complete list with all versions and history of Mac operating system

Since the first Macs, Apple has developed its own operating systems to power them. Certain operating systems which have evolved a great deal in recent years and which improving their capabilities, design, features and functions every year and, in general, they allow us to do more with our devices.

macOS: names steeped in history and full of meaning

If we look at operating systems released after 2000, which we can properly call macOS, we see several interesting comment patterns. The first thing that jumps out at you is that the Mac’s operating system went through three types of names.

Initially, we called el like Mac OS X, it was from its release until the release of Mountain Lion in July 2011. From then on, we started referring to the operating system as OS X, with the following version numbers. Later, in September 2016, with the release of macOS Sierra, we called the system what it is today: macOS.

Another interesting change concerns the names of the different systems. Unlike iOS or watchOS, where there is simply a number to indicate the version, the Mac has always had a proper name. Initially, big cat names were used, but with the release of OS X 10.9 in October 2013, which was called Mavericks, the company began to take inspiration from important place names in California.

Names, it should be noted, that sometimes resemble their predecessors, such as Leopard/Snow Leopard, Lion/Mountain Lion or Sierra/High Sierra, for reference operating systems with less novelties or evolutionor focused on specific features or improving performance and efficiency.

More curiosities. The version number of the various operating systems has always been 10. In fact, it was initially called Mac OS X, precisely because of 10. Thus, from version 10.0 to 10.15, which corresponds to the release of macOS Catalina in October 2009, we were in this version. It was with macOS Big Sur, the first operating system for Apple Silicon chips, which was released in November 2020, that we gave the change of number. So we are now on macOS 12 Monterey.

List with Mac OS X versions and names

The complete list of operating systems it’s quite interesting. As we have already said, we will see the different developments that we have just mentioned.

macOS Monterey, at least until WWDC 2022

macOS Monterey, version 12 of the operating system, is the most recent version. A version that arriving in October 2021, about 5 months ago. A version that will be replaced by macOS 13, whose name is still unknown, during WWDC 2022, and which will be available to the general public in the fall of this year.

Monterey no made significant changes to the operating system, such as the arrival of the Shortcuts application on Mac to be able to create and run our own workflows, or TestFlight, to test beta software. It has also included Universal Control, which allows us to control an iPad or another Mac from a single keyboard and mouse.

In addition to improving the Keychain, where passwords are stored, or redesigning Safari, system security has been improved with several features and services designed to protect our privacy like Hide My Mail or iCloud Private Relay, for example.

The history of macOS, I would give for a series of articles. A long series too. Today we will focus on the mentioned part, an overview of a constantly evolving operating system and which governs all our Macs. An operating system that, whatever we call it, makes a difference.