Installing Mac OS 13 Ventura?

[MR_Boogy]

I have iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, 2020) - the last pre-M1 generation I think. It's running Monteray 12.6 and for some reason has never prompted me to do a major OS update, only small updates.
I am offered to update from 12.6 -> 14.2.1 when I check manually:

I hadn't even realised that we are now on 14 and I have some paid-for software which is not fully supported, but there are features on 13 I would like (continuity camera for instance). Is there an easy way to simply update to 13 instead of jumping two major versions at once? I can't risk my paid software breaking as I use it for work, and need to get a newer version sorted in advance later on.

 

[kitKAC]

You can get the Ventura installer(s) from this page:

https://mrmacintosh.com/macos-ventura-13-full-installer-database-download-directly-from-apple/

 

[Andrey84]

Can you contact the manufacturer of your paid software to ask if they support Sonoma?
Also, are you sure they support Ventura?
Sonoma has been released on the 26th of September 2023, so nearly 4 months ago already.

Security support for Ventura will end in 1 year and 9 months. If you manage to install Sonoma now, you won't have to do a major upgrade for 3 years.

 

[MR_Boogy]

Can you contact the manufacturer of your paid software to ask if they support Sonoma?
Also, are you sure they support Ventura?
Sonoma has been released on the 26th of September 2023, so nearly 4 months ago already.

Security support for Ventura will end in 1 year and 9 months. If you manage to install Sonoma now, you won't have to do a major upgrade for 3 years.

they support it but I have to buy a newer version. I will, but I can't update OS on a Thursday night and find I cannot do my job Friday

Ventura is supported in the version I have so I installed last night and all looks good.

I still don't get why I was not ever prompted to update. I've disabled auto-update but you'd think I'd get reminded.

 

[Fishrrman]

Get an external SSD. USB3 or USB3.1 gen2 (latter will run 2x as fast).
Install either Ventura or Sonoma onto it.
Install apps onto it, etc.
This is easy to do and anyone can do it.

Now you have "an alternative boot drive" with which to experiment.
BUT... your original, internal drive will still be left "as it is".

 

[Andrey84]

Get an external SSD. USB3 or USB3.1 gen2 (latter will run 2x as fast).
Install either Ventura or Sonoma onto it.
Install apps onto it, etc.
This is easy to do and anyone can do it.

Now you have "an alternative boot drive" with which to experiment.
BUT... your original, internal drive will still be left "as it is".

OP said they need to pay for the new version of this software to get Sonoma support. So, unfortunately there is nothing to experiment for anymore, but it's a great suggestion.

 

[MR_Boogy]

OS said they need to pay for the new version of his software to get Sonoma support. So, unfortunately there is nothing to experiment about anymore, but it's a great suggestion.

well - the software might work on Sonoma so I could still do this but it's not worth the hassle of installing everything, really when I know everything else will work.

It is something I've done before though not for quite a while.