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KTH Mac

Here you will find information and instructions to use your Mac efficiently in KTH's IT environment.
It is for you who use a Mac at KTH, both the KTH Mac version and your own.

KTH Mac

KTH Mac is the Mac variant of the IT Workplace. This service provides easy access to software, backup, automated updates, and other services.

The service KTH Mac

Software for KTH Mac – KTH Self Service

Current news

We constantly inventory the Macs in our systems and make sure they are running updated operating systems that meet today's security requirements.

Apple supports the latest macOS versions– macOS 14 Sonoma– and the previous two– macOS 13 Ventura and macOS 12 Monterey– with security updates. We follow Apple in this for the computers in our care. If your computer is running an older macOS, you will therefore receive notifications from us about updating your operating system.

If your computer is running an older version, you must therefore update your OS, according to our instructions for Updating Mac from older macOS .

If your computer is too old to support these versions, it may be time to consider a hardware upgrade. A modern Mac not only improves security but also the work experience with access to the latest programs, features and software updates.

If you need help or have questions about updating, please contact it-support@kth.se .

Current Apple information

Current versions:

KTH Mac support the 3 latest macOS versions: macOS 12 (Monterey), 13 (Ventura) and 14 (Sonoma).

The following are the latest OS versions from Apple:

  • macOS 14.4.1 , macOS 13.6.5, macOS 12.7.4
  • iOS 17.4.1
  • ipadOS 17.4.1
  • watchOS 10.4

All users are encouraged to keep their devices updated to latest possible version.

macOS Sonoma

macOS Sonoma

Apple's latest major macOS system upgrade, this time called Sonoma, was released on 25 September 2023. It continues Apple's process toward all devices using Apple's own processors.

Changes and news

The main focus in Sonoma is about the user experience, with video screensavers, widgets on the desktop, features for collaboration and various video conferencing features.

  • Better security: share passwords with friends/colleagues, safer private browsing, lockdown mode.
  • Websites as apps.
  • Accessibility: Personal Voice helps users with speech difficulties create a voice that sounds like them and use it in Live Speech in FaceTime calls.
  • AI in word processing: better autocorrect and suggestions for words and continuation of sentences.

Read more at www.apple.com/se/macos/sonoma/

www.apple.com: macOS Sonoma brings new capabilities for elevating productivity and creativity

Compatible computers

macOS 14 Sonoma tightens the hardware requirements compared to last year. Many new functions require a powerful processor to be used.
Sonoma is officially supported by all Intel Macs with a T2 chip, all Apple silicon Macs, and only one Intel Mac without a T2 chip, namely the iMac 2019 (iMac19,x):

Mac mini: 2018 and later
Mac Pro: 2019 and later
Mac Studio: 2022 and later

iMac: 2019 and later
iMac Pro: 2017

MacBook: not compatible
MacBook Air: 2018 and later
MacBook Pro: 2018 and later

The fact that a computer is compatible does not mean that all new features can be used- more and more features requires the functionality and capabilities of the more modern Apple processor.

Preparations

Your data

  • Make sure the computer has a current backup (TimeMachine or Crashplan) of the computer so you can get back your data if you run into problems.
  • Make sure OneDrive has synced everything you put in the OneDrive directory.

Hard drive

Check your SSD before upgrading the system so that it is healthy and has enough space (at least 40 GB left).

If you upgrade from a macOS version before 10.13, the upgrade will convert the file system and file structure of your Mac to APFS.

Applications

  1. Update all applications BEFORE you upgrade. The actual updating binaries for many programs may be incompatible with macOS 12.0. See point 4.
  2. Check that the programs are compatible with the system - 32-bit programs will not work. Check with > "About this computer"> System report> Software> Programs, column "64-bit yes / no". Additional incompatibilities may occur, check the manufacturer's website. This also applies to plugins for various software.
  3. Uninstall old programs BEFORE upgrading. See point 2.

Time to upgrade

To upgrade takes time, often an hour or more. Make the upgrade when you have time to be without the computer for a while.

The computer labs run macOS 13 Sonoma

All Mac computer rooms in building 43:3 (Turkos, Violett, Konst and Musik) run macOS 14.x with local home directory and access to AFS and Windows home directories. Read more here: Your home directory in the Mac labs  

The iMacs in the computer labs have USB-C ports only. If you need to use USB-A port for a computer lab session or for personal data storage, you therefore need an adapter.