How much longer will High Sierra be supported?

[mac_in_tosh]

I'm still getting some use out of my early 2011 MacBook Pro running High Sierra and will continue to do so as long as there are security updates and the machine continues to function. Is there a published schedule for when Apple will stop supporting High Sierra? Has it already stopped and if not how will we know?

 

[sgtaylor5]

There is no published schedule and there never has been. High Sierra is not supported ATM (at this moment), because Apple usually supports (without publishing anything to this effect) the newest OS version (ATM Big Sur) and two OS versions back (ATM Catalina and Mojave).

Not supported =/ not functional. If it works for you, keep using what you have!

(I just realized my signature is bad: I'm on Big Sur right now, and that will be the last major OS version for me. I'll keep using my MBP until it dies.)

 

[mac_in_tosh]

There is no published schedule and there never has been. High Sierra is not supported ATM (at this moment), because Apple usually supports (without publishing anything to this effect) the newest OS version (ATM Big Sur) and two OS versions back (ATM Catalina and Mojave).

Not supported =/ not functional. If it works for you, keep using what you have!

I thought I did a security update somewhat recently but it must have been before Big Sur was released given what you said. I wouldn't want to keep using High Sierra if there won't be security updates.

 

[sgtaylor5]

I thought I did a security update somewhat recently but it must have been before Big Sur was released given what you said. I wouldn't want to keep using High Sierra if there won't be security updates.

the best security update you can receive is your knowledge of where to go and where not to go on the internet.

 

[velocityg4]

You could always use the Dosdude1 Catalina Patcher. It works well. I've got it in a late 2009 iMac and 2010 MBP 13. Both work great.

 

[amstel78]

I had to update my MP3,1 from High Sierra once Adobe stopped supporting it. After discovering I couldn't update to newer versions of Lightroom and Photoshop since they needed at least Mojave to run, that basically spelled the end for HS on my machine.

On the other hand, if you're perfectly content with the applications running on your Mac now, then there's probably no need to update it.

 

[nothingtoseehere]

I thought I did a security update somewhat recently but it must have been before Big Sur was released given what you said. I wouldn't want to keep using High Sierra if there won't be security updates.

There has been a security update to High Sierra in November 2020 (2020-006), see https://support.apple.com/kb/DL2059 and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacOS_High_Sierra

It might have been the last one as this came up 3 years after HS has been published in 2017, this is Apple's usual cycle.

I know some people who stick with older macOSes. As said above, with careful use of the internet this is absolutely viable. Often, websites start to not longer work with the old Safari (as Safari is connected directly to the OS). Other browsers may help, but not forever.

With other software, it depends. If you want to use some old software, it can be essential to use an old macOS. If you want the newest versions, you may need a newer OS.

 

[mac_in_tosh]

I know some people who stick with older macOSes. As said above, with careful use of the internet this is absolutely viable.

I have a newer MBPro but also use the old one for convenience. I'm concerned that an inherent vulnerability in High Sierra could be discovered that would lead to a security problem no matter how carefully I use the internet.

 

[mac_in_tosh]

You could always use the Dosdude1 Catalina Patcher. It works well. I've got it in a late 2009 iMac and 2010 MBP 13. Both work great.

That's interesting but I think I'd worry about security vulnerabilities with that also.

 

[amstel78]

That's interesting but I think I'd worry about security vulnerabilities with that also.

You could also install OpenCore and run Big Sur if you want to have the absolute latest. Install SilentKnight to also ensure Xprotect and MRT are updated.

 

[mac_in_tosh]

I ended up getting an iPad Air to replace the 2011 MB Pro considering what I had been using the latter for - mainly convenience as my newer MB Pro is usually in the office connected to a keyboard, monitor and USB hub.