← Timeline

Every Mac version

Every version of the Mac's system software, from the first Mac in 1984¹ to macOS 27 Golden Gate, the newest as of November 2026.² Small updates and editions like System 7 Pro are left out.⁴¹ Mac OS 7.6 is listed because with it, the name changed to Mac OS.³

Sources

1. 

   1984

   System 1

   The first Mac's system: icons, windows and menus, worked with a mouse. Apple said it typically took only a few hours to learn.¹

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2. 

   1985

   System 2

   Its Finder 4.1 added a Shut Down command and the MiniFinder, a quicker way to open programs.^{4, 5}

3. 

   1986

   System 3

   Came with the Macintosh Plus, where the new hierarchical file system was standard. It removed the limit on how many files a disk could hold.^{6, 7}

4. 

   1987

   System 4

   Came with the Mac SE and the Mac II. The Mac II's Control Panel set up color screens and could join several monitors into one.^{6, 8}

5. 

   1987

   System 5

   The first version with MultiFinder, which kept several programs open at once, so a long job could run in the background.^{6, 9}

6. 

   1988

   System 6

   Added MacroMaker, which recorded keyboard and mouse actions like a tape recorder, and CloseView, which magnified the screen.¹⁰

7. 

   1991

   System 7

   Added virtual memory, aliases, file sharing, Balloon Help, a Find command and Force Quit.¹¹

8. 

   1997

   Mac OS 7.6

   Mentions of "Macintosh" in the system changed to "Mac OS". It also brought a much improved Extensions Manager.³

9. 

   1997

   Mac OS 8

   A Finder that could copy files and empty the Trash at the same time, a grey 3D "platinum" look, and contextual menus.¹²

10. 

    1999

    Mac OS 9

    Several people could share one Mac, each with their own settings. It also brought back the Keychain for passwords and added Sherlock 2.^{13, 14}

11. 

    2001

    Mac OS X Cheetah 10.0

    Built on Darwin, a UNIX-based core, with the new Aqua look and the Dock. Older programs ran in Classic, using Mac OS 9.1.¹⁵

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12. 

    2001

    Mac OS X Puma 10.1

    The first major upgrade: apps launched two to three times faster, and it could burn CDs and DVDs.¹⁶

13. 

    2002

    Mac OS X Jaguar 10.2

    Added iChat for instant messages, a Mail junk filter that got smarter as you used it, and a system-wide Address Book.¹⁷

14. 

    2003

    Mac OS X Panther 10.3

    Exposé showed all open windows at once. Also new: Fast User Switching, and FileVault, which encrypted your home folder.¹⁸

15. 

    2005

    Mac OS X Tiger 10.4

    Spotlight could instantly find anything on your Mac, and Dashboard showed widgets for things like weather forecasts and stock quotes.¹⁹

16. 

    2007

    Mac OS X Leopard 10.5

    Time Machine backed up everything on a Mac automatically. Also new: Spaces, Quick Look and Stacks in the Dock.²⁰

17. 

    2009

    Mac OS X Snow Leopard 10.6

    Hundreds of refinements and built-in Microsoft Exchange support. Half the size of Leopard, it cost Leopard users $29.²¹

18. 

    2011

    OS X Lion 10.7

    Sold as a download from the Mac App Store. It brought full-screen apps, Mission Control and Launchpad, a home for all your apps.²²

19. 

    2012

    OS X Mountain Lion 10.8

    Added Messages, Notification Center and Dictation, plus Gatekeeper, which made downloading software from the internet safer.²³

20. 

    2013

    OS X Mavericks 10.9

    Free from the Mac App Store, starting what Apple called a new era of free upgrades. Added Maps, iBooks and Finder Tabs.²⁴

21. 

    2014

    OS X Yosemite 10.10

    A fresh, modern look with translucent sidebars. Handoff passed what you were doing between your Mac and iOS devices.²⁵

22. 

    2015

    OS X El Capitan 10.11

    Refined the Mac experience and improved performance. Split View put two apps side by side in full screen.²⁶

23. 

    2016

    macOS Sierra 10.12

    The first called macOS. It brought Siri to the Mac, plus Universal Clipboard and Auto Unlock with an Apple Watch.^{2, 27}

24. 

    2017

    macOS High Sierra 10.13

    Introduced APFS, a new file system that made copying files nearly instant, and HEVC, for 4K video in less space.²⁸

25. 

    2018

    macOS Mojave 10.14

    Dark Mode gave the desktop a dramatic darkened color scheme, and Stacks tidied messy desktops into neat groups of files.^{29, 30}

26. 

    2019

    macOS Catalina 10.15

    Apple Music, Apple Podcasts and Apple TV replaced iTunes, and Sidecar let an iPad work as a second display.³¹

27. 

    2020

    macOS Big Sur 11

    A spacious new design and version 11. It was engineered for Apple's M1 chip, and Rosetta 2 ran apps made for Intel Macs.^{2, 32}

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28. 

    2021

    macOS Monterey 12

    Added Shortcuts for automating everyday tasks, plus Focus, Quick Note and Live Text, which finds text in photos.³³

29. 

    2022

    macOS Ventura 13

    Stage Manager organized apps and windows, Continuity Camera used an iPhone as a webcam, and System Preferences became System Settings.³⁴

30. 

    2023

    macOS Sonoma 14

    Widgets could sit right on the desktop, and Presenter Overlay showed you in front of what you shared on video calls.³⁵

31. 

    2024

    macOS Sequoia 15

    iPhone Mirroring let you use your iPhone from your Mac, and a new Passwords app kept logins in one place.³⁶

32. 

    2025

    macOS Tahoe 26

    Liquid Glass, a translucent new design shared with iOS 26 and iPadOS 26, and a completely transparent menu bar.^{37, 38, 39}

33. 

    2026

    macOS 27 Golden Gate

    The newest as of November 2026. It introduced Siri AI, in beta, and a slider to set Liquid Glass from ultraclear to fully tinted.^{2, 39, 40}