Many users have older Macs that can’t run the latest version of macOS, but thanks to OpenCore, this is now possible — albeit with a few caveats.
Version 0.6.1 (Opens in a new tab) It allows anyone with a 16-year-old Mac to upgrade to macOS Ventura, so you can use apps like Photos and services like Apple Arcade without a problem. However, newer features such as Stage Manager cannot be used, as OpenCore does not currently support them.
OpenCore is a community project where many macOS drivers have been reverse engineered or rebuilt from scratch, so you can use WiFi and Bluetooth to enable other features like AirPlay and Continuity.
However, we don’t recommend you do that, because the risks far outweigh the benefits—especially when you can simply order an M2 Mac mini and enjoy Ventura (and future macOS updates) in a faster, more secure way.
It’s easier to simply upgrade to a new Mac
When you look at weed for what the release notes say in GitHub (Opens in a new tab) It sounds encouraging, and if you want to give it a try with your old Mac that’s been sitting on the shelf for the past decade, that’s your prerogative!
The following Macs can use OpenCore to upgrade to macOS Ventura with a fresh install:
- 2007-2017 iMac
- 2008 – 2016 macbook
- 2008 – 2016 macbook pro
- 2008 – 2013 Mac Pro
- 2009 – 2017 MacBook Air
- 2009 – 2017 mac mini
Yes, future updates are supported over the air, along with support for Metal, Apple’s own framework that can render games on a Mac, similar to Vulkan and OpenGL. However, Apple obviously disagrees with this, since the company could release a future macOS update that could bring OpenCore to its knees, make your Mac refuse to boot into Ventura, and make it a huge paperweight.
With all of these Macs running on Intel chips, you’re also not taking advantage of the high speed and battery life offered by Apple Silicon. So while it might be nice to get macOS Ventura to some extent with this tool, you don’t have the best experience compared to the M2 MacBook Air.
Regardless, it’s a great effort by the community to breathe new life into old Macs, but sometimes, it’s better to leave it alone and use it as a learning tool, rather than as a way to run a weak macOS Ventura on an unsupported Mac from 2009.