How to Download and Install macOS 12 Monterey Beta on Mac

BY Sanuj Bhatia

Published 7 Jun 2021

Following the keynote, Apple released the first developer beta of macOS 12 Monterey. In this guide, we’ll explain how you can download and install the latest macOS 12 beta on your compatible Apple Mac and MacBook in just a few steps.

WWDC 2021 was one of the most exciting events in Apple’s history. Not only Apple announced revamped iOS 15 and iPadOS 15, the company also announced a number of refinements for its macOS operating system. The company has released macOS 12 beta 1 to developers which is available to download and install. Here’s how you can get macOS 12 running on your Mac.

The new macOS brings a lot of features to the Mac. You can now use iPad and Mac seamlessly with the new Universal Control feature that allows your to share files, images, audio, and even cursor from Mac to the iPad. It automatically knows when an iPad is in the vicinity of the Mac and then you can start sharing contents between the two. You can even share windows.

Moreover, the new macOS Monterey brings redesigned Safari to the Mac. It has a new Tab Groups feature that allows you to save websites and open tabs in a Collection which you can access later. The tab layout has also been improved. macOS Monterey also brings the Shortcuts app to the Mac for the first time. It will replace the Automator app.

If you’re willing to install the latest macOS 12 developer beta on your Mac, make sure you have a compatible Mac. These are the Macs that are compatible with the latest version of macOS.

Macs and MacBooks Compatible with macOS 12 Monterey

Here’s the list of Macs that are compatible with macOS 12 Monterey:

  • iMac – Late 2015 and later
  • MacBook Pro – Early 2015 and later
  • Mac Pro – Late 2013 and later
  • iMac Pro – 2017 and later
  • Mac mini – Late 2014 and later
  • MacBook Air – Early 2015 and later
  • MacBook – Early 2016 and later

If you have a compatible Mac or MacBook, you can install the latest version of macOS 12 on your Mac. Remember, to install macOS 12 Monterey Developer Beta on your Mac, you need to have an account with the Apple Developer Center. If you don’t have an Apple Developer account, you need to wait for the Public Beta of the new macOS version. Public beta of the macOS Monterey which will be released alongside iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 public beta in July.

We advise you not to install macOS Monterey Developer Beta on your main Mac. The first developer beta is generally full of bugs, and might not be stable enough for daily use. If you’re proceeding to install macOS 12 on your Mac, make sure you backup your data before proceeding to install macOS 12 Monterey beta on your Mac.

How to Install macOS Monterey Beta on Mac

Step 1: Download the ‘macOS Monterey beta configuration profile’ from your Apple Developer account on your Mac.

Step 2: Wait for the download to complete and then open the macOS 12 Developer Beta Access Utility from your Downloads folder.

Step 3: Double click on the macOSDeveloperBetaAccessUtility.pkg and run the installer.

Step 4: Complete the installation steps. It may ask you to enter your passcode and perform a Time Machine backup in the process.

Step 5: When the installation completes, the package will automatically open the App Store on your Mac and show the macOS Monterey installation application.

The update for macOS Monterey should show up immediately after installing the beta profile. However, in some cases, the update might not show up. A quick reboot of your Mac should enable the update to show up on your Mac. If the update doesn’t show up even then, clear cache on your Mac.

Step 6: Wait for the download to complete. Since this is a major release, download times are expected to be higher.

Step 7: After the installation completes, Agree to the terms and conditions and follow the instructions to install macOS Monterey.

Wait for the installation to complete and voila! You now have a Mac running the latest macOS Monterey. Go ahead and play with the new features like Safari Tab Grouping and Universal Control.

If you install the macOS 12 Monterey beta on your Mac, drop a comment and let us know your experience with it and the new features that you like the most.