.

Here’s a list of eligible Mac models that are moving to macOS Sonoma later this year:

macOS Sonoma Supported Devices

• 2017 iMac Pro.
• 2019 iMac and later.
• 2022 Mac Studio and later.
• 2018 MacBook Air and later.
• 2018 MacBook Pro and later.
• 2019 Mac Pro and later
• 2018 Mac mini and later

Older iMac and MacBook models from 2017 will unfortunately stay put on macOS Ventura. Apple typically keeps devices update for five to six years.

macOS Sonoma Beta

The official version of macOS Sonoma won’t land for a bit, but you can try the new operating system out long before the final version arrives.

There are two versions of the macOS Sonoma beta. One is a developer beta, the other is a beta for users registered for the Beta Software Program.

macOS Sonoma Beta Release Time

Apple usually pushes new beta software every couple of weeks with releases coming a bit more frequently as we approach the final release.

Like regular macOS software releases, the company likes to release new macOS beta software around 10AM Pacific and that’s what you should expect from the macOS Sonoma beta going forward.

macOS Sonoma Release Date

macOS Sonoma will stay in beta for a bit longer as Apple, and its army of beta testers, poke and prod it for issues ahead of its official release.

While the company tends to release new iOS operating systems for iPhone in September, Apple usually pushes new macOS operating systems a bit later on in the year.

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman thinks we’ll most likely see macOS Sonoma arrive in October which lines up what Apple’s done in the past.

It’s also possible we see the software arrive in September alongside iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 as there’s evidence hinting at a faster release this year.

We’ll know for sure when Apple takes the stage to announce its new iPhone 15 series and Apple Watch 9 series on September 12th.

macOS Sonoma Release Time

Apple probably won’t confirm a specific macOS Sonoma release time, but the company almost always releases its software updates around 10AM Pacific.

So if you live in London, you should see the macOS Sonoma update arrive around 6PM in the evening. If you live in Melbourne, Australia, you’ll need to stay up late or wake up early if you want to install the software right when it’s released.

It’s important to note that whenever Apple releases a new macOS operating system, we typically see long download times and errors as Apple’s servers get slammed with requests from eager Mac users.

If you want to avoid these issues, you’ll want to refrain from installing macOS Sonoma right away.