With an impressive collection of features designed to improve user experience and enhance security, macOS Monterey is a worthy upgrade. Nearly a month after the developer betas were released, Apple rolled out the public beta of macOS Monterey to allow enthusiasts and techies alike to try out the pre-release software. If you want to try out the new features in the latest version of macOS, follow this step-by-step guide to download and install the macOS Monterey public beta on your Mac.
Download and install macOS Monterey Public Beta (2021)
Be warned that beta software comes with its fair share of bugs and issues. So be ready to face unexpected issues like fast battery drain, random reboot, app crashing, etc. So we suggest that the best way to test betas of macOS Monterey is to install it on a secondary device. It lets you explore all the new features and ensures that your workflow is undisturbed. With that in mind, let’s dive into it.
How to Backup Your Mac
Before proceeding, be sure to back up your Mac. If you haven’t already, take advantage of Time Machine to secure all your personal data. In case something goes wrong during installation, or if you ever want to downgrade and return to macOS Big Sur, the backup data will come in very handy. Also, make sure your Mac is compatible with macOS 12.
- To back up your data, connect an external storage device to your Mac.
- Now open Time Machine preferences from the menu bar or select Apple menu -> System Preferences -> Time Machine. After that, click on “ Select backup disk and follow the instructions to back up your macOS device.
How to Sign Up for the macOS Monterey Public Beta
It’s worth pointing out that if you’ve already joined Apple’s beta software program, there’s no need to sign up again. If you’ve already tried the macOS public beta, skip to the “how to download the macOS Monterey Public Beta Access Utility” section below.
1. Open Safari on your Mac and go to beta.apple.com.
2. Now click on “ Register” if you haven’t signed up for the beta program in the past.
3. Next, enter your Apple ID and password to enroll in Apple’s public beta testing program.
How to enroll your Mac and download the macOS Monterey Beta Public Access Utility
Once you’ve registered your account, you can easily enroll your Mac for macOS public beta testing. Follow the steps below:
1. Launch Safari on your Mac and navigate to beta.apple.com. Then sign in using your Apple ID password.
2. Now click on the “ macOS» tab located in the «Public Beta Guide » section.
To note: The installation process for public betas of iOS 15, iPadOS 15, tvOS 15, and watchOS 8 is quite similar. Simply choose the corresponding tab and download the beta profile for that operating system to your device. After that, you can install the beta version in a few easy steps.
3. Next, under the “ To start“, click the ” enroll your mac » connect.
4. Next, click on the “ Download macOS Beta Public Access Utility” optional.
How to Install macOS 12 Monterey Public Beta on Mac
1. Next, you need to open the file from the Finder Downloads window and then double-click the macOSPublicBetaAccessUtiliuty.dmg package to run the installer.
2. Now click on “ To continue “ basically. Then you will be prompted to make a backup. If you haven’t backed up your Mac, follow the instructions to do so. If you’ve already done this, ignore the prompts.
3. Next, accept the Software License Agreement. Click on ” To continue” again to continue.
4. Next, click on “ to agree ” to confirm.
5. Now click on “ To install“.
7. You will now be asked to enter your administrator password. Do it and click on “ Install software in the pop-up window.
8. Once the installation is complete, you can ” Close” macOS Monterey public beta utility.
9. Then you will be redirected to Software update settings, where a pop-up window will appear saying, “Are you sure you want to download macOS Monterey beta 12.0? » Well, click on the “ To download ” button.
9. Finally, click on “Update now to begin installing the macOS Monterey public beta on your Mac.
10. Now let your Mac device download and install macOS 12 Monterey. As this is going to take a long time, make sure to be patient.
Once the update is installed, your Mac will be running the all-new macOS Monterey beta update. Now follow the prompts to set up your Mac. After that, go ahead and explore all the cool new features like Live Text, new Shortcuts app, and Safari tab groups, among others. Missing from this public beta is the long-awaited Universal Control feature, which lets you use your Mac’s mouse and keyboard with an iPad seamlessly.
Explore new features in macOS Monterey by installing the public beta
Well that’s it! Now that you’ve installed the macOS 12 Monterey public beta on your Mac, you can go ahead and explore all the new features in the software preview. As I said above, beta software usually comes with lots of bugs and issues. So be ready for battle to deal with these unexpected issues. If you come across anything unusual or worth sharing, be sure to let me know in the comments section below.
