Install macOS Sonoma on unsupported models

In this video, I'll explain how to install macOS Sonoma on older, unsupported, Apple Mac models. This could be a fresh install, upgrade or dual boot. We will do this using the OpenCore Legacy Patcher. For this video, I'll be using an Mac Mini Late 2014 but this method should work for Mac Mini, Mac Pro, MacBook Air or Pro and different models of iMacs as well.

Other links used in the video:

Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction
03:06 - Overview of process
04:08 - Prepare a USB drive
04:59 - Download OpenCore Legacy Patcher
05:49 - Download the macOS Sonoma installer
06:36 - Create a bootable USB drive from the downloaded installer
07:05 - Install OpenCore on the bootable USB drive
07:54 - Boot the installer from the USB drive
09:11 - Preparation for upgrade, dual boot or fresh install
10:29 - Install macOS Sonoma
12:31 - Verify post-install root patches
13:39 - Install OpenCore on the internal hard-drive/SSD
15:06 - Create installer for other machine

[ermo]

Mac Mini 2012 2, 3 Quad Core intel core i7, Intel hd graphics 4000 1236 mb, 16GB internal memory, 500gb ssd (samsung t7). Works very nice, booting is a little slow but now I can run all my software again. Thanks for this wonderful instruction !! Happy Holidays

[rolandohernandez]

This was the best and most useful video I've followed in quite a while.

[dempsey]

Hi. I needed to install Sonoma on a new SSD in a Mac Mini 2012. I have followed other guides to achieve this but none has worked. Yours is the only instruction to explain that to create an installer on a different Mac, I needed to select the model identifier for the target Mac as part of the process. I followed your instructions and it worked first time. Thank you.

[mikevosper]

At last, a well explained and easy to follow tutorial. Worked first time on my 2017 iMac. Thanks!

[wolfganghoffmann]

Works on my iMac 11, 2 (2010) and I'm looking forward to be able to use my Mac-machine a longer period than any other of my PCs ever. Did an upgrade to 12 GB Ram though. Thanx for the excellent video. 😃

[thegiant]

Thanks for this in depth tutorial, I now have Sonoma on my Mac mini 2012. At first it encountered errors, probably because I used a different computer to set up the usb, but when I used the Mac mini, it installed smoothly. 👍🏼

[adamchahl]

Amazing Jens! Thank you - worked first time like a charm. Great content.

[jorgealfredo_]

I purchased a mac mini on Amazon Renew! I hope everything goes well, and I am getting ready to learn how to do this type of upgrades! Thanks for the video ;) You should try the functionalities of the OS for a video about what works and what does not works. ;)

[JorshPodGaming]

absolute legend! What a video, great job 😁 Did it to my Mac Mini 2014 today and it works like a charm!

[UncleSpellbinder]

An EXCELLENT, easy to follow tutorial. This worked perfectly for my late 2014 Mac Mini. Thanks!

[Cazon-alt]

Appreciate it bro! Thank you for this video.

[umityayla]

Crystal clear guidance. Thank you for your effort.

[professorgamer]

Thank You So Much, I was able to install sonoma on mac mini 2014

[openmindtechnologic]

Good work for Portugal
Mac Mini Late 2014 Sucess

[marsfellow]

Installer gives only one option to create High Sierra but disables MacOs Sonomar:
I tried to create USB disk on iMAC mid-2011 which has MacOS Sierra. When I reached the step write to USB it diabled the button for MacOS Sonoma (mentioned requires Hight Sierra) but gave option to select MacOS Hight Sierra. I selected that option to create installer for Hight Sierra on USB but in the end that gave error and did not fully complete the process.
I restarted the whole process to select High Sierra from the beginning but there there no option to select older MacOSes only latest ones. Any help highly appreciated.

[zilozila]

Installed Monterey on Mac Mini late 2012

[fablapp]

Great video! Helped a lot together with the hard drive upgrade. However seems performance is so so…. Safari really fuzzy

[WebberLai]

Hi I just try to install the Sonoma on mac pro 5.1, but it looks like have 2 problems
1.Bluetooth not work : After I success install, the bluetooth is not work anymore, do I need choose ventura ?
2.My mac pro is use fusion, where should I install the bootloader location ? SSD or HDD ?

Thanks for your very detail video

[ianscottkelley]

Hello, Thank you for posting this! However, I am having issues.

I have a late 2012 Mac Mini. I have catalina on it. I followed the steps but I was unable to achieve results. When I get to the step where you install it will take roughly 30 mins then it says it has an error updating...never finishes.

[treiunu]

Did you notice Sonoma running slower than Ventura? In System Preferences, when I click different tabs it lags from 1 to several seconds until it loads, I don't remember doing this on Ventura.