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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsYou can test a compatible macOS beta without replacing your current macOS by installing it on a separate APFS volume. Create the volume in Disk Utility, choose it as the installer destination, and switch systems by changing the startup disk and restarting. When finished, start from the macOS installation you’re keeping, copy any needed files, then delete the beta volume.
Before you install the beta
Check compatibility and make a backup
Confirm that your Mac supports the beta and that its full installer is available for your model. Apple’s macOS update guidance explains that updates are offered only for compatible Mac models; compatibility depends on the particular Mac and release.
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Back up your Mac before installing. A separate volume keeps the beta installation apart from your existing macOS installation, but it is not a substitute for a backup.
Check the space available
APFS volumes in the same container share available space by default. Adding a volume does not reserve a fixed amount of storage or increase the container’s capacity; the installations draw on the free space available there. Disk Utility can configure a reserve or quota, but unless you set one, space is shared as needed. See Apple’s APFS volume guidance.
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Choose an installation destination
You can install on a new volume in the Mac’s internal APFS container or use an external storage device. An internal volume is convenient but shares the container’s free space. External storage is physically separate and may suit a Mac with limited internal capacity or someone who wants the test system on another device. Apple documents both options but does not specify a recommended drive, minimum capacity, or performance comparison. Check that any external device has enough space for the installer and system.
Create a separate APFS volume
For the built-in startup disk, Apple’s multi-version instructions require macOS High Sierra or later to create an APFS volume. In Disk Utility:
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- Open Disk Utility and select the existing APFS volume in the startup disk’s container.
- Choose Edit > Add APFS Volume, or click the add-volume button.
- Give the new volume a clear name, such as “macOS Beta,” so it is easy to identify in the installer and Disk Utility.
Follow Apple’s instructions for installing multiple versions of macOS if you are using an external destination or need the full procedure for your Mac.
Install macOS on the new volume
- Download the full installer for the beta you intend to test.
- Open the installer and continue until it asks you to choose an installation destination.
- Choose Show All Disks, then select the new APFS volume you created. Check the volume name carefully before proceeding: selecting the wrong destination could replace the macOS installation you meant to keep.
- Complete the installation. On the first startup from the new volume, Setup Assistant opens so you can create a user account for that system.
Apple says files can be shared between user accounts on the two volumes after setup. That does not mean settings, applications, or app state are automatically shared between installations.
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Switch between the beta and your usual macOS
Choose the Mac’s startup disk and restart to start from the other macOS installation. Use the startup-disk settings available in the macOS version you are currently running to select the volume, then restart. The exact interface can vary by macOS release; Apple’s multi-version macOS guide covers choosing a startup volume.
Check for software updates separately while started from each installation. An update check in one macOS installation does not update the other; start from the other volume and check there as well.
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Turn off beta updates or remove the beta
Turn off future beta updates
If you are enrolled in the Apple Beta Software Program, Software Update settings let you turn off beta updates or choose a beta type. This controls which beta updates the installation receives; it does not uninstall a beta that is already installed. See Apple’s Software Update settings guide.
Delete the separate beta installation
To remove the test system, use Disk Utility while started from the macOS volume you intend to keep. First copy or back up any files you need from the beta volume. Deleting a volume permanently erases its data.
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- Open Disk Utility and select the APFS volume that contains the beta installation. Verify its name and make sure it is not the system you are currently using or the installation you want to keep.
- Choose Edit > Delete APFS Volume, or use the delete-volume toolbar button.
- If Disk Utility prompts you to delete the volume group, do so only after confirming the group belongs to the beta installation you are removing. macOS installations use a system/data volume group.
If Disk Utility cannot delete a volume because it is in use, Apple says you may need to use Disk Utility in macOS Recovery. Its APFS volume guidance explains volume deletion and the in-use limitation.
Quick Recap
Common mistakes to avoid
- Choosing the wrong installer destination: use Show All Disks and verify the new volume’s name before installing.
- Assuming a new volume creates more space: APFS volumes share free space within their container unless a reserve or quota is configured.
- Expecting beta opt-out to uninstall macOS: turning off beta updates affects future update selection; removing the installed system requires deleting its separate volume.
- Deleting before saving files: volume deletion is permanent, so retrieve anything needed before removing the beta volume.
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