Apple’s official release date for MacOS Mojave might be just around the corner, but you can get it today as long as you’re a member of Apple’s Developer program. Here’s how to join, and how to download MacOS Mojave today.
It is important to note, before you get started, that you can only install MacOS Mojave on any Mac introduced in the middle of 2010 or later, and on any MacBook or iMac introduced in late 2009 or later. Head here to see if your Mac qualifies.
Backup first!
Before we go any further, make sure you backup your files. For anything important that absolutely cannot be replaced, be sure you send it off to the cloud – Dropbox, iCloud, and OneDrive are great for this – or create a hard copy on a flash drive or external hard drive. While MacOS High Sierra went through numerous beta test phases to make sure it’s ready for prime time, every major update brings with it the risk of bugs that don’t show up until it hits widespread release. Backing up is a vital first step.
Sign up for the Apple Developer program
Be warned, this will cost you. A subscription for the Apple Developer program will run you about $100 a year. That’s not cheap, so if you’re having second thoughts, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to just wait for the public release this Fall. If you’re still willing to shell out to join the Developer program head here to get started.
You’ll want to hit the Enroll button on the top right of the page, sign in with your Apple account, and fill out any information they request. Once you’re enrolled, you just need to head over to developer.apple.com, click on the Downloads section. Here you’ll be given a list of all the available betas and tools. Click on the MacOS Mojave Developer Beta and a download will start.
Download and install!
Once the download finishes, you’re almost there. You just have to go find that file and fire it up. It’ll act as the ‘key’ to add the MacOS Mojave Developer Beta to your App Store. By default, the file will land in your Downloads folder, so navigate over there and open up the file. It should be named something like MacOS Developer Beta Access Utility.
Opening the file will present you with a package, and you just need to open that one up, agree to the terms and conditions, and you’re almost there. Next, the App Store will automatically open to the MacOS Mojave Developer Beta page. The OS update should start downloading and installing on its own. Your system might reboot a couple times once the install gets going, but afterward you’ll be all set.
Time to check out that sweet, sweet night mode.
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