How to install Apple's macOS Sonoma public beta on a Mac

Apple has rolled out the public beta of macOS Sonoma. That means public beta testers, or any non-developer, can download and try the new update on their iMac, MacBook, MacBook Pro, or any other type of modern Mac.

To get the beta version of Apple's next operating system update running on your computer, you need to sign up for Apple's beta testing program. It's free to join. Then, you need to install the proper certificate from Apple's public beta website, and then you can grab the updates over the air.

If you've joined Apple's free beta program previously, you'll need to enroll again for this latest version. Here's everything you need to know.

How to download and install the macOS Sonoma public beta on your Mac

With the Apple public beta program, you can download and install macOS Sonoma on your Mac. Just make sure it's a secondary computer and not your main one, as it might be filled with bugs and could break things. To make things easy, we've detailed the download and installation steps below.

Back up your device (see this Apple support page).
Visit the Apple Beta Program website on your Mac and click the signup button.
Sign in with your Apple ID login.
From there, read and accept Apple's agreement.
From your Mac, visit beta.apple.com/sp/betaprogram/guide.
You may need to sign in with your Apple ID login.
Download the Beta Configuration Profile. (Follow the on-screen steps.)
You'll need to tap the macOS tab.
Scroll down to and select "you can enroll your Mac".
On the next page, select Download the macOS Public Beta Access Utility option.
If you see a popup asking if you want to allow downloads, click "Allow."
The beta installer (macOSPublicBetaAccessUtility.dmg) will go to your Downloads.
Locate it and double-click it to open it.
Double-click on the .pkg file inside to run the installer.
You may see a warning advising you to back up your Mac.
Click OK and then click Continue twice.
Agree to Apple's software license agreement.
Now, click on "Install" and enter your admin password if prompted.
The installer will download.
System Preferences Software Update should open with the beta download.
Click on Upgrade Now to download the public beta software when prompted.
It will take some time to download the file.
When the download is complete, your Mac should restart.
After a restart, the ‌macOS Somona installer should launch.
If it does not, it can be found in the Applications folder.
From here, click "Continue" and walk through the steps as instructed.
You'll agree to the terms and conditions again.
Select the drive that you want to install the public beta on.
You can choose your main drive or a partition you've created.
Click Install and enter your administrator password.
Then, click OK, followed by Restart (or wait for your Mac to reboot automatically).
After your Mac restarts, the Ventura installation process will begin.
It takes some time for the update to install.
When the installation is finished and your Mac reboots, it will be running the beta.

Can your Mac run the macOS Sonoma public beta?

The following Mac laptops and desktop models are supported by macOS Sonoma:

iMac: 2019 and later
iMac Pro: 2017 and later
Mac Pro: 2019 and later
Mac Studio: 2022 and later
MacBook Air: 2018 and later
MacBook Pro: 2018 and later
Mac mini: 2018 and later

When will the final version of MacOS Sonoma roll out?

Apple will seed several developer and public betas of macOS Sonoma throughout the summer - which you will be able to download over the air. Expect the final versions of the software update to officially launch for all supported Mac models sometime this autumn, likely around October. The final version will also be free and downloadable over the air through the App Store on your computer - no Apple beta program required.