Apple started rolling out the macOS Sonoma developer beta soon after the WWDC 2023 event. As the name suggests, it is intended for developers only, but a public beta is set to be available in July 2023.
This beta software allows users to get their hands on all the latest macOS features ahead of the crowd, but installing beta software isn’t always a good idea.
So if you’ve been itching to install the macOS Sonoma beta and get the latest version of Apple’s software on your Mac, here are the biggest reasons you should probably avoid that temptation.
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4. You’ll run into software bugs and stability issues
One of the biggest reasons not to install any beta software is the lack of stability in general. Early beta versions of macOS are experimental builds that Apple pushes to developers to help them test their apps and make sure they’re ready before final release.
End users should avoid installing the beta firmware of macOS Sonoma on their primary Mac at all costs as they will definitely run into stability issues. These include unwanted battery drain on the MacBook, random freezes when opening and closing certain apps, and other performance hiccups when navigating the system.
Apple usually patches these software bugs closer to the final release of macOS, so would you rather wait for the finished product or install the beta and deal with the bugs that hinder your experience?
3. Beta software comes with security risks
Apple’s beta tests pave the way for hackers to find and exploit security vulnerabilities in macOS and its apps to get a headstart. Although Apple has been quick with security patches, you are still at greater security risk when you have a beta version of macOS installed on your machine.
This is one of the main reasons why Apple strongly recommends its users against installing pre-release software on their primary devices. So please be patient while Apple fixes any potential security flaws before macOS Sonoma is revealed in the fall of 2023.
2. Some apps will not work properly
While this isn’t usually an issue with Apple’s stock apps, you can’t say the same for third-party apps you use on your Mac every day. Considering macOS Sonoma has many new features, third-party app developers have yet to optimize their apps to run smoothly on the latest version of Apple’s software.
Affected apps may crash or freeze when you install macOS Sonoma on your Mac. Furthermore, some apps may fail to launch altogether, rendering them completely unusable until the developer pushes out an update, which can take weeks if not months.
So, in addition to being patient with Apple to resolve software issues, you should give app developers enough time to fix their products before you install the latest macOS beta on your Mac.
1. macOS Sonoma Beta May Not Have Every Feature
Remember when Apple showed off Universal Controls for Mac and iPad at WWDC 2021, but the feature didn’t come to devices until the macOS Monterey 12.3 update in March 2022? Similarly, Apple’s Freeform apps didn’t make their way to Macs until macOS Ventura 16.1. Therefore, you can expect the same missing features with the macOS Sonoma beta.
Apple sometimes saves some features for a point release of macOS further down the line. This gives the developers enough time to finish internal testing and ensure that the feature works as advertised. The company also has a track record of pulling features from beta like Live Activities into iOS 16, which didn’t show up until iOS 16.1.
So, it’s best to do your proper research and see if the feature you want to check out is actually available in the macOS Sonoma Beta before spending all your time installing it.
When is the best time to install macOS Sonoma?
The best time to install macOS Sonoma is when Apple rolls out the final stable release in the fall of 2023, if not a few weeks later. However, if you’re impatient, you should—at least—wait for early reviews of the macOS Sonoma public beta to see if people report problems and then install the software on a secondary device.
Remember that you should never install a beta version of macOS on your primary computer. That said, if you run into problems after updating to macOS Sonoma and regret installing it, you can still downgrade to an older version.