macOS Sonoma can be installed on 83 unsupported Macs with this tool

OpenCore Legacy Patcher

Apple's macOS operating system updates often drop support for older Mac and MacBook models. Some Mac users therefore cannot take advantage of features found in the newer releases, unless they upgrade their hardware.

The OpenCore Legacy Patcher project, which is for a bootloader that allows newer macOS versions to work on older unsupported models, has introduced its latest version. As previously confirmed to be slightly behind the main macOS Sonoma release, the October 2 launch brings back support for the older Mac collective.

In a GitHub post announcing the release, the launch will bring macOS Sonoma support to 83 unsupported Mac models. While support for macOS Sonoma is included, it is warned that development is ongoing and not all features may be supported at first.

The main limitation of the macOS Sonoma release is a lack of hardware support for the T1 Security Chip, which applies to 2016 and 2017 MacBook Pro models with a Touch Bar. Work to add support is ongoing, but no schedule has been set for it.

The list of models that can use OpenCore Legacy Patcher 1.0.0 to run macOS Sonoma includes:

• 2008 to 2019 12-inch and 13-inch MacBooks
• 2009 to 2017 11-inch and 13-inch MacBook Air
• 2008 to 2017 13-inch to 17-inch MacBook Pro
• 2009 to 2017 Mac mini
• 2007 to 2018 20-inch to 27-inch iMac
• 2008 to 2018 Mac Pro
• 2008 to 2010 Xserve.