10 things to do before you install… HIGH SIERRA

Get your machine High Sierra ready before upgrading

Fans of the Terminator franchise may remember the cybernetic killing machine played by Arnold Schwarzenegger being singularly outclassed by the superior and ruthlessly efficient T-1000. At MacFormat we have been experimenting with the special preview of the latest version of macOS, High Sierra, and can safely say that there is no better analogy when comparing Apple’s latest offering to its predecessor.

The fluid machine that is High Sierra is exemplified by the use of HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding). The upgraded Metal 2 will also turbo charge your Mac’s GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) like never before by supporting features such as virtual reality.

Under the hood, the OS introduces the new Apple File System, specifically designed to process your data more efficiently on modern flash drives, specifically when cloning data. High Sierra also incorporates changes and improvements to existing apps like Photos. As important as it is to keep your machine up to date and enjoy new features, if your Mac isn’t prepared, you may run into some issues during installation.

In this guide, we’ll explore how to check your Mac is compatible with High Sierra as well as detailing methods to upgrade. We’ll also examine ways to make sure your favourite applications are compatible with High Sierra and discuss how to back up macOS, should the worst happen.