On January 19, most Bowdoin-issued Faculty and Staff Macs will show macOS Monterey as an available installation through Software Update. This is Apple's next iteration of their operating system. Monterey was released in October of 2021 and has since been tested and installed on dozens of computers on campus with great success.
The upgrade is recommended for all Macs as it includes hundreds of improvements and security fixes. While it will continue to present itself as an optional upgrade, there are plans to make the upgrade mandatory in the next 60 days in order to safeguard both Bowdoin and personal data.
This is a large upgrade. It will require at least 12 GB of free disk space and will take up to 2 hours to complete. The upgrade will also reboot the computer multiple times (the amount will vary depending on the age of the operating system being upgraded from). All classrooms and computer labs were upgraded to Monterey over Winter Break in order to ensure that there is no extended down time for those computers while classes are in session. We recommend setting aside enough time to complete the upgrade and ask for patience.
For instructions on how to complete the upgrade, please read our knowledge base article carefully.
If you have questions, please contact the Service Desk at (207) 725-3030.