macOS 10.15 Catalina and macOS 11 Big Sur are NOT compatible with 32-bit applications. Your Mac has a list of every app and whether it is 32-bit or 64-bit.
To find which Apps have compatibility Click on the Apple logo in the top-left corner of your screen.
- Choose “About This Mac”
- Click on System Report…
- Click on Applications found in the Software section on the left
- Resize the window if you would like so you can see the 64-bit (Intel) column
- Then look at the list for applications or programs that you use most frequently such as Microsoft Office, Quicken, QuickBooks, Adobe and see if there is a “Yes” or a “No” in the “64-bit (Intel)” column. If an application has “Yes” in the 64-bit (Intel) column then it is likely compatible with macOS Catalina and macOS Big Sur. If an application has “No” in the 64-bit (Intel) column then it will not be compatible with macOS Catalina or macOS Big Sur or any future Mac Operating Systems for that matter.
One thing to note is even if an Application is 64-bit it still might not be compatible with a future version of macOS such as Catalina or Big Sur. It is always best to check with the developer or manufacturer of the application to see if they have tested it with the Operating System you are trying to upgrade to. This is why we always tell customers to wait a handful of months before they upgrade to a new Operating System.
Learn more about macOS Big Sur
