Updated and republished for macOS 11.0.1; skip it unless you really really care about all the macOS releases. Originally published on November 14th, 2005.
Below the break is a table showing all major releases of macOS (previously Mac OS X) from the public beta through the latest public version, which is 11.0.1, as of November 12th, 2020—the 140th release in total.
Note: The headings on this list indicate the Macintosh System bundle names; the bullet points indicate the version of the System File included in that bundle. This is to make it clearer for people searching for specific bundle versions as opposed to System File versions. Finder File versions are not indicated. 1 Classic Mac OS 1.1 Macintosh System Software (0 - 0.3) 1.1.1 System File 1 1.1.2. The first version of Mac OS X, Mac OS X Server 1.0, was a transitional product, featuring an interface resembling the classic Mac OS, though it was not compatible with software designed for the older system. Consumer releases of Mac OS X included more backward compatibility. Once all of the relevant files and folders are selected, copy the list by either selecting Edit then Copy Items in the menu or the Command-C keyboard shortcut. Open up TextEdit, Apple's included.
Check virus online mac. Note: Click the ⓘ symbol to read Apple's release notes for a given update.
The following was culled from Apple's support downloads page, and as such, some of the dates may be off just a bit. If you know for certain that something is incorrect, please let me know and I'll get it fixed. (Scroll to see all entries.)
Date | Version | Comments | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2020 | Nov 12 | 7 | 11.0.1 | 12.18 GB | ⓘBig Sur - This one goes to 11. (Or 12, in GB!) |
Nov 5 | 43 | 10.15.7 SU1 | 1.21 GB | ⓘ | |
Sep 23 | 42 | 10.15.7 | 2.86 GB | ⓘ | |
Aug 12 | 28 | 10.15.6 SU1 | 3.22GB GB | ⓘ | |
Jul 15 | 44 | 10.15.6 | 3.35 GB | ⓘ | |
Jun 1 | 6 | 10.15.5 SU1 | 1.59 GB | ⓘ | |
May 26 | 48 | 10.15.5 | 3.37 GB | ⓘ | |
May 21 | -- | 10.14.6 SU4 | 151 MB | Fixes a launch issue for certain 32-bit apps | |
Apr 8 | 15 | 10.15.4 SU1 | 1.38 GB | ⓘ | |
Mar 24 | 56 | 10.15.4 | 3.0 GB | ⓘ | |
Jan 28 | 49 | 10.15.3 | 3.0 GB | ⓘ | |
2019 | Dec 10 | 42 | 10.15.2 | 3.0 GB | ⓘ |
Oct 29 | 14 | 10.15.1 | 4.5 GB | ⓘ | |
Oct 15 | 8 | 10.15 SU1 | 985 MB | No info page | |
Oct 7 | 11 | 10.15 | 4.9 GB | ⓘCatalina - You need more permission! | |
Sep 26 | 31 | 10.14.6 SU3 | 1.32 GB | ⓘ | |
Aug 26 | 25 | 10.14.6 SU2 | 1.25 GB | ⓘ | |
Aug 1 | 10 | 10.14.6 SU1 | 949 MB | ⓘ | |
Jul 22 | 70 | 10.14.6 | 2.7 GB | ⓘ | |
May 13 | 49 | 10.14.5 | 2.5 GB | ⓘ | |
Mar 25 | 62 | 10.14.4 | 2.8 GB | ⓘ | |
Jan 22 | 48 | 10.14.3 | 2.0 GB | ⓘ | |
2018 | Dec 5 | 28 | 10.14.2 | 2.5 GB | ⓘ |
Nov 7 | 8 | 10.14.1 SU1 | 1.3 GB | ⓘ For 2018 MacBook Air | |
Oct 30 | 36 | 10.14.1 | 3.3 GB | ⓘ | |
Sep 24 | 27 | 10.14 | 5.2 GB | ⓘ Mojave - You need permission! | |
Aug 28 | 38 | 10.13.6 SU2 | 1.32 GB | ⓘ For 2018 Touch Bar MBP…again | |
Jul 24 | 15 | 10.13.6 SU1 | 1.31 GB | ⓘ For 2018 Touch Bar MBP | |
Jul 9 | 38 | 10.13.6 | 1.32 GB | ⓘ AirPlay 2 | |
Jun 1 | 64 | 10.13.5 | 2.12 GB | ⓘ Messages in iCloud | |
Mar 29 | 37 | 10.13.4 | 2.36 GB | ⓘ Sortable Safari bookmarks!! | |
Feb 20 | 28 | 10.13.3 SU | 40.4 MB | ⓘ Indian character/Messages crash fix | |
Jan 23 | 33 | 10.13.3 | 1.97 GB | ⓘ | |
Jan 8 | 33 | 10.13.2 SU | 633.6 MB | ⓘ Spectre and Meltdown fixes | |
2017 | Dec 6 | 36 | 10.13.2 | 2.08 GB | ⓘ |
Oct 31 | 26 | 10.13.1 | 1.47 GB | ⓘ | |
Oct 5 | 10 | 10.13 SU | 915 MB | ⓘ Addresses two security issues | |
Sep 25 | 68 | 10.13 | 4.8 GB | ⓘ High Sierra - Higher in the mountains? | |
Jul 19 | 65 | 10.12.6 | 1.98 GB | ⓘ | |
May 15 | 49 | 10.12.5 | 1.57 GB | ⓘ | |
Mar 27 | 63 | 10.12.4 | 1.56 GB | ⓘ Night Shift | |
Jan 23 | 41 | 10.12.3 | 1.05 GB | ⓘ | |
2016 | Dec 13 | 50 | 10.12.2 | 1.94 GB | ⓘ |
Oct 24 | 34 | 10.12.1 | 1.36 GB | ⓘ | |
Sep 20 | 64 | 10.12 | 4.77 GB | ⓘ Sierra - Still in the mountains. | |
Jul 18 | 63 | 10.11.6 | 759 MB | ⓘ | |
May 16 | 57 | 10.11.5 | 759 MB | ⓘ | |
Mar 20 | 61 | 10.11.4 | 1.58 GB | ⓘ | |
Jan 19 | 41 | 10.11.3 | 662 MB | ⓘ | |
2015 | Dec 9 | 49 | 10.11.2 | 1.4 GB | ⓘ |
Oct 21 | 21 | 10.11.1 | 1.19 GB | ⓘ | |
Sep 30 | 48 | 10.11 | 6.08 GB | ⓘ El Capitan - Go climb something! | |
Aug 13 | 44 | 10.10.5 | 1.02 GB | ⓘ | |
Jun 30 | 75 | 10.10.4 | 1.09 GB | ⓘ | |
Apr 16 | 8 | 10.10.3 SU | 1.8 MB | ⓘ Supplemental Update | |
Apr 8 | 71 | 10.10.3 | 1.52 GB | ⓘ Includes Photos app | |
Jan 27 | 71 | 10.10.2 | 544 MB | ⓘ | |
2014 | Nov 17 | 32 | 10.10.1 | 311 MB | ⓘ |
Oct 16 | 29 | 10.10 | 5.2 GB | ⓘ Yosemite - No surfers here. | |
Sep 17 | 79 | 10.9.5 | 139 MB | ⓘ | |
Jun 30 | 46 | 10.9.4 | 283 MB | ⓘ | |
May 15 | 79 | 10.9.3 | 461 MB | ⓘ | |
Feb 25 | 71 | 10.9.2 | 460 MB | ⓘ | |
2013 | Dec 16 | 55 | 10.9.1 | 243.4 MB | ⓘ |
Oct 22 | 19 | 10.9 | 5.3 GB | ⓘ Mavericks - All out of big cats! | |
Oct 3 | 21 | 10.8.5 SU | 19.6 MB | ⓘ Supplemental Update | |
Sep 12 | 100 | 10.8.5 | 273.7 MB | ⓘ | |
Jun 4 | 82 | 10.8.4 | 152.0 MB | ⓘ | |
Mar 14 | 161 | 10.8.3 | 249.0 MB | ⓘ | |
2012 | Oct 4 | 15 | 10.8.2 SU | 26.7 MB | ⓘ Supplemental Update |
Sep 19 | 27 | 10.8.2 | 665.5 MB | ⓘ | |
Aug 23 | 29 | 10.8.1 | 24.2 MB | ⓘ | |
Jul 25 | 77 | 10.8 | 4.1 GB | ⓘ Mountain Lion - App Store only | |
Oct 4 | 15 | 10.7.5 SU | 2.0 MB | ⓘ Supplemental Update | |
Sep 19 | 133 | 10.7.5 | 1.1 GB | ⓘ Released w/ 10.8.2 | |
May 9 | 98 | 10.7.4 | 692.7 MB | ⓘ | |
Feb 1 | 112 | 10.7.3 | 1.3 GB | ⓘ Only combo updater available | |
2011 | Oct 12 | 56 | 10.7.2 | 768.8 MB | ⓘ Now iCloud enabled |
Aug 17 | 29 | 10.7.1 | 79.3 MB | ⓘ | |
Jul 19 | 26 | 10.7 | 4.1 GB | ⓘ Lion - App Store only (USB stick later) | |
Jun 23 | 94 | 10.6.8 | 453.6 MB | ⓘ App Store readied for Lion | |
Mar 21 | 74 | 10.6.7 | 475 MB | ⓘ | |
Jan 6 | 57 | 10.6.6 | 143.6 MB | ⓘ Can you say 'App Store?' | |
2010 | Nov 10 | 148 | 10.6.5 | 644.5 MB | ⓘ |
Jun 15 | 78 | 10.6.4 | 607.2 MB | ⓘ | |
Mar 29 | 140 | 10.6.3 | 719.2 MB | ⓘ | |
2009 | Nov 9 | 60 | 10.6.2 | 473 MB | ⓘ |
Sep 10 | 13 | 10.6.1 | 71.5 MB | ⓘ | |
Aug 28 | 23 | 10.6 | 2.31 GB | ⓘ Snow Leopard - First Intel-only release | |
Aug 5 | 85 | 10.5.8 | 274 MB | ⓘ | |
May 12 | 148 | 10.5.7 | 442 MB | ⓘ | |
2008 | Dec 15 | 91 | 10.5.6 | 372 MB | ⓘ |
Sep 15 | 77 | 10.5.5 | 316 MB | ⓘ | |
Jun 30 | 33 | 10.5.4 | 88 MB | ⓘ | |
May 28 | 107 | 10.5.3 | 420 MB | ⓘ | |
Feb 11 | 88 | 10.5.2 | 343 MB | ⓘ Combo updater only | |
2007 | Nov 15 | 20 | 10.5.1 | 110 MB | ⓘ |
Oct 26 | 128 | 10.5 | 2.15 GB | ⓘ Leopard - First universal binary release | |
Nov 14 | 147 | 10.4.11 | 128 MB | ⓘ This '10' goes to '11' | |
Jun 20 | 99 | 10.4.10 | 72 MB | ⓘ | |
Mar 13 | 165 | 10.4.9 | 160 MB | ⓘ | |
2006 | Sep 29 | 94 | 10.4.8 | 206 MB | ⓘ |
Jun 27 | 85 | 10.4.7 | 133 MB | ⓘ | |
Apr 3 | 48 | 10.4.6 | 163 MB | ⓘ | |
Feb 14 | 35 | 10.4.5 | 16 MB | ⓘ | |
Jan 10 | 71 | 10.4.4 | 55 MB | ⓘ First Intel-capable release | |
2005 | Oct 31 | 111 | 10.4.3 | 97 MB | ⓘ |
Jul 12 | 57 | 10.4.2 | 44 MB | ⓘ | |
May 16 | 17 | 10.4.1 | 37 MB | ⓘ | |
Apr 29 | 14 | 10.4 | 1.78 GB | ⓘ Tiger | |
Apr 15 | 65 | 10.3.9 | 51.3 MB | ⓘ | |
Feb 9 | 56 | 10.3.8 | 26.6 MB | ⓘ | |
2004 | Dec 15 | 40 | 10.3.7 | 97 MB | ⓘ Combo updater only |
Nov 5 | 88 | 10.3.6 | 34 MB | ⓘ | |
Aug 9 | 75 | 10.3.5 | ??? | ⓘ | |
May 26 | 72 | 10.3.4 | 79 MB | ⓘ Combo updater only | |
Mar 15 | 89 | 10.3.3 | 70 MB | ⓘ Combo updater only | |
2003 | Dec 17 | 37 | 10.3.2 | 36.9 MB | ⓘ |
Nov 10 | 17 | 10.3.1 | 1.5 MB | ⓘ | |
Oct 24 | 21 | 10.3 | 1.54 GB | ⓘ Panther | |
Oct 3 | 57 | 10.2.8 | 40 MB | ⓘ | |
Sep 22 | 139 | 10.2.7 | ??? | Only for certain G5s/G4s | |
May 6 | 26 | 10.2.6 | 26 MB | ⓘ | |
Apr 10 | 56 | 10.2.5 | 81.9 MB | ⓘ | |
Feb 13 | 56 | 10.2.4 | 76 MB | ⓘ | |
2002 | Dec 19 | 38 | 10.2.3 | 51 MB | ⓘ |
Nov 11 | 54 | 10.2.2 | 24.4 MB | ⓘ | |
Sep 18 | 26 | 10.2.1 | 16.3 MB | ⓘ Update not available? | |
Aug 23 | 79 | 10.2 | 1.03 GB | ⓘ Jaguar | |
Jun 5 | 47 | 10.1.5 | 45.1 MB | ⓘ Combo updater only | |
Apr 19 | 57 | 10.1.4 | 1.7 MB | ⓘ | |
Feb 21 | 62 | 10.1.3 | 16 MB | ⓘ | |
2001 | Dec 21 | 37 | 10.1.2 | 29.2 MB | ⓘ |
Nov 14 | 50 | 10.1.1 | 13.8 MB | ⓘ | |
Sep 25 | 95 | 10.1 | 989 MB | ⓘ Puma | |
Jun 22 | 44 | 10.0.4 | 12 MB | ⓘ | |
May 9 | 8 | 10.0.3 | 15 MB | ⓘ | |
May 1 | 15 | 10.0.2 | 15 MB | Released but replaced (see comments) | |
Apr 16 | 23 | 10.0.1 | 4 MB | ⓘ | |
Mar 24 | 192 | 10.0 | 659 MB | ⓘ Cheetah | |
2000 | Sep 13 | -- | 10.0β | 676 MB | ⓘ Public Beta |
Note: The Days column reflects the number of days between releases.
Some entries may appear out of chronological order (i.e. 10.5 is shown on Oct 26, but above Nov 14 for 10.4.11). This is to keep the version numbers in the proper order, even when an older OS received an update after a major new release came out. This has happened a few times over the years.
Some random notes, updated from the original post:
- Starting with the Public Beta and up through 11.0.1, there have been 141 macOS releases, both major and minor. This figure includes the one odd macOS X release: 10.2.7. This version was only for the then-new PowerMac G5 and the flat panel iMac G4, and was never generally released.
- As of November 12th, 2020 (11.0.1's release date), it's been 7,365 days since the Public Beta was released. So on average, we've seen some sort of update every 52.25 days.
- The shortest time period between any two releases is six days, which is how quickly the 10.15.5 Supplemental Update 1 came out after the 10.15.5 release.
- The longest time period between any two minor releases is 165 days, which was how long we waited for the 10.4.9 update. (Tecnically, it's actually the 192 day interval between the Mac OS X Public Beta and version 10.0, but I'm counting from the official 10.0 release.)
- The smallest update was 10.3.1, at only 1.5MB. The largest (non-combo, non-main OS release) update was 10.15.1 at 5.3GB.
- The '???' entry for Size on a given release indicates I was unable to find the size. Feel free to contact me if you can help replace any of the '???' entries.
And now, gratuitous graphics…
Releases by version number
Some random notes, updated from the original post:
- Starting with the Public Beta and up through 11.0.1, there have been 141 macOS releases, both major and minor. This figure includes the one odd macOS X release: 10.2.7. This version was only for the then-new PowerMac G5 and the flat panel iMac G4, and was never generally released.
- As of November 12th, 2020 (11.0.1's release date), it's been 7,365 days since the Public Beta was released. So on average, we've seen some sort of update every 52.25 days.
- The shortest time period between any two releases is six days, which is how quickly the 10.15.5 Supplemental Update 1 came out after the 10.15.5 release.
- The longest time period between any two minor releases is 165 days, which was how long we waited for the 10.4.9 update. (Tecnically, it's actually the 192 day interval between the Mac OS X Public Beta and version 10.0, but I'm counting from the official 10.0 release.)
- The smallest update was 10.3.1, at only 1.5MB. The largest (non-combo, non-main OS release) update was 10.15.1 at 5.3GB.
- The '???' entry for Size on a given release indicates I was unable to find the size. Feel free to contact me if you can help replace any of the '???' entries.
And now, gratuitous graphics…
Releases by version number
Releases by year
A special 'thank you!' goes to Mr. Ziebell (for providing some size values on very-old minor updates), and to Benton Quest (for providing size info on all the major releases up through Snow Leopard). See Benton's comment below if you want a nicely detailed history of those early releases.
Related Posts:
OS X is Apple's operating system that runs on Macintosh computers. It was first released in 2001 and over the next few years replaced Mac OS 9 (also known as Mac OS Classic) as the standard OS for Macs. It was called 'Mac OS X' until version OS X 10.8, when Apple dropped 'Mac' from the name.
Apple Mac Os X Facts
OS X was originally built from NeXTSTEP, an operating system designed by NeXT, which Apple acquired when Steve Jobs returned to Apple in 1997. Like NeXTSTEP, OS X is based on Unix and uses the same Mach kernel. This kernel provides OS X with better multithreading capabilities and improved memory management compared to Mac OS Classic. While the change forced Mac developers to rewrite their software programs, it provided necessary performance improvements and scalability for future generations of Macs.
Mac Os X Versions
The OS X desktop interface is called the Finder and includes several standard features. OS X does not have a task bar like Windows, but instead includes a menu bar, which is fixed at the top of the screen. The menu bar options change depending on what application is currently running and is only hidden when full screen mode is enabled. The Finder also includes a Dock, which is displayed by default on the bottom of the screen. The Dock provides easy one-click access to frequently used applications and files. The Finder also displays a user-selectable desktop background that serves as a backdrop for icons and open windows.
When you start up a Mac, OS X loads automatically. It serves as the fundamental user interface, but also works behind the scenes, managing processes and applications. For example, when you double-click an application icon, OS X launches the corresponding program and provides memory to the application while it is running. It reallocates memory as necessary and frees up used memory when an application is quit. OS X also includes an extensive API, or library of functions, that developers can use when writing Mac programs.
While the OS X interface remains similar to the original version released in 2001, it has gone through several updates, which have each added numerous new features to the operating system. Below is a list of the different versions of OS X, along with their code names.
- Mac OS X 10.0 (Cheetah)
- Mac OS X 10.1 (Puma)
- Mac OS X 10.2 (Jaguar)
- Mac OS X 10.3 (Panther)
- Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger)
- Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
- Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard)
- Mac OS X 10.7 (Lion)
- OS X 10.8 (Mountain Lion)
- OS X 10.9 (Mavericks)
- OS X 10.10 (Yosemite)
Updated: December 31, 2014