macOS has long been one of the primary software that Apple has worked on and released. Since 2001, when macOS 10 Cheetah marked its first public release, all the way to macOS 15 Sequoia, the Mac has come a long way. So, if you want to take a trip down memory lane, here are all macOS versions in order—with release dates, code names, and top features.
All macOS Versions
| Version | Code Name | Release Date |
|---|---|---|
| Mac OS X 10.0 | Cheetah | March 24, 2001 |
| Mac OS X 10.1 | Puma | September 15, 2001 |
| Mac OS X 10.2 | Jaguar | August 14, 2002 |
| Mac OS X 10.3 | Panther (Pinot) | October 24, 2003 |
| Mac OS X 10.4 | Tiger (Merlot) | April 29, 2005 |
| Mac OS X 10.4.4 | Tiger (Chardonnay) | January 10, 2006 |
| Mac OS X 10.5 | Leopard (Chablis) | October 26, 2007 |
| Mac OS X 10.6 | Snow Leopard | August 28, 2009 |
| Mac OS X 10.7 | Lion (Barolo) | July 20, 2011 |
| Mac OS X 10.8 | Mountain Lion (Zinfandel) | July 25, 2012 |
| Mac OS X 10.9 | Mavericks (Cabernet) | October 22, 2013 |
| Mac OS X 10.10 | Yosemite (Syrah) | October 16, 2014 |
| Mac OS X 10.11 | El Capitan (Gala) | September 30, 2015 |
| macOS 10.12 | Sierra (Fuji) | September 20, 2016 |
| macOS 10.13 | High Sierra (Lobo) | September 25, 2017 |
| macOS 10.14 | Mojave (Liberty) | September 24, 2018 |
| macOS 10.15 | Catalina (Jazz) | October 7, 2019 |
| macOS 11 | Big Sur (GoldenGate) | November 12, 2020 |
| macOS 12 | Monterey (Star) | October 25, 2021 |
| macOS 13 | Ventura (Rome) | October 24, 2022 |
| macOS 14 | Sonoma (Sunburst) | September 26, 2023 |
| macOS 15 | Sequoia (Glow) | September 18, 2024 |
| macOS 16 | (Cheer) | Expected September, 2025 |
Key macOS Versions
Every macOS version brought along some cool new things. However, in over 24 years of OS X and macOS, there have been some updates that were truly iconic in terms of the key features they offered, or the improvements they made, both to Mac, and to the Apple Ecosystem as a whole. Let’s take a look.
macOS 16 Cheer
Release: TBA
Among the numerous expected features in macOS 16 are things like a big UI revamp, Apple Intelligence features, a better Stage Manager, and a lot more.
macOS 15 Sequoia
Release: September 18, 2024
- Apple Intelligence
macOS 15 Sequoia ushered in Apple Intelligence — Apple’s take on integrating AI into its devices. Features like Writing Tools, a new, better Siri, and more took center stage.
macOS 12 Monterey
Release: October 25, 2021
- Universal Control
macOS Monterey’s Universal Control feature allowed users to use their Mac keyboard and trackpad to control their iPad as well. This feature has now also been extended to the Vision Pro.
macOS 11 Big Sur
Release: November 12, 2020
- Apple Silicon
With macOS 11 Big Sur, Apple made the highly awaited switch to its in-house Apple silicon processors. Since then, new Macs have consistently outperformed comparable Intel powered laptops.
Mac OS X 10.10 Yosemite
Release: October 16, 2014
- Continuity and Handoff
OS X Yosemite came with features such as the ability to continue working on apps across iPhone and Mac seamlessly.
Mac OS X 10.7 Lion
Release: July 20, 2011
- Mission Control
The beloved Mission Control first made its appearance in Mac OS X 10.7 Lion back in 2011.
Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard
Release: October 26, 2007
- Time Machine
It’s common knowledge that Time Machine is one of the best backup tools out there. Well, it made its first appearance back in 2007 with OS X Leopard.
Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger
Release: April 29, 2005
- Spotlight Search
The powerful Spotlight Search (which Windows has been trying to replicate for years, I might add) first arrived in OS X Tiger back in 2005.
Mac OS X 10 Cheetah
Release: March 24, 2001
- Aqua user interface
How to Check Your macOS Version
Wondering which macOS version is running on your Mac? Here’s how you can check:
- Click on the Apple icon in the menu bar and go to “About This Mac”
- You will find your macOS version and build in the window that pops up.
If you purchased your Mac in the last couple of years, your macOS version is most likely going to be macOS 15 Sequoia unless you have decided to hold off on the update for some reason.
Upgrade to the Latest macOS
If your Mac is not running on the latest macOS version, you can check for available updates and upgrade your Mac pretty easily.
- Open System Settings -> General -> Software Update
Your Mac will display any pending updates that are available for you to download and install.
The latest version of macOS is macOS 15 Sequoia, released in September 2024.
The first macOS version was OS X 10.0 Cheetah. It was released in 2001.
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