OpenCore Legacy Patcher · field guide

New macOS on old Macs, without guesswork.

OpenCore Legacy Patcher (OCLP) is a free, open-source app by Dortania that lets 86 Intel Mac models from 2007 to 2019 run macOS Big Sur through macOS Tahoe. This site tells you exactly what it does on your Mac, from its source code and our own test runs.

Stable 2.5.1 macOS Tahoe: 3.0.0-rc.5 Newest Tahoe installer 26.7.2

Can my Mac run it?

Try

Every Intel Mac, and the years OpenCore Legacy Patcher adds

Each line is one Mac model, from the year it went on sale. The solid part is the years Apple shipped new macOS versions for it. The hatched part is what OCLP adds, up to macOS Tahoe, the last macOS any Intel Mac can run. Click a line, or search above.

Years Apple shipped new macOS for itYears added by OpenCore Legacy PatcherT2 Macs: not supported by OCLP

Mac models supported: 86
Oldest supported year: 2007
Extra macOS versions, on average: 6.7
Installer downloads, last 30 releases: 23.6M

How it works

Three things OCLP does to your Mac

OCLP does not modify your Mac's firmware. It adds a bootloader, then puts back the drivers Apple removed from newer macOS. Every part can be undone.

01
Builds and installs OpenCore
A small bootloader on the disk's hidden EFI partition. It tells macOS your Mac is a supported model and loads the extra drivers (kexts) it needs. Your Mac's firmware is not changed.
02
Installs macOS from Apple's own installer
OCLP downloads the official installer from Apple's servers and writes it to a USB drive. macOS installs as usual, booted through OpenCore.
03
Applies root patches
After the install, it copies back the graphics, Wi-Fi, audio and other drivers Apple dropped, matched to your exact hardware. macOS updates remove them, and OCLP offers to reinstall them.

How OCLP works, in depth

Tested, not guessed

The app as it is today: OpenCore Legacy Patcher 3.0

Screenshots from our own runs of the official 3.0.0-rc.5 package on GitHub's macOS machines, where we also built OpenCore for all 86 supported Macs and checked every download's signature. See what we tested, and what we cannot.

Real screenshot · OCLP 3.0.0-rc.5 · macOS 15.7.9 (24G830) · GitHub macos-15-intelThe OCLP 3.0.0 main menu. “Model” shows the Mac it detected; Build and Install OpenCore is greyed out here because our test machine is a virtual Mac.

Real screenshot · OCLP 3.0.0-rc.5 · macOS 15.7.9 (24G830) · GitHub macos-15-intelThe same main menu in dark mode.

Before you start

Is OpenCore Legacy Patcher right for you?

GOOD FIT

You have a 2012 to 2017 Mac

Metal graphics, SSD, 8 GB of memory or more. These Macs run macOS Sequoia and Tahoe well with OCLP, and get Apple's security updates again.

THINK TWICE

Your Mac is from 2008 to 2011

Its GPU likely has no Metal support. macOS runs, but apps that need Metal do not, and from macOS Ventura 13.3 some permissions need a workaround. Monterey is usually the better target.

NOT POSSIBLE

2018 to 2020 T2 Macs, and macOS 27

OCLP does not support Macs with the T2 chip, and no Intel Mac can run macOS 27, patched or not. Apple silicon Macs do not need OCLP.

Versions, today

Which OCLP for which macOS

OCLP 2.5.1 (released September 19, 2026) is the stable version for macOS Big Sur to Sequoia. macOS Tahoe support comes with OCLP 3.0.0; its newest pre-release is 3.0.0-rc.5 (October 28, 2026).

macOS	Newest version	Build	Download size	In the OCLP installer list
macOS Tahoe	`26.7.2`	`25G332`	18.4 GB	Listed by default
macOS Sequoia	`15.8.2`	`24H232`	15.7 GB	Listed by default
macOS Sonoma	`14.8.9`	`23J631`	13.7 GB	Listed by default
macOS Ventura	`13.7.8`	`22H730`	12.2 GB	Listed by default
macOS Monterey	`12.7.6`	`21H1320`	12.4 GB	After ticking “Show Older/Beta Versions”
macOS Big Sur	`11.7.11`	`20G1443`	12.4 GB	After ticking “Show Older/Beta Versions”

From OCLP 3.0.0's own installer code (AppleDB catalog), fetched 2026-11-05. By default the app lists the newest release of the four latest macOS versions; Big Sur and Monterey appear after ticking “Show Older/Beta Versions” (gui_macos_installer_download.py).

macOS 26macOS TahoeStatus by Mac, what breaks, and how to install with OCLP 3.0. macOS 15macOS SequoiaThe stable choice for most patched Macs. macOS 27macOS 27 and IntelWhy no Intel Mac runs macOS 27, and what you can run.

Your Mac

The Macs people ask about most

These are the models most often searched together with a macOS version. Each page lists every model identifier sold that year, what Apple supports and what OCLP adds. All Macs by family and year.

Start here

Guides and tools

Mac compatibilityEvery Intel Mac against every macOS, with our pick for each. Download safelyThe only official source, which file you need, and how to verify it. Install, step by stepFrom backup to root patches, with real screenshots of OCLP 3.0. Fix a problemError messages explained, with the fix and the source. Is it safe?What OCLP changes, what it does not, and the real risks. Undo itRemove the app, OpenCore, or the root patches.

Questions

Common questions

What is OpenCore Legacy Patcher?

A free, open-source app made by Dortania. It builds an OpenCore bootloader for your Mac and installs the drivers Apple removed, so Macs that Apple no longer supports can run newer macOS: Big Sur, Monterey, Ventura, Sonoma, Sequoia and, with version 3.0.0, Tahoe.

Is OpenCore Legacy Patcher free?

Yes. It is open source and free to download from its GitHub releases page. Nobody sells it, and no other site is an official source. See how to download it safely.

Does OpenCore Legacy Patcher support macOS Tahoe?

Yes, from version 3.0.0. On October 28, 2026 the newest build was the pre-release 3.0.0-rc.5; the stable 2.5.1 supports up to macOS Sequoia. See macOS Tahoe on unsupported Macs.

Can OCLP install macOS 27?

No. macOS 27 Golden Gate does not support any Intel Mac, and the OCLP developers have said they have no plans to support it. Tahoe is the last macOS for Intel Macs. More on macOS 27 and Intel.

Is OpenCore Legacy Patcher safe?

It is open source, signed and notarized by its developers, and it does not change your Mac's firmware. The real risks are practical: updates that remove root patches, features that do not work on old hardware, and fake download sites. The full answer.

Does OCLP work on Windows?

No. OCLP is a Mac app. You need a Mac (any Mac that can run it) to build OpenCore and make the installer. What to do if you only have a PC.

Who makes this site?

An independent team that writes guides about open-source projects. We are not part of Dortania or the OCLP project, and we do not host the software. About us and how we test.