Making macOS run on a non-Apple computer isn’t the easiest experience out there. You need to learn a lot of stuff to get everything working properly. It takes a lot of time and some hit-and-miss with system files. It’s not surprising many Hackintosh users postpone system updates as much as possible.
You can rest assured, however, that the update process is considerably easier than the first installation. With these tips, you’ll be able to install a more recent macOS version quickly and safely.
First of All: Should You Update Your Hackintosh?
Before getting your hands dirty, I suggest you ask yourself: do you really need to update your Hackintosh? Or are you just suffering Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO) of seeing a higher version number on About This Mac?
Don’t get me wrong, there are lots of good reasons to update macOS on any computer. If you indeed need specific new features, or if the version you’re running stopped receiving security updates, for instance. Just make sure you’re not giving yourself a lot of additional work on a whim. As the saying goes: if it’s not broken, don’t try to fix it.
Updating a Hackintosh: What To Do Before
Befor anything else, a word of advice: avoid using beta macOS versions on a non-Apple machine like the plague. I mean, this comes from someone who installed the macOS 15 beta on their Hackintosh the day it was released. It was a journalistic endeavor strictly done in the name of the public interest. For what it’s worth, I strongly disliked the Sequoia experience.
My point is that you won’t find official support for Hackintoshes running a beta macOS version absolutely anywhere. You may come across people — even some of OpenCore’s developers — willing to help, but you’re generally on your own.
With the above warnings properly addressed, let’s get going. The first thing you’ll want to do is grab a list of your Kernel Extensions (Kexts) to check for up-to-date versions. The easiest way to do that is using Hackintool, which lists them all under the Extensions tab. A screenshot of that list should do but have it stored on a phone or other computer for easy reference.
I strongly suggest you start your installation process from scratch. If you have a spare, empty disk, use it instead of updating over your current installation. You can also perform this on single-disk computers if you have more than 50% of your storage space free. Just create a new APFS volume with the “reserve space” option set to over half of the disk’s size. This will make the process a bit lengthier but allows you to keep a perfectly functional installation if things go south.
After that, make a Time Machine backup. That’s yet another safety layer, but it’s better to be extra cautious than to lose files. Believe me: you can make way better decisions during troubleshooting if you know you have a fully functional installation.
Lastly, make a copy of your EFI folder on a USB stick. Install the Kext updates and any required patches on it instead of on your regular EFI. Also, make sure the ShowPicker flag is enabled on your config.plist, it’ll come in handy during the update process.
I also recommend installing the Debug version of OpenCore over the Release one and enabling debugging flags and boot arguments. Even if you stick to the Release version, you must update to the latest OpenCore version.
What To Do During a Hackintosh macOS Update
I’ll assume you have already downloaded the desired version of the “Install macOS” app from the App Store. If the version you’re trying to install isn’t available, you can run the following command on a Terminal window:
softwareupdate --list-full-installers;echo;echo "Please enter version number you wish to download:";read;$(if [ -n "$REPLY" ]; then; echo "softwareupdate --fetch-full-installer --full-installer-version "$REPLY; fi);Select the latest build for the version you want (e.g., “13.6.7” for macOS Ventura as of July 15th, 2024). Wait for the download to finish, it will be available on /Applications.
Open the installation app and select the spare disk (or newly-created APFS volume). The update will begin, and your Hackintosh will remain usable for some time, but I recommend you don’t use it. When the installer finishes copying the files, it’ll restart the computer, and you may lose anything left unsaved.
While you don’t need to stay glued to your Hackintosh, it’s better to keep it next to you. The installation process involves a few reboots, and you may need to direct OpenCore to the proper boot option. Prior to that, you will also likely need to make your computer boot from the EFI on the USB stick.
It’s Better To Be on the Lookout
It’s also useful to keep an eye out for possible glitches during the installation. If the process hangs at any stage, don’t panic. Give it some time — which may be over an hour, in some cases. If it still doesn’t go through, restart and check whether it freezes at the same point or if it proceeds.
If you have installed the Debug version of OpenCore, you’ll be able to see error messages. With logging enabled, a log file will appear on the EFI’s root folder of each boot.
With these, you can check if there’s a known solution on the “kind-of-official” Hackintosh guide by Dortania. If there’s not, Google is your friend: there are quite a lot of Hackintosh forums around the web. It’s highly likely someone has experienced the same issue you’re facing.
macOS Update Successful: What To Do After That?
So, you have properly updated your Hackintosh to a new macOS version, and it boots, yay! What’s next, then?
First things first, go through the usual installation steps on the initial boot. At some point, it’ll ask if you want to restore your data from a Time Machine backup or from another startup disk.
The “startup disk” option is likely your best bet, as it’s usually faster. If, for some reason, your new installation doesn’t find the old one, then go for the Time Machine backup. It will take a bit more time either way since this transfers all of your user files, apps, and so on. Most settings will be automatically applied as well.
One thing that doesn’t usually get transferred is file permissions. You’ll need to give them again to apps that use accessibility tools, screen recording, system extensions, and so on. These will likely appear during your daily usage, so don’t worry about opening every app and restoring permissions.
I strongly recommend you take the time to test your hardware is working as expected. Check audio, Bluetooth, networking, camera, temperature sensors, and so on. Also, install Hackintool and compare the list of loaded Kexts with the one you made before updating. If something isn’t working, doing this will likely help you find out what’s wrong.
Lastly, don’t rush to delete your old installation just yet. In fact, keep it around for a few weeks at least, so you can be extra safe that the new one won’t suddenly fail you. And, before you wipe it, remember to make another copy of that old EFI for safekeeping. After you do that, you’re good to replace the EFI partition with the one from the USB stick.
Making a Hackintosh Can Be Tricky, but Updating One Doesn’t Have To
Remember when you first built your Hackintosh? You likely spent a few (or a lot of) hours trying to figure things out, before it finally booted properly.
This can be quite exhausting, but updating your Hackintosh is way easier than that. With a bit of luck and fast enough hardware, you can probably finish everuthing within a couple of hours.
There are other aspects to consider, however, before deciding whether to upgrade. One example is compatibility: if you’re moving to a newly released macOS version, some apps may malfunction. We have a list of which apps haven’t been updated yet to support macOS Sequoia, for instance. Be sure to take a look if you’re considering the beta — even though the update isn’t worth it, really.