Apple starts rolling out macOS Sierra to all users

Apple is rolling out the latest version of its Mac operating system to all users today.

People partaking in Apple’s public and developer betas have been able to try early versions of this release since July. Now, the official release of macOS Sierra is becoming available to everyone on all eligible devices.

If the name sounds odd to you, there’s a reason for that: In June, Apple said the 15-year-old “OS X” name would be rebranded to macOS starting with this initial release. And if the name sounds familiar to you, there’s a reason for that, too: For years (specifically, 1984-2001) Apple’s desktop software went by the name Mac OS. So everything old is new again.

The new macOS includes several optimizations over 2015’s OS X El Capitan, but the most prominent addition is the arrival of Siri on the desktop. Sierra also comes with redesigned iTunes, Messages, and Photos apps; support for a Universal Clipboard with a connected iPhone; the ability to automatically unlock your Mac with an Apple Watch; Apple Pay on the web; and support for opening multiple tabs in a single Mac app — just like you can in Safari or any other modern web browser.

That last feature works in Keynote, Maps, Mail, Numbers, Pages, and TextEdit, as well as some third-party apps, while retailers 1-800-Flowers, Gilt, Instacart, Lululemon, and Warby Parker currently support Apple Pay on the web, Apple said in a statement.

The new OS is available as a download from the Mac App Store. Alternatively you should be able to start downloading macOS later today by going to the Updates section of the Mac App Store. (Hat tip to MacRumors for the Mac App Store link.)

Compatible devices include MacBooks and iMacs from late 2009 or later, and MacBook Airs, MacBook Pros, Mac minis, and Mac Pros from 2010 and later. More specifically, Apple says, your computer will need OS X 10.7.5 or later, 2GB of RAM, and 8.8GB of free storage.

Apple is reportedly planning to unveil new Macs as soon as next month, and it’s fair to expect that they will ship with macOS Sierra.