macOS Mojave: The Missing Manual

Appendix A. Installing macOS Mojave

If your computer came with macOS Mojave already installed on it, you can skip this appendix—at least for now. But if you’re running an earlier version of the Mac operating system and want to really savor the Mojave experience, this appendix is for you. It describes how to install the new OS on your Mac.

If you’re new in these parts, you may be in for a shock: You can’t buy macOS in a box, or on a DVD. You download it from the Mac App Store.

There are some attractive elements to that system. For example, there’s no copy protection and no serial numbers to type in. There’s no cost to Apple for manufacturing or shipping, which may explain why Mojave isn’t even $20 or $30, like some of its predecessors—it’s free.

There’s no disc to hunt down when you want to install macOS again (onto a new Mac, for example).

And when you do need a copy again, you’ll download the latest version—10.14.3 or whatever it is—instead of having to install whatever updates have come out since you got your DVD.

(And what if you don’t have a fast internet connection for downloading macOS? The world won’t come to an end; read on.)

Hardware Requirements

For starters, you need to make sure you and your Mac have what it takes to handle Mojave—specifically:

• A Mac that’s not a geezer. Mojave can run on any Mac laptop made since mid-2012; any iMac or Mac Mini made since late 2012; and any Mac Pro made since mid-2013 (plus a few older, especially beefy Mac Pros).

• Free storage space. ...