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Unibody MacBook Pro Q&A
Update Published December 20, 2022
All Mac Q&As >> Unibody MacBook Pro Q&A | Also See: All MacBook Pro Specs
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What version of Mac OS X is pre-installed on the "Unibody" MacBook Pro models? What is the last version of Mac OS X supported by each model?
The precise version and even build number for Mac OS X originally pre-installed on each "Unibody" MacBook Pro is provided on the specs page for each model.
Photo Credit: Apple, Inc.
However, the basic version of each series also is provided below for your convenience:
| MacBook Pro | Original Mac OS X | Maximum Mac OS X |
| "Late 2008" | OS X 10.5.5 "Leopard" | OS X 10.11.6 "El Capitan" |
| "Early 2009" | OS X 10.5.6 "Leopard" | OS X 10.11.6 "El Capitan" |
| "Mid-2009" | OS X 10.5.7 "Leopard" | OS X 10.11.6 "El Capitan" |
| "Mid-2010" | OS X 10.6.3 "Snow Leopard" | macOS 10.13.x "High Sierra" |
| "Early 2011" | OS X 10.6.6 "Snow Leopard" | macOS 10.13.x "High Sierra" |
| "Late 2011" | OS X 10.7.2 "Lion" | macOS 10.13.x "High Sierra" |
| "Mid-2012" | OS X 10.7.3 "Lion" | macOS 10.15.x "Catalina" |
Versions of the operating system earlier than the one that shipped with a particular Mac are not compatible. None of these Macs support the current version of the macOS, either.
MacBook Pro models running Mac OS X 10.5 "Leopard" or Mac OS X 10.6 "Snow Leopard" are capable of running essentially all Mac software written for Intel-based Macs and the vast majority of Mac OS X applications written for PowerPC-based systems using the "Rosetta Universal Binary Translator".
MacBook Pro models running Mac OS X 10.7 "Lion" or Mac OS X 10.8 "Mountain Lion" -- whether pre-installed or otherwise -- are not capable of running Mac OS X applications written for the PowerPC processor as these versions of the operating system do not support Rosetta.
For the maximum supported version of Mac OS X for all "recent" -- G3 and later -- Macs, please refer to the Maximum Supported Mac OS listing.
Can the "Unibody" MacBook Pro run Mac OS 9/Classic applications?
No. Apple provides no support for running Mac OS 9 or the "Classic Environment" on Intel-based Macs like the "Unibody" MacBook Pro models. All "Unibody" MacBook Pro models shipped with Mac OS X 10.5 "Leopard" or later which provides no support for "Mac OS 9/Classic" applications.
If you have a mission critical application that only runs on Mac OS 9, you likely would be best served by maintaining a PowerPC-based 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 "Unibody" MacBook Pro run Windows?
Yes. For those who need to use Windows, the Windows on Mac Q&A provides answers for just about everything you need to know about running Windows on the "Unibody" MacBook Pro or any other Intel-based Mac.
Can the "Unibody" MacBook Pro run Linux?
Yes. All Intel-based Macs are capable of running a number of Intel-based distributions of Linux through Apple Boot Camp or by using "virtualization".
For more on Boot Camp and Virtualization, please refer to the Windows on Mac Q&A.
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