MacOS Sonoma Beta 4 Download Now Available
MacOS Sonoma beta 4 has been released by Apple to all Mac users participating in the developer beta testing program for MacOS software.
The fourth beta is currently available for registered developers, but a matching build will likely be released soon for public beta users as well. There’s not really a difference between the public beta and developer beta versions now that the dev beta is also free, meaning that anyone can install MacOS Sonoma beta on a Mac by joining the free Apple developer beta program.
Separately, iOS 17 beta 4, iPadOS 17 beta 4, watchOS 10 beta 4, and tvOS 17 beta 4, are also available as updates to beta testers.
How to Download MacOS Sonoma Beta 4 Update
Installing beta 4 of MacOS Sonoma 14 is like any other software update:
- Go to the Apple menu, and select “System Settings”
- Go to “General”, and then select “Software Update”
- Click to “Update Now” for MacOS Sonoma 14 beta 4
The Mac must restart to complete installation.
MacOS Sonoma 14 includes a handful of new features, including a redesigned Lock Screen, new screen savers, widgets are back but don’t call it Dashboard and the widgets are no longer HTML/JS making them less accessible to create for more casual users, FaceTime Video Voicemail, Safari Profiles support, and various other smaller features and changes to the operating system. System Settings is still list based with a curious arrangement so if you were displeased with System Settings in Ventura you won’t find relief in Sonoma.
Beta system software is generally much buggier than final versions of system software, though MacOS Sonoma beta is anecdotally about as stable as Ventura release builds. If you’re interested in installing MacOS Sonoma beta now you can do that with either the developer or public beta versions.
MacOS Sonoma will be finalized and released to all Mac users in the fall as a free update.
If you’re also running beta system software on your iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Apple TV, you’ll find updates available for those devices too as iOS 17 beta 4, iPadOS 17 beta 4, tvOS 17 beta 4, and watchOS 10 beta 4.
This beta 4 bricked my MacBook Pro 2020.
SMC and NVRAM reset don’t work.
OMG I’m having the same issue :(((. Have you had any workaround?
I’ve seen a variety of complaints about MacOS Sonoma beta 4 causing issues.
If the Mac is bricked or unresponsive after attempting to install the update, as in after many hours, try restarting the Mac to see if you can force the update to install. Some that has worked for.
You can also reinstall macOS through Recovery Mode, or with IPSW (requires another Mac), or with a USB boot disk.
There is a new MacOS Sonoma beta 4 update available that has been revised, if you have been having issues with a prior beta or installing a prior beta, you might want to try it out