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Aluminum "Unibody" Mac mini Q&A
Update Published November 16, 2018
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What version of Mac OS X is pre-installed on the Aluminum "Unibody" Mac mini models?
The first Aluminum Mac mini models -- the "Mid-2010" Mac mini line -- shipped with a version of Mac OS X Snow Leopard (10.6). Subsequent models initially shipped with Snow Leopard (10.6), Lion (10.7), Yosemite (10.10), or Mojave (10.14).
Specifically, these models first shipped with these operating system versions:
| Aluminum Mac mini | Original macOS | Build Number |
| Mid-2010 | Mac OS X 10.6.4 | 10F2025 |
| Mid-2011 | OS X 10.7 | 11A2061 |
| Late 2012 | OS X 10.8.1 | 12B2080 |
| Late 2014 | OS X 10.10 | 14A389 |
| Late 2018 | macOS 10.14 | 14A389 |
Versions of the operating system earlier than the one that shipped with a particular Mac mini are not compatible.
Furthermore, the "Mid-2010" and "Mid-2011" Mac mini models only are capable of running up to macOS High Sierra (10.13), but all subsequent models are capable of running the current version of the macOS -- macOS Mojave (10.14).
Also note that for the "Mid-2011" and later models, Apple does not provide a physical restoration method at all.
Instead, the operating system has a hidden "restore" partition containing a "Mac OS X Utilities" application that is only accessible upon startup by holding down Command-R. Additionally, note that the OS X Lion USB Thumb Drive that was available for purchase separately will not work with these Mac mini models.
All Macs running OS X Lion (10.7) or later -- whether either pre-installed or otherwise -- are not capable of running Mac OS X applications written for the PowerPC processor, either, because these versions of the operating system do not support Rosetta.
Also see:
- What is Rosetta? What does it support?
- What applications are not compatible with Mac OS X 10.7 'Lion'? What upgrade or substitute options are available for common incompatible applications?
Can the Aluminum "Unibody" Mac mini run Mac OS 9/Classic applications?
Apple provides no support for running Mac OS 9 or the "Classic Environment" on any Intel Macs, including the Aluminum Mac mini models.
If you have a mission critical application that only runs on Mac OS 9, you likely would be best served by maintaining a PowerPC Mac. However, you may also be interested in reading "Are there any third-party programs to run Mac OS 9/Classic applications on Intel Macs?" from the Mac OS 9/Classic Support Q&A.
Can the Aluminum "Unibody" Mac mini run Windows?
Yes. For those who must use Windows, the Windows on Mac Q&A provides answers for just about everything you need to know about running Windows on the Aluminum "Unibody" Mac mini or any other Intel Mac.
Can the Aluminum "Unibody" Mac mini run Linux? Is it true that Apple has blocked Linux on these Macs?
Yes. The Aluminum "Unibody" Mac mini is capable of running a number of Intel-based distributions of Linux through Apple Boot Camp or by using "virtualization".
For the current dark "Space Gray" Aluminum "Unibody" Mac mini models (Late 2018), there was some immediate concern that the system's T2 security chip prevents the Mac mini from booting Linux. In its default configuration, it is correct that it is not possible to boot Linux, but it also is possible to disable the T2 security chip and then boot Linux.
For more on Boot Camp and Virtualization, please refer to the Windows on Mac Q&A.
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