Apple’s macOS Monterey (12.0) was released on October 25th, 2021. Building on the aesthetic changes that were introduced in macOS Big Sur, Monterey contains many features that will benefit end-users when using macOS in concert with an iPhone or iPad. Not a lot of the features apply to a remote Mac, but it is expected that most apps that were compatible with Big Sur should run smoothly on Monterey.
Like its predecessor, macOS Monterey supports 2014 model Mac minis and 2013 Mac Pros or later.
If you’re considering upgrading to macOS Monterey, there are some important things to keep in mind when upgrading your remote Mac:
- Make sure you have a current backup using something like Time Machine. We don’t see many issues during upgrades, but it doesn’t hurt to be on the safe side. We have external drive rentals available for as little as $12/mo if you need a backup solution.
- The upgrade can be done remotely, however you will want to make sure you keep an eye on things as your mini may go to sleep after the upgrade is complete. If your mini goes to sleep, most likely you will need to contact support to power on your mini.
- Schedule the upgrade between 8AM and 5PM Central US time on a weekday for prompt and free hands-on support
- When starting the upgrade, leave the Screen Sharing window open even when it says Reconnecting – it will automatically reconnect when the upgrade is done.
- If this is a production machine, you may want to hold off on upgrading right away in case any bugs are discovered early on.
- Backup important data before the upgrade.
- The upgrade can take 30 – 90 minutes, depending on the specs of your machine.
- Do not remote reboot during the upgrade. This can cause data corruption or brick the machine.
- Don’t go anywhere during the upgrade – you may need to fix the following power settings immediately after the upgrade:
- Computer sleep – change to ‘Never’
- Display sleep – change to ‘Never’
- Start up automatically after a power failure – check the box (so that remote reboots continue to work)
- Schedule – make sure your mini is configured to power on at a specific time
If you need any assistance during the upgrade or have any questions, feel free to open a support ticket.