Apple MacBook Air M5

Is your Mac too old?

We know that Macs cost a fair bit of money and not everyone has the luxury of upgrading every few years. But at what point is it time to consider upgrading your Mac?

Is the hardware to old? One factor to consider is the age at which most Macs start to experience issues, such as random shutdowns and degraded batteries that no longer hold their charge. Unfortunately, at one point repairing your Mac or MacBook will no longer be a viable option and you will need to look for a replacement. There is a point at which Apple stops providing the required parts for Macs, rating them either obsolete and vintage. Once a Mac is considered vintage (you can find a list of vintage and obsolete Macs below) we would recommend that you upgrade it.

Is the software to old? Another issue with aging Macs is that the software you need may not run on it. You may find that your Mac cannot update to the latest version of macOS (Apple’s Mac operating system software), but it’s even more concerning if Apple is no longer issuing security updates to the version of macOS you can run – because that make you open to malware and security vulnerabilities. We will explain which versions of macOS are supported – and for how much longer, below.

If the following apply, it is probably the case that your Mac has reached the end of its useful life:

• Apple no longer supports the latest version of the software it runs (which could leave you vulnerable).
• The apps you need to use no longer run on it.
• The Mac struggles to perform the tasks you need it to – especially as you can’t update the RAM and other components.
• Something breaks and is too expensive to fix, or the parts aren’t available.
• The Mac is becoming unreliable. Unexpected shutdowns are becoming commonplace and you’ve tried everything to fix the problem to no avail.

Apple

Software support: Which Macs are supported by macOS updates – and why it matters…

Only the most recent version of macOS gets feature updates, but Apple typically continues to support the previous two releases with bug fixes and critical security updates.

Following the release of macOS 27 Golden Gate on September 14, 2026, Apple is currently providing security updates for:

• macOS 27 Golden Gate
• macOS 26 Tahoe
• macOS 18 Sequoia

Apple released macOS Tahoe 26.7 and macOS Sequoia 15.8 alongside Golden Gate, while macOS Sonoma, last updated in August 2026, did not receive an equivalent update on September 14. This strongly suggests that regular security support for Sonoma has now ended.

For now, if your Mac can run macOS Golden Gate, Tahoe or Sequoia, you can be confident that Apple is still addressing security vulnerabilities and other significant issues in those operating systems.

If your Mac is running an older version of the Mac operating system, you will find yourself out in the cold when it comes to essential security updates to Apple’s software. Read: The latest version of macOS your Mac can run.

Another reason why you should run a supported macOS version is that if it is too old you may also find that your other Apple products aren’t compatible with your Mac. For example, without the latest security update, you may no longer be able to use Apple Pay or other means to pay for services online, for example. And if you want to sync your iPad or iPhone with your Mac (rather than using iCloud) you will need a recent version of macOS. Since Catalina, syncing is done via the Finder, rather than iTunes. If you can’t run macOS Catalina you will need at least iTunes 12.8.2.3 and at least Mac OS X 10.11.6 (El Capitan) or your Mac will not recognize your iPhone or iPad.

That said, there was a surprise update to macOS Big Sur and macOS Catalina in 2026: On February 2 Apple issued a update to fix a FaceTime and Messages Certificate in order to ensure that those communication tools remained operational on the older systems. This doesn’t mean that Apple is offering security updates to those versions of macOS, though.

Does Apple still support Intel Macs?

Apple

macOS 27 Golden Gate marks the end of major macOS upgrades for Intel Macs. Golden Gate supports no Intel-powered Macs, so Apple silicon is now required to run the latest version of macOS.

That doesn’t mean software support for Intel Macs has ended completely. Apple released security updates for macOS Tahoe and macOS Sequoia alongside Golden Gate in September 2026, and both versions support some Intel Macs. We expect Sequoia to continue receiving security updates until fall 2027 and Tahoe until fall 2028, which means a small number of Intel Macs could remain supported until then.

Despite this, we don’t recommend buying an Intel-powered Mac today. An M1 or newer Mac will have a considerably longer useful software life.

Which Macs are supported by Apple in 2026

With Apple now supporting macOS Golden Gate, Tahoe and Sequoia, security coverage extends back as far as the 2017 iMac Pro. It is likely that Macs that can only run macOS Sonoma, including the 2018 and 2019 MacBook Air, have now fallen out of Apple’s regular security-update cycle, although Apple has not confirmed this.

Macs supported by macOS 27 Golden Gate

macOS 27 Golden Gate supports Apple silicon Macs, including:

• MacBook Neo (A18 Pro, 2026)
• MacBook Air (M1, 2020 and later)
• MacBook Pro (M1, 2020 and later)
• iMac (M1, 2021 and later)
• Mac mini (M1, 2020 and later)
• Mac Studio (all models)
• Mac Pro (Apple silicon, 2023 and later)

Macs only supported by macOS 26 Tahoe

The following Intel Macs can run macOS 26 Tahoe, but cannot be upgraded to macOS 27 Golden Gate:

• MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019)
• MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2020, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports)
• iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, 2020)
• Mac Pro (2019)
• Mac Studio (all models)

Macs only supported by macOS 15 Sequoia

The following Macs can run macOS Sequoia, but cannot be upgraded to Tahoe or Golden Gate:

• MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020, Intel)
• MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2020, Two Thunderbolt 3 ports)
• MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2019, Two Thunderbolt 3 ports)
• MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2019, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports)
• MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2019)
• MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2018, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports)
• MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2018)
• Mac mini (2018)
• iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, 2019)
• iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2019)
• iMac Pro (2017)

For clarity, macOS 15 was the predecessor of macOS 26.

What are the oldest Macs supported by Apple?

• Oldest supported Mac: 2017 iMac Pro

As of September 2026, the oldest Mac still receiving regular Apple security updates is the 2017 iMac Pro, because it can run macOS Sequoia.

The 2018 and 2019 MacBook Air can only run macOS Sonoma and have now fallen out of Apple’s regular security-update cycle following the release of macOS 27 Golden Gate.

The 2018 MacBook Pro and Mac mini, and the 2019 iMac, can run macOS Sequoia and should therefore continue receiving security updates until around fall 2027, assuming Apple maintains its usual support pattern.

Which Macs aren’t supported by macOS?

We expect support for 2023’s macOS 14 Sonoma to have now ended, which means these Macs, which cannot be upgraded to macOS 15 Sequoia, are now unsupported:

• MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2018)
• MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2019)

The following Macs lost support when Apple stopped issuing security updates for 2022’s macOS Ventura following the release of macOS Tahoe in September 2025:

• MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, 2017)
• MacBook Pro (2017)
• iMac (2017)

When Apple introduced Sequoia in 2024, it dropped support for macOS Monterey, meaning that Macs that couldn’t update beyond Monterey could no longer receive regular security updates:

• iMac (2015)
• MacBook Air (2017)
• MacBook Pro (2016)
• Mac mini (2014)
• Mac Pro (2013)

All Macs older than those listed above are also no longer supported by Apple’s regular software updates.

If your Mac is around a decade old, you should assume that it is no longer receiving regular security updates. In fact, we’d recommend avoiding any Mac that doesn’t have Apple silicon inside: M1 or newer.

Does it matter if my Mac won’t run a supported macOS?

Once you cannot update your Mac to run a supported version of macOS you are vulnerable to security breaches, which should obviously be a concern. You may also find that you can’t carry out transactions on the internet if you want to pay for things on your out-of-date Mac.

It’s also probably that the software you need won’t run on your Mac. Apple and other companies stop supporting older versions of the applications they make, so there could be issues with the versions of the software you are running. If you are experiencing random shutdowns, for example, it could be due to problems with an app you are running – problems that will not be addressed by the developer because that version of the app is no longer supported.

If you want to run fully supported software then you will need to update to a newer version of macOS – and that may mean that you need to update your Mac. Although, there are workarounds to install a new version of macOS on an old Mac if you need to.

Once Apple no longer supports your Macs with operating system updates, it’s probably a good time to replace your Mac.

When do Macs become obsolete?

But it’s not just software updates that determine the lifespan of a Mac. It’s also a question of whether it will be possible to fix your Mac should something go wrong with the hardware. Apple has two standards that indicate hardware support is waining: Obsolete or Vintage. The first stage is Vintage: you might be lucky enough to get parts for this Mac, the second is Obsolete: you are out on your own when it comes to any attempt to mend the Mac if it goes wrong.

If you look at Apple’s list of Obsolete Macs – those being the Macs that Apple will no longer provide spare parts for – you will see that the company stops providing parts for Macs that it hasn’t sold for more than seven years. In fact, the company may not even provide parts for Macs that haven’t been sold for more than five years (considered Vintage by the company).

This could mean that you won’t be able to get a faulty Mac fixed because the parts aren’t available.

Obsolete Macs

Obsolete Macs are generally Macs that Apple stopped selling more than seven years ago. Once a Mac is in Apple’s obsolete list you have little chance of getting it repaired if something does go wrong. You might be able to find spare parts yourself, but Apple won’t provide them.

You’ll find more details about the exact models on Apple’s US page and the equivalent UK page, but the lists below will give you a general idea.

Apple considers the following Macs and older Obsolete, now including the 2017 MacBook Pro models:

• 11-inch MacBook Air (early 2015 and older) 
• 12-inch MacBook (2016 and older)
• 13-inch MacBook Air (early 2015 and older)
• 13-inch MacBook Pro (2017 and older)
• 15-inch MacBook Pro (2017 and older)
• 27-inch iMac (2015 and older)
• 21.5-inch iMac (2015 and older)
• Mac mini (2012 and older)
• Mac mini Server (2012 and older)
• Mac Pro (2010 and older)
• Anything predating the Intel switch, obviously.

Petter Ahrnstedt

Vintage Macs

Apple also has a list of Vintage Macs. These are Macs that Apple stopped selling between five and seven years ago. (If you live in France where a law means you can get support for spare parts for up to seven years after Apple stops selling a Mac).

Apple Authorized Service Providers will repair vintage products, as long as parts are available.

Apple lists the following products as being vintage, now including the 2020 MacBook Air, 2019 MacBook Air, 2019 MacBook Pro and 2019 iMac, and the 2018 Mac mini:

• 12-inch MacBook (2017)
• 13-inch MacBook Air (2018, 2019 and 2020)
• 13-inch MacBook Pro (2017, 2018 & 2019)
• 15-inch MacBook Pro (2015, 2017, 2018, 2019)
• 21.5-inch iMac (2013, 2017)
• 27-inch iMac (2015, 2017 & 2019)
• Mac Pro (2012 & 2014)
• Mac mini (2014 & 2018)

Based on the above, we’d suggest that if your Mac is more than eight years old, it’s time to look for a new one. And, if you see a 2018 or earlier Mac on sale, it’s not wise to buy it. In fact you will note that there are even 2019 Macs on the vintage list. Read: Why you shouldn’t buy a second hand Mac.

See: Best Mac: Every Apple Mac and MacBook compared

How to extend the life of a MacBook

Petter Ahrnstedt

Extending the life of your MacBook involves a combination of optimizing software settings, maintaining battery health, and adopting hardware habits that protect the device’s physical integrity.

Battery health: One way to extend the life of a MacBook is to not leave it plugged in all the time. Apple added an Optimize Battery Charging feature in macOS Catalina that uses machine learning to limit charging to help extend battery lifespan by reducing wear from constant full charges. Since the arrival of this feature, users have been asking for the ability to manually set the charge limit below 100 percent. In response, Apple is adding the ability to stop charging between 80-100% in macOS 26.4.

Thermal Management: Avoid pushing the machine to the point of overheating. MacBook Pro models feature fans for better cooling during intensive tasks, whereas the fanless MacBook Air may throttle performance to maintain safe temperatures.

Using External Displays: If you frequently work at a desk, using your MacBook in “clamshell mode” (with the lid closed) can help organize your space and reduce the footprint on your desk. However, operating the laptop with the lid closed while connected to an external monitor may make it more likely to overheat. Because the MacBook’s chassis and keyboard area often assist in dissipating heat, closing the lid can trap thermal energy that would otherwise escape through the top of the device. This heat buildup is particularly concerning for fanless models like the MacBook Air. Without an internal fan to force air circulation, these models rely entirely on passive cooling, which is less effective when the lid is closed. We recommend using multiple external displays with your Mac, but with the MacBook open to allow for cooling.

Security: Ensure you update macOS often and only install applications from the “App Store & Known Developers” to prevent malicious software from compromising your system.

Should I fix or upgrade components in my Mac?

You may be wondering if spending money to improve your Mac, or fix a hardware problem, might be more savvy than buying a brand new Mac.

If your Mac is in the Obsolete category above and something goes wrong with it then you are going to struggle to get the necessary parts if you wanted to attempt to get it fixed as Apple won’t provide the parts. You might be able to buy an old Mac on eBay or similar and scrap if for the parts, but we’d suggest that it really wouldn’t be worth the effort.

Even if your Mac is in the Vintage list then Apple might be able to provide the required parts, but there is no guarantee. If you are lucky enough to get the part an Apple service provider might even be able to fix the Mac for you – but the cost of the work is likely to be prohibitive.

Similarly, if you are considering adding more RAM, or doubling your storage by adding a new SSD, you will be similarly prohibited because with most modern Macs there is no way to update the hardware.

It’s been years since it was possible to upgrade the RAM in a Mac. Now Apple solders RAM in place and hides components away to make access impossible (or at least impossible if you don’t want to completely destroy your Mac attempting to get to them). With M-series Macs memory, GPU and CPU are all integrated onto the chip, so it is impossible to upgrade them. Nor can you update the SSD as it is soldered onto the motherboard.

There are other ways to upgrade your Mac, though. Read: How to upgrade your Mac mini for ideas.

Apple repair programs

If your Mac develops a known hardware fault, check whether it is covered by one of Apple’s repair or service programs. If it is, Apple may repair the problem free of charge. However, many programs only run for a limited period, so older Macs may no longer qualify even if they suffer from the same fault.

If the Mac you own, or are considering buying, is affected by one of the problems below, that’s another factor to take into account.

Apple’s current Mac repair and service programs include:

• 15-inch MacBook Pro Battery Recall Program: Covers certain MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2015) models with batteries that may overheat and pose a fire risk. Affected units were sold primarily between September 2015 and February 2017. Eligibility depends on the serial number.
• Mac mini Service Program for No Power Issue: Covers a small percentage of Mac mini (2023) models with the M2 chip that may fail to power on. Affected devices were manufactured between June 16 and November 23, 2024. The program covers eligible Macs for three years after their first retail sale.

A number of older Mac service programs have now ended, including:

• The MacBook, MacBook Air and MacBook Pro keyboard service program.
• The 13-inch MacBook Pro display backlight service program.
• The 13-inch MacBook Pro SSD service program.
• The 13-inch MacBook Pro battery replacement program.

Apple also limits how long it guarantees hardware service for older Macs. Generally, parts and service are available for at least five years after Apple stops selling a product, and sometimes for up to seven years, subject to parts availability. Mac laptops may be eligible for battery-only repairs for up to 10 years after Apple stopped selling them.

We have more information about Apple’s product recalls and repair programs here.

If your fault isn’t covered by one of Apple’s programs, you may be faced with an expensive repair bill. For an older Mac, it is worth comparing the cost of repair with the cost of replacing it, particularly if Apple no longer provides parts or service for the model. If you mainly need to retrieve important documents or photos, it may instead be worth looking at how to recover files from a damaged Mac or the best Mac data recovery software

How long do Macs last? Is a 7 year old Mac too old?

So, how long do Macs last? We’d say around five to eight years, although you may find it difficult to replace faulty parts once more than five years have passed since Apple last sold the model.

With macOS 27 dropping support for Intel-powered Macs entirely, we recommend avoiding an Intel Mac if you’re buying one today.

Our advice is to avoid buying a Mac that’s more than five years old, particularly if it has an Intel processor. If you’re still using an Intel Mac, it is time to start thinking about upgrading to an Apple silicon model.

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You may also want to read our Best Mac Buying Guide for help deciding which Mac to buy. We also have a guide to the Best MacBook.