We already have it here. After the launch of iOS 11, tvOS 11 and watchOS 4 a few days ago, Apple has just closed the circle of its updates with the arrival of high Sierra macOS. You may not yet see the update available in the Mac App Store when you read these lines, but it is spreading and will not take long to do so.

How to download macOS High Sierra and what computers are compatible

Make a backup

As always when you update your operating system, remember that you must make a backup of all your data before everything else. So, if the update causes an error or your disk was dragging problems, you can recover all the data. You can make a quick backup by directly copying folders and files to an external hard drive or using Time Machine .

Remember that you can also have your files in iCloud Drive or another cloud storage service, so if you have to erase the disk you can recover those files by downloading them again.

Check if your Mac is compatible with macOS High Sierra

There is an easy rule: if your Mac is capable of running MacOS Sierra, then you can with macOS High Sierra . But if we get more complex you need a 64-bit Intel CPU and a minimum of 2 GB of RAM. Here are the compatible machines:

• iMac and MacBook : all models from the end of 2009 onwards
• MacBook Pro and MacBook Air , Mac mini and Mac Pro : all models from 2010 onwards

You must bear in mind that there are some High Sierra news that you will not be able to use if you do not have a recent Mac, however much you enter that list. The HEVC video encoding will only be available on these Macs:

• 21.5-inch iMac : mid-2015 or later model
• 27-inch iMac : late 2015 model or later
• MacBook Pro : model end of 2016 or later
• MacBook : early 2016 model (12 inches, retina display) or later
• Mac mini and Mac Pro : no compatible model

Finally, the APFS file system will only be available on models with SSDs . Later it will be for computers with Fusion Drive.

News from macOS High Sierra

Let’s summarize at a stroke all the news that we already have with macOS High Sierra:

• APFS : a new file system for our discs that has been updated. He is the heir of HFS + after 20 years of service.
• The firmware of the Mac is checked weekly for security risks.
• HEVC video : this new compression format will cut the space of our file library in half and put the Mac on point for the playback of 4K content. Only available in the most recent models.
• Metal 2 : new graphics engine that optimizes the Mac for graphic operations and machine learning.
• Support for eGPU in laptops, although it will not be available until spring 2018.
• Development of content in virtual reality : finally, Apple is updated and is preparing for the new entertainment platform.
• New tools in Photos . More editing and organization possibilities, improved sidebar, possibility to edit Live Photos, new Memories, editing using third-party applications and improvement of the Faces function.
• Safari becomes the fastest browser in the world. And not only that: it blocks the improper tracking of advertisements, it insulates tabs, it improves reading mode integration and now more battery power.
• Siri speaks a more natural language in some languages ​​and its recommendation engine for Apple Music has been retouched.
• Spotlight is now able to search flight information from your code.
• FaceTime allows you to capture a moment of the call in the form of Live Photo.
• In Notes you can now organize texts with more options in the sidebar, and you can add content such as tables to the notes.
• Mail is smarter and shows you search results in an optimized way.
• iCloud allows you to share payment storage space with all members of the Family mode, as well as share any file using iCloud Drive.