I only recently upgraded my 2012 Mac Mini to Catalina as took me a while to phase myself out of two 32bit apps. No real issues with the upgrade. However the one thing I hadn't realised is the rebranding of the iTunes app to 'Music', Apple also removed all the preloaded Internet Radio stations to encourage uptake of their paid Apple Music. Players can continue to play LOTRO as long as they do not update to Catalina for MacOS. Understandably, updating a piece of software to 64-bit requires time and resources, and developers have to decide whether it’s worth it or not. Turbine’s position is clear for the short term: Don’t update to Catalina if you wish to continue.
This year, the Apple community welcomed Catalina, the 10.15 macOS version named after California’s Catalina island. This new operating system boasts a multitude of exciting features, such as Sidecar and iOS apps porting.
Although the launching of Catalina seems like a great start for Apple, MacBook users are advised to summon up patience and prepare for some serious troubleshooting. Along with this new macOS are some known and reported issues. One notorious problem is the battery not charging after installing the Catalina update.
The Battery Not Charging Problem of Catalina
Did you just update your macOS to Catalina? Have you noticed that its battery no longer charges after that? Yes, it is likely that the Catalina update caused the battery not to charge. But it’s no reason to panic because you are not alone. In fact, there are already many easy fixes to a MacBook’s battery not charging after updating to Catalina problem.
However, before we enumerate some handy fixes, allow us to share the reason why your MacBook’s battery is draining.
Pro Tip: Scan your Mac for performance issues, junk files, harmful apps, and security threats
that can cause system issues or slow performance.
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Battery Won’t Charge After the Catalina Update? Spotlight Is the Reason.
Is your MacBook’s battery not charging after the macOS Catalina update? Well, that is completely normal. During the first few days, your new macOS has to complete a few background processes. You might have even come across a few warnings about these processes during the installation of the update. But just to be sure, you can verify it by hovering your mouse to the battery icon in the upper right corner of your screen.
If Spotlight is listed, then this means your computer is still working on a few processes in the background. These processes use more power than usual, hence the odd draining of battery life or the battery not charging problem.
The problem will most likely fix itself after a few days. But you can help speed things up by leaving your computer plugged in overnight and preventing it from going into the sleep mode. To do this, you may use some amazing free macOS apps or adjust your MacBook’s sleep settings.
After two to three days, restart your MacBook. And then, check if Spotlight is still on the list of processes that are running in the background. If you notice that Spotlight is no longer there but the battery problem still persists, then you have another issue to deal with.
6 Fixes to a Bad MacOS Catalina Battery Life
If Spotlight is not to blame for your bad macOS Catalina battery life, you may try the fixes we have listed below:
Fix #1: Restart Your MacBook.
The first thing you might want to try doing is restart your MacBook. Restarting your device can end faulty and rogue processes and help increase its battery life. A number of users who have come across this Catalina battery problem have found success by trying this fix. Thus, give it a shot and check if it improves your MacBook’s battery life.
You have three ways to restart your MacBook. The first method requires the user to press the Power button and choose Restart. The second method asks the user to hit the Apple key and select Restart. The third and final method requires pressing three keys altogether: CTRL + CMD + Eject.
Fix #2: Make Sure Your Apps Are Updated.
A lot of apps have already gotten updates for Catalina, so a new version might really make a difference and fix any battery-related problems. You can check for app updates in the App Store.
Assuming you already know how to update apps, the next thing you should do is hover over the battery icon and check the Using Significant Energy section. Check if an app is listed in it. Next, open the App Store and check if there is a Catalina-compatible update. If there is, download it right away.
Fix #3: Reset the NVRAM and PRAM.
This fix might sound quite technical, but it is actually pretty straightforward and has been proven to fix a lot of battery life-related problems already. When you reset your MacBook’s NVRAM and PRAM, it will reset some settings. However, it won’t delete your important files and data.
After resetting the NVRAM and PRAM, you might just need to set up a couple of components, including the screen resolution and the speaker.
Here’s how to reset the NVRAM and PRAM of your MacBook:
- Turn off your MacBook.
- Switch it on.
- When you hear the startup tone, press and hold the CMD, Option, P, and R keys simultaneously.
- Release them once your MacBook has completely rebooted and you hear the startup sound once again.
Note: If you are using a 2016 MacBook Pro version or a newer model, you have to hold the mentioned keys as soon as you switch on your machine. Hold them for around 15 to 20 seconds.
Fix #4: Try to Reset the SMC.
If you are using a notebook, another possible fix you may try is to reset the SMC. Of course, it can help. But it does not always guarantee success.
The good thing about this fix is that it only takes a minute or two to do it. However, it is worth noting that the steps vary across all MacBook models.
As for the most common MacBook models, you may follow the instructions below to reset the SMC:
- Click on the Apple menu.
- Select Shut Down.
- Once your MacBook shuts down, immediately press the Shift + CTRL + Option combo.
- While pressing the three keys, press the Power button.
- Hold the keys and the button for 10 seconds. If you are using a MacBook Pro with a Touch ID, know that the Touch ID serves as the power button.
- Release all the keys and the button.
- Press the Power button once again to switch on your MacBook.
Fix #5: Optimize Your MacBook’s RAM.
When your MacBook’s memory is occupied and taken up by unnecessary apps, there might be a little of it left for more important processes and apps. As a result, random problems arise.
Fortunately, there are lots of apps and tools that are designed to clear your MacBook’s RAM and make room for crucial processes out there. One is Mac repair app.
Interestingly, macAries not only optimizes your MacBook’s RAM. It also finds battery-draining issues and recommends tweaks to save battery life. To get this app, simply visit Outbyte website and download the tool from there.
Fix #6: Seek Help from Experts.
Sure, it is frustrating to encounter problems like the battery not charging after the Catalina update, especially when you have lots of tasks on your plate. Not only will it impact your productivity, but it will also force you to go out and spend your hard-earned cash for repairs.
Should you think to just leave the problem as it is, then it is you who will suffer in the long run. You won’t be able to complete tasks on time. You might also find yourself in a never-ending loop of unproductivity and money wastage.
So, save yourself. If you don’t trust your technical skills, seek help from experts. Take your MacBook to the nearest Apple Repair center the moment you suspect something’s not right. If your device is still under warranty, then great! You can save a lot.
If no Apple Repair center is near you, try reaching out to Apple’s official support team. They should be able to provide you with more relevant answers or other possible fixes to your problem.
Conclusion
Giving up Catalina may not be a wise decision to make. But should you consider rolling back, make sure you have tried the fixes above. Sometimes, rebooting your MacBook is all it takes to resolve your concern.
What Catalina issues have you encountered? The community wants to know! Comment on them below.
If you haven't updated to Catalina yet, read on to find out how to update to Catalina or Mojave from High Sierra, Sierra, El Capitan, Yosemite, or even older version of Mac OS X below.
Which Mac operating system is the best is a topic of numerous debates among Apple fans.
Since the mission of this blog is to refute myths and legends around Macs, it’s time for me to provide my 2 cents about the issue on hand. While everything below is just my opinion, as a long-time Mac user and veteran software engineer, I hope my opinion worth something.
The best Mac OS version is the one that your Mac is eligible to upgrade to. In 2021 it is macOS Big Sur. However, for users that need to run 32-bit apps on Mac, the best macOS is Mojave. Also, older Macs would benefit if upgraded at least to macOS Sierra for which Apple still releases security patches.
- In the case of Catalina that includes all the old-style Mac Pro models, pre-'trash can'. If you want to run, but your Mac is older than 2013/2014, the new macOS just isn't for you, as far as.
- NOTE: If your Mac came with macOS Catalina, you can restart your Mac while holding down Shift-Option-Command-R to enter Internet Recovery Mode and install the operating system that came with your Mac. Otherwise, follow the steps below to install Catalina back on your Mac. Connect your Mac to the internet via Wi-Fi or Ethernet.
How to Tell Which macOS You Are Running
To find out which macOS is currently running on your Mac, follow these steps:
- Click on Apple logo in the top left corner of the menubar
- In the dropdown click on the first item: About This Mac
- The first line in the Overview tab is the name of the current OS.
My Mac Is Not Updating To Catalina Mac
What Version of OS Can My Mac Run?
Not all Macs can be upgraded to the latest OS version. For instance, old Macs powered by PowerPC CPUs cannot run OS intended for Intel-based computers. Also, some versions have hardware limitations.
For instance, Mojave cannot be installed on MacBook Pro earlier than Mid 2012 model.
Check below to know exactly what version of OS your Mac can run.
Which OS is Best for my Mac
Anytime someone asks me which OS is best for them I always suggested going with the latest. Things have changed recently, however.
Should I Upgrade to macOS Catalina or Big Sur?
While personally I like macOS Big Sur and have it installed on my MacBook Pro, it comes with serious breaking changes.
The first issue is compatibility.
Big Sur is a transition OS which is designed to help Apple to move from Intel processors to their own chips on ARM.
After I installed Big Sur on my MacBook Pro mid 2020 (pre-Silicon), most of my apps, including Microsoft Office, were working as expected.
However, my VMWare Fusion 11 does not start anymore, so I have to purchase a new license if I want to keep using it (or roll back to Catalina). Luckily, I took a full backup before the upgrade.
The second breaking issue is the lack of 32-bit app support.
macOS Catalina and Big Sur can only run 64-bit apps.
If you wondering whether you should upgrade to macOS Catalina or Big Sur, first verify that you don’t have any 32-bit apps. But first, take a back up, so you can go back in case something breaks after the upgrade.
For instance, I had to remove uTorrent after upgrade. And I didn’t know that uTorrent is 32-bit!
How to Know If App is 32-bit or 64-bit
To find out whether the app on your Mac is 32-bit or 64-bit follow these steps:
- Click on Apple logo in the top left corner of the Mac screen
- Click on About This Mac option
- Click on System Report button in Overview tab (first one)
- Scroll down to Software -> Applications
- Find the app and check Kind
Which macOS Should I Use
If you have an older Mac which is not eligible to upgrade with some latest software or hardware, I’d suggest upgrading at least to Sierra (or better High Sierra) for the following reasons:
- Sierra is still supported by Apple, and it gets security updates
- APFS file system is available
- It supports Siri
- Significant security improvements
The most important point when choosing the best OS is the ability to get security updates. While Apple generally does not announce the OS end of life dates, it is possible to know when they stop releasing security updates from this page.
For instance, according to the page, the last security update for OS X Yosemite was released on September 12, 2017. The last update for OS X El Capitan was in July 2018, and Carnegie Mellon University confirmed that El Capitan’s end of life date was August 2018.
Snow Leopard Myth
I know that some users on forums believe that the best OS version for Macs was Snow Leopard. But that is a myth. And I know how such myths get created.
Once I worked in the company, which was selling a 20-year old product. And customers were still using and didn’t want to switch to new versions, because the old one was rock solid.
I then talked to the engineer who worked on the project, and he revealed that the product was a total disaster when it was first deployed. Engineers had to work on-site for almost a year in order to fix all bugs.
After five or so years of polishing the product, it becomes virtually bug-free, and nobody now remembers how bad it was when it was first rolled out. A similar thing happened Snow Leopard, and it was recognized as best mac os version after some time.
How to Update to the Latest Version
There are two ways to update to the latest OS version on Mac:
- From the Software Update section in System Preferences
- Use a download link
Using Software Update
This is by far the best option, but it only available if you have Yosemite, or later OS installed already. If you enabled automatic updates, then Mac will inform you that the next macOS is available.
Just open System Preferences, go to Software Update and click on the Upgrade Now button.
This method is also best if wondering how to check if you have the latest version of OS installed on your Mac. Only the version compatible with your hardware will appear here.
For instance, my the latest version for Mac Mini 2012 is Mojave, I can’t install anything newer than that.
Using download links
For older systems or in case you need to downgrade, you have to download a standalone installer in DMG format. DMG stands for disk image, similar to ISO, just different formats.
After downloading the installer, just double click on it and follow instructions. Again, do not forget to take a backup before the upgrade.
Mac OS Comparisons: Requirements, Features, Compatibility, Download Links
My Macbook Pro Will Not Update To Catalina
Following is a high-level description of all Mac operating systems as early as Mountain Lion.
You can refer to those descriptions when deciding which operating system is best for your iMac, Mac Pro, Mac mini, or MacBook.
With each OS description, I included a list of Macs supported. However, you can use Mac OS compatibility checker for more detailed information.
macOS 11 Big Sur
macOS v11 (codename Big Sur) is the latest version of the operating system for Apple computers.
Release date: October 13, 2020
Hardware Requirements: RAM requirement 4GB. Big Sur is the first OS to support new Macs using ARM technology (in the future).
Features
- The biggest design refresh since macOS X.
- Support for new ARM processors.
- Safar improved performance and power consumption.
- Time Machine supports backup to APFS volumes.
- One-click translation for 7 languages.
- Redesigned maps
Software Compatibility Issues
Only 64-bit apps are allowed to run on Big Sur.
How to install
There are two ways to install Big Sur: enable automatic updates in System Preferences or download by using the following link.
List of Apple computers compatible with macOS Big Sur
- MacBook (2015 and later)
- MacBook Air (2013 and later)
- MacBook Pro (2013 and later)
- Mac mini (2014 and later)
- iMac models (2014 and later)
- iMac Pro (2017 and later)
- Mac Pro (2013 and later)
macOS 10.15 Catalina
Release date: October 7, 2019
Hardware Requirements: RAM requirement increased from 2GB to 4GB.
Features
- Introduced Sidecar, which allows for Macs to use an iPad as an external display.
- iTunes was replaced by separate apps: Music, Podcasts, and TV.
- Find My Mac and Find My Friends have merged into one app.
Software Compatibility Issues
macOS Catalina is the first Mac operating system that does not support 32-bit applications. Only 64-bit apps are allowed to run on Catalina.
How to install
There are two ways to install Catalina: enable automatic updates in System Preferences or download by using the following link.
List of Apple computers compatible with macOS Catalina
- MacBook (Early 2015 or later)
- MacBook Air (Mid 2012 or later)
- MacBook Pro (Mid 2012 or later)
- Mac mini (Late 2012 or later)
- iMac models (Late 2012 or later)
- iMac Pro (All models)
- Mac Pro (Late 2013)
macOS 10.14 Mojave
Release date: September 24, 2018
Hardware Requirements: 2GB RAM and 18.5GB free space on disk
Features
- The main feature of Mojave is “Dark Mode”
- FaceTime adds group feature which allows chatting with up to 32 people
- News, Stocks, Voice Memos, and Home apps were ported from iOS to Mac.
How to install
If your Mac is eligible to update to Mojave, then the easiest way to install it is by enabling automatic updates. Downloading a standalone Mojave installer could be a little tricky.
List of Apple computers compatible with macOS Mojave
- MacBook (Early 2015 or later)
- MacBook Air (Mid 2012 or later)
- MacBook Pro (Mid 2012 or later)
- Mac mini (Late 2012 or later)
- iMac (Late 2012 or later)
- iMac Pro (All models)
- Mac Pro (Late 2013 and 2010-2012 models with upgraded GPU)
macOS 10.13 High Sierra
Release date: September 25, 2017
Hardware Requirements: 2GB RAM and 14.3GB free space on disk
Features
- APFS (Apple File System) becomes the default file system in High Sierra. It’s a significant upgrade from the older HFS+ in terms of speed, size, and security
- iCloud support of Messages which allows sync messages of the account across multiple devices
- Mail app uses 35% less storage space due to optimizations
List of Apple computers compatible with macOS High Sierra
- MacBook (Late 2009 or newer)
- MacBook Pro (Mid 2010 or newer)
- MacBook Air (Late 2010 or newer)
- Mac mini (Mid 2010 or newer)
- iMac (Late 2009 or newer)
- Mac Pro (Mid 2010 or newer)
How to install
Here is a High Sierra download link.
macOS 10.12 Sierra
This is the first macOS version. Previous OS versions for Macs were called OS X (X stands for 10).
Release date: September 20, 2016
Hardware Requirements: 2GB RAM and 8GB free space on disk
Features
- Siri was introduced to Macs
- Optimized storage with iCloud sync
- Auto-lock feature allows unlocking MacBook with paired Apple Watch
- APFS preview available
- Disk Utility can manage RAID sets again
- Significant security improvements
How to install
Here is a Sierra download link.
List of Apple computers compatible with macOS Sierra
- MacBook (Late 2009 or newer)
- MacBook Pro (Mid 2010 or newer)
- MacBook Air (Late 2010 or newer)
- Mac mini (Mid 2010 or newer)
- iMac (Late 2009 or newer)
- Mac Pro (Mid 2010 or newer)
OS X 10.11 El Capitan
How To Update Old Macos To Catalina
Last OS X version.
Release date: September 30, 2015
Hardware Requirements: 2GB RAM and 8GB free space on disk
Features
- System Integrity Protection – a security feature that protects even when the root user executes the process
- Performance improvements: open PDF files four times faster, Mail is twice faster, launching apps 40% faster
- Notes app similar to the app in iOS
Macs compatible with OS X El Capitan
same as OS Mountain Lion.
How to install
Here is El Capitan download link.
OS X 10.10 Yosemite
Why Is My Mac Not Updating To Catalina 10.15.5
Release date: October 16, 2014
Hardware Requirements: 2GB RAM and 8GB free space on disk
Macs compatible with OS X Yosemite
Same as OS Mountain Lion.
Features
- Major user design overhaul
- Introduction of Handoff and Continuity features
- Photos app replaced iPhoto and Aperture
How to install
Here is Yosemite download link.
Should I Upgrade Old Mac To Catalina
My Mac Is Not Updating To Catalina Version
OS X 10.9 Mavericks
First free Mac OS. Previous OS versions vary from $19.99 to $129.
Release date: October 22, 2013
Hardware Requirements: 2GB RAM and 8GB free space on disk
Features
- Compressed Memory feature automatically compresses inactive apps when approaching maximum memory capacity
- Timer coalescing is a feature that reduces CPU usage by up to 72 percent
- App Nap puts apps that are not currently visible to sleep
Macs compatible with OS X Mavericks
Same as OS Mountain Lion.
Update Old Macbook Air To Catalina
How to install
OS X Mavericks installer is not available on Apple Site. Follow instructions here to install Mavericks.
OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion
Must be purchased. Fixed many bugs introduced in OS X Lion.
Release date: July 25, 2012
System Requirements: 2GB RAM and 8GB free space on disk
Features
- New apps: Notification Center, Notes, Messages, Game Center
- AirPlay mirroring allowed to mirror Mac screen to Apple TV
- Application updates automatically install from the App Store
List of Apple computers compatible with OS X Mountain Lion
- iMac (Mid-2007 or newer)
- MacBook (Late 2008 Aluminum, or Early 2009 or newer)
- MacBook Air (Late 2008 or newer)
- MacBook Pro (Mid/Late 2007 or newer)
- Mac mini (Early 2009 or newer)
- Mac Pro (Early 2008 or newer)
- Xserve (Early 2009)
How to install
Mountain Lion installer is not available on Apple Site. Follow instructions here to install OS X Mountain Lion.
List of older Mac OS Versions
Following Mac OS versions are still running on older Macs, but Apple does not support them anymore, and there is no point to upgrade (or downgrade) to them:
- OS X 10.7 Lion
- OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard
- Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard
- Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger
- Mac OS X 10.3 Panther
- Mac OS X 10.2 Jaguar
- Mac OS X 10.1 Puma
- Mac OS X 10.0 Cheetah