MacBook Air: which macOS each year can run
Every MacBook Air from 2008 to 2020: Apple's last macOS and what OpenCore Legacy Patcher adds. OCLP supports MacBook Air models from 2008 to 2015.
On this page 10 sections
| Year | Model identifiers | Apple's last macOS | With OCLP |
|---|---|---|---|
| MacBook Air 2008–2009 | MacBookAir2,1 | El Capitan | Big Sur → Tahoe |
| MacBook Air 2010 | MacBookAir3,1 MacBookAir3,2 | High Sierra | Big Sur → Tahoe |
| MacBook Air 2011 | MacBookAir4,1 MacBookAir4,2 | High Sierra | Big Sur → Tahoe |
| MacBook Air 2012 | MacBookAir5,1 MacBookAir5,2 | Catalina | Big Sur → Tahoe |
| MacBook Air 2013–2014 | MacBookAir6,1 MacBookAir6,2 | Big Sur | Big Sur → Tahoe |
| MacBook Air 2015–2017 | MacBookAir7,1 MacBookAir7,2 | Monterey | Big Sur → Tahoe |
| MacBook Air 2018 | MacBookAir8,1 | Sonoma | Not supported (T2) |
| MacBook Air 2019 | MacBookAir8,2 | Sonoma | Not supported (T2) |
| MacBook Air 2020 | MacBookAir9,1 | Sequoia | Not supported (T2) |
Every MacBook Air at a glance
- Apple supported by Apple, no patcher needed
- runs with OpenCore Legacy Patcher
- runs with OCLP; older “legacy Metal” GPU, more patches
- runs with OCLP; GPU without Metal, apps that need Metal fail
- No not possible
| Mac (model identifier) | Catalina10.15 | Big Sur11 | Monterey12 | Ventura13 | Sonoma14 | Sequoia15 | Tahoe26 | Golden Gate27 | Our pick |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MacBook Air | |||||||||
| MacBook Air (Mid 2009)MacBookAir2,1 | No | No | Monterey | ||||||
| MacBook Air (11-inch, Late 2010)MacBookAir3,1 | No | No | Monterey | ||||||
| MacBook Air (13-inch, Late 2010)MacBookAir3,2 | No | No | Monterey | ||||||
| MacBook Air (11-inch, Mid 2011)MacBookAir4,1 | No | No | Monterey | ||||||
| MacBook Air (13-inch, Mid 2011)MacBookAir4,2 | No | No | Monterey | ||||||
| MacBook Air (11-inch, Mid 2012)MacBookAir5,1 | Apple | OCLP | No | Sequoia | |||||
| MacBook Air (13-inch, Mid 2012)MacBookAir5,2 | Apple | OCLP | No | Sequoia | |||||
| MacBook Air (11-inch, Mid 2013)MacBookAir6,1 | Apple | Apple | OCLP | No | Sequoia | ||||
| MacBook Air (13-inch, Mid 2013)MacBookAir6,2 | Apple | Apple | OCLP | No | Sequoia | ||||
| MacBook Air (11-inch, Early 2015)MacBookAir7,1 | Apple | Apple | Apple | No | Sequoia | ||||
| MacBook Air (13-inch, Early 2015)MacBookAir7,2 | Apple | Apple | Apple | No | Sequoia | ||||
| MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2018)MacBookAir8,1 | Apple | Apple | Apple | Apple | Apple | No | No | No | Sonoma |
| MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2019)MacBookAir8,2 | Apple | Apple | Apple | Apple | Apple | No | No | No | Sonoma |
| MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020)MacBookAir9,1 | Apple | Apple | Apple | Apple | Apple | Apple | No | No | Sequoia |
How the MacBook Air hardware changed, year by year
Each line compares a year with the one before it, using the CPU, graphics, Wi-Fi and root-patch data in OCLP's source. It shows why one year behaves differently from its neighbour.
- 2008–2009 → 2010: Wi-Fi: Broadcom BCM4331 (legacy) replaces Broadcom BCM43224 (legacy); Apple's last macOS moves from El Capitan to High Sierra.
- 2010 → 2011: CPU: 2nd-gen Core i (Sandy Bridge) replaces Core 2 Duo (Penryn); graphics: Intel HD Graphics 3000 (Sandy Bridge) replaces NVIDIA GeForce (Tesla); Wi-Fi: Broadcom BCM4360 (802.11ac) replaces Broadcom BCM4331 (legacy); Tahoe root patches: new Intel Sandy Bridge and Modern Wireless; no longer Legacy USB 1.1, Legacy Wireless and Nvidia Tesla.
- 2011 → 2012: CPU: 3rd-gen Core i (Ivy Bridge) replaces 2nd-gen Core i (Sandy Bridge); graphics: Intel HD Graphics 4000 (Ivy Bridge) replaces Intel HD Graphics 3000 (Sandy Bridge); Apple's last macOS moves from High Sierra to Catalina; Tahoe root patches: new Intel Ivy Bridge; no longer Intel Sandy Bridge.
- 2012 → 2013–2014: CPU: 4th-gen Core i (Haswell) replaces 3rd-gen Core i (Ivy Bridge); graphics: Intel Iris / HD (Haswell) replaces Intel HD Graphics 4000 (Ivy Bridge); Wi-Fi: Broadcom BCM4350/4360-class (AirportBrcmNIC) replaces Broadcom BCM4360 (802.11ac); Apple's last macOS moves from Catalina to Big Sur; Tahoe root patches: new Intel Haswell and PCIe FaceTime Camera; no longer Intel Ivy Bridge.
- 2013–2014 → 2015–2017: CPU: 5th-gen Core (Broadwell) replaces 4th-gen Core i (Haswell); graphics: Intel Iris / HD 6000 (Broadwell) replaces Intel Iris / HD (Haswell); Apple's last macOS moves from Big Sur to Monterey; Tahoe root patches: new Intel Broadwell; no longer Intel Haswell.
- 2015–2017 → 2018: CPU: 8th/9th-gen Core (Coffee Lake) replaces 5th-gen Core (Broadwell); graphics: Intel UHD 630 / Iris Plus (Coffee Lake) replaces Intel Iris / HD 6000 (Broadwell); Wi-Fi: Broadcom (T2-era) replaces Broadcom BCM4350/4360-class (AirportBrcmNIC); Apple's last macOS moves from Monterey to Sonoma; Tahoe root patches: no longer Intel Broadwell, Modern Audio, Modern Wireless and PCIe FaceTime Camera.
- 2018 → 2019: no change in the hardware OCLP looks at.
- 2019 → 2020: CPU: 10th-gen Core (Ice Lake) replaces 8th/9th-gen Core (Coffee Lake); graphics: Intel Iris Plus (Ice Lake) replaces Intel UHD 630 / Iris Plus (Coffee Lake); Apple's last macOS moves from Sonoma to Sequoia.
Where MacBook Air owners report trouble
19 issues in OCLP's tracker were filed with a MacBook Air model as the machine model; 4 supported MacBook Air models have no report at all. By keyword match, the topics that come up most are install or update (6), black screen or boot failure (4), sleep and power (3) and wi-fi (1). The models with the most reports: MacBook Air (13-inch, Mid 2013) MacBookAir6,2 (6), MacBook Air (13-inch, Mid 2011) MacBookAir4,2 (3), MacBook Air (Mid 2009) MacBookAir2,1 (2), MacBook Air (11-inch, Late 2010) MacBookAir3,1 (2) and MacBook Air (11-inch, Mid 2011) MacBookAir4,1 (2). These are owners' reports, not confirmed bugs, and most were filed in 2021 and 2022 on early OCLP versions.
MacBook Air 2008–2009
Short answer
Apple stopped at OS X El Capitan. With OpenCore Legacy Patcher the MacBook Air 2008–2009 runs macOS Big Sur through macOS Tahoe 26. Our pick for most people: macOS Monterey (its GPU has no Metal support, so newer versions lose more apps). No Intel Mac can run macOS 27.
MacBook Air (Mid 2009) · MacBook Air (13-inch, Late 2008) · MacBook Air (13-inch, Mid 2009)MacBookAir2,1
- Model identifier
MacBookAir2,1- Board ID
Mac-F42D88C8- CPU generation
- Core 2 Duo (Penryn)
- Graphics
- NVIDIA GeForce (Tesla)
- Wi-Fi
- Broadcom BCM43224 (legacy)
- Last macOS from Apple
- OS X El Capitan
- T1 / T2 chip
- None
- Battery rating
- 500 cycles to 80% capacity, Apple
Our pick
macOS MontereyNewest possible: macOS Sequoia
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce (Tesla), without Metal. Monterey keeps the most apps working on it. How we pick
| macOS | Status | Root patches OCLP applies |
|---|---|---|
| macOS Big Sur11.7.11 | Nvidia Tesla | |
| macOS Monterey12.7.6 | Nvidia Tesla · Legacy Wireless | |
| macOS Ventura13.7.8 | Nvidia Tesla · Legacy Wireless · Legacy USB 1.1 | |
| macOS Sonoma14.8.9 | Nvidia Tesla · Legacy Wireless · Legacy USB 1.1 | |
| macOS Sequoia15.8.2 | Nvidia Tesla · Legacy Wireless · Legacy USB 1.1 | |
| macOS Tahoe26.7.2 | Nvidia Tesla · Legacy Wireless · Modern Audio · Legacy USB 1.1 | |
| macOS Golden Gate27 | No | No Intel Mac can run macOS 27, with or without OCLP. |
How much patching MacBookAir2,1 needs on each macOS
| macOS | Patch sets | Files installed | Files removed | KDK | MetallibSupportPkg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Sur | Nvidia Tesla | 11 | 25 | No | No |
| Monterey | Nvidia Tesla · Legacy Wireless | 17 | 25 | No | No |
| Ventura | Nvidia Tesla · Legacy Wireless · Legacy USB 1.1 | 21 | 25 | Yes | No |
| Sonoma | Nvidia Tesla · Legacy Wireless · Legacy USB 1.1 | 25 | 25 | Yes | No |
| Sequoia | Nvidia Tesla · Legacy Wireless · Legacy USB 1.1 | 29 | 25 | Yes | No |
| Tahoe | Nvidia Tesla · Legacy Wireless · Modern Audio · Legacy USB 1.1 | 31 | 25 | Yes | No |
OCLP installs 11 files for this Mac on Big Sur and 31 on Tahoe. A Kernel Debug Kit is needed from Ventura.
From OCLP's own documentation
Universal Control. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth hardware: Wi-Fi 4 / BT 2.1 EDR. Not out of the box. Use a Broadcom USB Bluetooth 4.0+ Dongle Dortania, Universal Control guide
OCLP changelog entries that name this Mac, newest release first, word for word:
2.0.0Supporting Macs with Metal and non-Metal-based graphics: → MacBookAir2,x - 7,x
On Tahoe this Mac needs Nvidia Tesla, Legacy Wireless, Modern Audio and Legacy USB 1.1. What each of those restores, and what to keep ready when root patching: macOS Tahoe: what works and what does not.
Known issues
- non-Metal GPU (macOS 11+) (source) Dortania, Supported Models
- USB 1.1 (macOS 13+) (source) Dortania, Supported Models
What OCLP puts on the EFI partition for MacBookAir2,1 OpenCore 1.0.6 RELEASE · 22 kexts
From our build with the OCLP 3.0.0-rc.5 app's command line (--build --model MacBookAir2,1) on a GitHub macOS runner, 2026-11-05. Boot arguments: keepsyms=1 debug=0x100 -lilubetaall -nomt_core -btlfxallowanyaddr amfi=0x80.
Kexts Reasons are shown for kexts that set this Mac apart; the rest are explained in the kext glossary.
Lilu.kext 1.7.2AAAMouSSE.kext 0.95-DortaniaTranslates SSE4.2 instructions to compatible code for SSE4,1 CPUs, required for AMD Metal drives Needed on: MacPro3,1.telemetrap.kext 1.0.0Ensures telemetry.plugin doesn't run, required for SSE4,1 CPUs Needed on: Penryn CPUs.CryptexFixup.kext 1.0.5NoAVXFSCompressionTypeZlib.kext 12.3.1Prevents AVXFSCompressionTypeZlib crash on pre AVX1.0 systems in 12.4+NoAVXFSCompressionTypeZlib-AVXpel.kext 12.6Prevents AVXFSCompressionTypeZlib crash on pre AVX1.0 systems in 12.4+NoAVXFSCompressionTypeZlib-AVXpel-Tahoe.kext 26.7Prevents AVXFSCompressionTypeZlib crash on pre AVX1.0 systems in 12.4+AppleIntelCPUPowerManagement.kext 1.0.0AppleIntelCPUPowerManagementClient.kext 1.0.0ASPP-Override.kext 1.0.1Forces ACPI_SMC_PlatformPlugin to outmatch X86PlatformPlugin and disable firmware throttlingECM-Override.kext 1.0.0CatalinaIntelI210Ethernet.kext 1.0.0corecaptureElCap.kext 1.0.2Re-inject WiFi drivers from El Capitan Needed on: BCM94328, BCM94322 and Atheros chipsets.IO80211ElCap.kext 2.0.1Re-inject WiFi drivers from El Capitan Needed on: BCM94328, BCM94322 and Atheros chipsets.AppleALC.kext 1.6.3-JazzznyBlueToolFixup.kext 2.7.2Bluetooth-Spoof.kext 1.0.0Injects extra data into certain bluetooth chipsets for recognition by the system Needed on: Models with the BCM2070 or BCM2046 chipsets.CSLVFixup.kext 2.6.1AMFIPass.kext 1.4.1RestrictEvents.kext 1.1.7AppleUSBTopCase.kext 1.0.0Restore USB Keyboard support on Mac OS VenturaAppleUSBMultitouch.kext 1.0.0Restore USB Trackpad support on Mac OS Ventura
Settings specific to this Mac
- Overriding ACPI SMC matching 41 of 86 builds
- Enabling BCM94328 Networking Support 19 of 86 builds
- Fixing AVX hardcoding in JavaScriptCore 31 of 86 builds
- Setting RestrictEvents patch arguments: sbvmm,jsc 28 of 86 builds
10 more settings are applied to most of the 86 Macs we built; they are listed in the full build log.
Our build for MacBookAir2,1 loads 22 kexts in an EFI folder of 21.0 MB. Across the 86 Macs we built, the median is 18; 70% of builds load fewer.
What owners reported for MacBookAir2,1 2 reports on GitHub
2 issues were filed in OCLP's tracker with MacBookAir2,1 as the machine model (2 closed, 0 open), filed 2021 to 2022; the newest is from 2022-02-24. The topics that come up most, by keyword match in the title and text: install or update (1). These are owners' reports, not confirmed bugs, and all of them were filed on OCLP versions from before 2024, so many describe problems that have since been fixed.
MacBook Air 2010
Short answer
Apple stopped at macOS High Sierra. With OpenCore Legacy Patcher the MacBook Air 2010 runs macOS Big Sur through macOS Tahoe 26. Our pick for most people: macOS Monterey (its GPU has no Metal support, so newer versions lose more apps). No Intel Mac can run macOS 27.
MacBook Air (11-inch, Late 2010)MacBookAir3,1
- Model identifier
MacBookAir3,1- Board ID
Mac-942452F5819B1C1B- CPU generation
- Core 2 Duo (Penryn)
- Graphics
- NVIDIA GeForce (Tesla)
- Wi-Fi
- Broadcom BCM4331 (legacy)
- Last macOS from Apple
- macOS High Sierra
- T1 / T2 chip
- None
- Battery rating
- 1,000 cycles to 80% capacity, Apple
Our pick
macOS MontereyNewest possible: macOS Sequoia
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce (Tesla), without Metal. Monterey keeps the most apps working on it. How we pick
| macOS | Status | Root patches OCLP applies |
|---|---|---|
| macOS Big Sur11.7.11 | Nvidia Tesla | |
| macOS Monterey12.7.6 | Nvidia Tesla · Legacy Wireless | |
| macOS Ventura13.7.8 | Nvidia Tesla · Legacy Wireless · Legacy USB 1.1 | |
| macOS Sonoma14.8.9 | Nvidia Tesla · Legacy Wireless · Legacy USB 1.1 | |
| macOS Sequoia15.8.2 | Nvidia Tesla · Legacy Wireless · Legacy USB 1.1 | |
| macOS Tahoe26.7.2 | Nvidia Tesla · Legacy Wireless · Modern Audio · Legacy USB 1.1 | |
| macOS Golden Gate27 | No | No Intel Mac can run macOS 27, with or without OCLP. |
Compared with the MacBook Air (Mid 2009) MacBookAir2,1
| What | MacBookAir2,1 | MacBookAir3,1 |
|---|---|---|
| Wi-Fi | Broadcom BCM43224 (legacy) | Broadcom BCM4331 (legacy) |
| Storage | SATA 1.8 | mSATA |
| Last macOS from Apple | OS X El Capitan | macOS High Sierra |
- Root patches on Tahoe. The same set as the MacBook Air (Mid 2009).
- Kexts OpenCore loads. The same 22 as the MacBook Air (Mid 2009).
How much patching MacBookAir3,1 needs on each macOS
| macOS | Patch sets | Files installed | Files removed | KDK | MetallibSupportPkg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Sur | Nvidia Tesla | 11 | 25 | No | No |
| Monterey | Nvidia Tesla · Legacy Wireless | 17 | 25 | No | No |
| Ventura | Nvidia Tesla · Legacy Wireless · Legacy USB 1.1 | 21 | 25 | Yes | No |
| Sonoma | Nvidia Tesla · Legacy Wireless · Legacy USB 1.1 | 25 | 25 | Yes | No |
| Sequoia | Nvidia Tesla · Legacy Wireless · Legacy USB 1.1 | 29 | 25 | Yes | No |
| Tahoe | Nvidia Tesla · Legacy Wireless · Modern Audio · Legacy USB 1.1 | 31 | 25 | Yes | No |
OCLP installs 11 files for this Mac on Big Sur and 31 on Tahoe. A Kernel Debug Kit is needed from Ventura.
From OCLP's own documentation
Universal Control. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth hardware: Wi-Fi 4 / BT 2.1 EDR. Not out of the box. Replace stock AirPort card with a BCM94360CS2 card Dortania, Universal Control guide
On Tahoe this Mac needs Nvidia Tesla, Legacy Wireless, Modern Audio and Legacy USB 1.1. What each of those restores, and what to keep ready when root patching: macOS Tahoe: what works and what does not.
Known issues
- non-Metal GPU (macOS 11+) (source) Dortania, Supported Models
- USB 1.1 (macOS 13+) (source) Dortania, Supported Models
What OCLP puts on the EFI partition for MacBookAir3,1 OpenCore 1.0.6 RELEASE · 22 kexts
From our build with the OCLP 3.0.0-rc.5 app's command line (--build --model MacBookAir3,1) on a GitHub macOS runner, 2026-11-05. Boot arguments: keepsyms=1 debug=0x100 -lilubetaall -nomt_core -btlfxallowanyaddr amfi=0x80.
Kexts Reasons are shown for kexts that set this Mac apart; the rest are explained in the kext glossary.
Lilu.kext 1.7.2AAAMouSSE.kext 0.95-DortaniaTranslates SSE4.2 instructions to compatible code for SSE4,1 CPUs, required for AMD Metal drives Needed on: MacPro3,1.telemetrap.kext 1.0.0Ensures telemetry.plugin doesn't run, required for SSE4,1 CPUs Needed on: Penryn CPUs.CryptexFixup.kext 1.0.5NoAVXFSCompressionTypeZlib.kext 12.3.1Prevents AVXFSCompressionTypeZlib crash on pre AVX1.0 systems in 12.4+NoAVXFSCompressionTypeZlib-AVXpel.kext 12.6Prevents AVXFSCompressionTypeZlib crash on pre AVX1.0 systems in 12.4+NoAVXFSCompressionTypeZlib-AVXpel-Tahoe.kext 26.7Prevents AVXFSCompressionTypeZlib crash on pre AVX1.0 systems in 12.4+AppleIntelCPUPowerManagement.kext 1.0.0AppleIntelCPUPowerManagementClient.kext 1.0.0ASPP-Override.kext 1.0.1Forces ACPI_SMC_PlatformPlugin to outmatch X86PlatformPlugin and disable firmware throttlingECM-Override.kext 1.0.0CatalinaIntelI210Ethernet.kext 1.0.0corecaptureElCap.kext 1.0.2Re-inject WiFi drivers from El Capitan Needed on: BCM94328, BCM94322 and Atheros chipsets.IO80211ElCap.kext 2.0.1Re-inject WiFi drivers from El Capitan Needed on: BCM94328, BCM94322 and Atheros chipsets.AppleALC.kext 1.6.3-JazzznyBlueToolFixup.kext 2.7.2Bluetooth-Spoof.kext 1.0.0Injects extra data into certain bluetooth chipsets for recognition by the system Needed on: Models with the BCM2070 or BCM2046 chipsets.CSLVFixup.kext 2.6.1AMFIPass.kext 1.4.1RestrictEvents.kext 1.1.7AppleUSBTopCase.kext 1.0.0Restore USB Keyboard support on Mac OS VenturaAppleUSBMultitouch.kext 1.0.0Restore USB Trackpad support on Mac OS Ventura
Settings specific to this Mac
- Overriding ACPI SMC matching 41 of 86 builds
- Enabling BCM94328 Networking Support 19 of 86 builds
- Fixing AVX hardcoding in JavaScriptCore 31 of 86 builds
- Setting RestrictEvents patch arguments: sbvmm,jsc 28 of 86 builds
10 more settings are applied to most of the 86 Macs we built; they are listed in the full build log.
Our build for MacBookAir3,1 loads 22 kexts in an EFI folder of 21.7 MB. Across the 86 Macs we built, the median is 18; 70% of builds load fewer.
What owners reported for MacBookAir3,1 2 reports on GitHub
2 issues were filed in OCLP's tracker with MacBookAir3,1 as the machine model (2 closed, 0 open), filed 2021; the newest is from 2021-07-22. The topics that come up most, by keyword match in the title and text: install or update (2), black screen or boot failure (1) and sleep and power (1). These are owners' reports, not confirmed bugs, and all of them were filed on OCLP versions from before 2024, so many describe problems that have since been fixed.
MacBook Air (13-inch, Late 2010)MacBookAir3,2
- Model identifier
MacBookAir3,2- Board ID
Mac-942C5DF58193131B- CPU generation
- Core 2 Duo (Penryn)
- Graphics
- NVIDIA GeForce (Tesla)
- Wi-Fi
- Broadcom BCM4331 (legacy)
- Last macOS from Apple
- macOS High Sierra
- T1 / T2 chip
- None
- Battery rating
- 1,000 cycles to 80% capacity, Apple
Our pick
macOS MontereyNewest possible: macOS Sequoia
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce (Tesla), without Metal. Monterey keeps the most apps working on it. How we pick
| macOS | Status | Root patches OCLP applies |
|---|---|---|
| macOS Big Sur11.7.11 | Nvidia Tesla | |
| macOS Monterey12.7.6 | Nvidia Tesla · Legacy Wireless | |
| macOS Ventura13.7.8 | Nvidia Tesla · Legacy Wireless · Legacy USB 1.1 | |
| macOS Sonoma14.8.9 | Nvidia Tesla · Legacy Wireless · Legacy USB 1.1 | |
| macOS Sequoia15.8.2 | Nvidia Tesla · Legacy Wireless · Legacy USB 1.1 | |
| macOS Tahoe26.7.2 | Nvidia Tesla · Legacy Wireless · Modern Audio · Legacy USB 1.1 | |
| macOS Golden Gate27 | No | No Intel Mac can run macOS 27, with or without OCLP. |
Compared with the MacBook Air (Mid 2009) MacBookAir2,1
| What | MacBookAir2,1 | MacBookAir3,2 |
|---|---|---|
| Wi-Fi | Broadcom BCM43224 (legacy) | Broadcom BCM4331 (legacy) |
| Storage | SATA 1.8 | mSATA |
| Last macOS from Apple | OS X El Capitan | macOS High Sierra |
- Root patches on Tahoe. The same set as the MacBook Air (Mid 2009).
- Kexts OpenCore loads. The same 22 as the MacBook Air (Mid 2009).
How much patching MacBookAir3,2 needs on each macOS
| macOS | Patch sets | Files installed | Files removed | KDK | MetallibSupportPkg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Sur | Nvidia Tesla | 11 | 25 | No | No |
| Monterey | Nvidia Tesla · Legacy Wireless | 17 | 25 | No | No |
| Ventura | Nvidia Tesla · Legacy Wireless · Legacy USB 1.1 | 21 | 25 | Yes | No |
| Sonoma | Nvidia Tesla · Legacy Wireless · Legacy USB 1.1 | 25 | 25 | Yes | No |
| Sequoia | Nvidia Tesla · Legacy Wireless · Legacy USB 1.1 | 29 | 25 | Yes | No |
| Tahoe | Nvidia Tesla · Legacy Wireless · Modern Audio · Legacy USB 1.1 | 31 | 25 | Yes | No |
OCLP installs 11 files for this Mac on Big Sur and 31 on Tahoe. A Kernel Debug Kit is needed from Ventura.
From OCLP's own documentation
Universal Control. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth hardware: Wi-Fi 4 / BT 2.1 EDR. Not out of the box. Replace stock AirPort card with a BCM94360CS2 card Dortania, Universal Control guide
On Tahoe this Mac needs Nvidia Tesla, Legacy Wireless, Modern Audio and Legacy USB 1.1. What each of those restores, and what to keep ready when root patching: macOS Tahoe: what works and what does not.
Known issues
- non-Metal GPU (macOS 11+) (source) Dortania, Supported Models
- USB 1.1 (macOS 13+) (source) Dortania, Supported Models
What OCLP puts on the EFI partition for MacBookAir3,2 OpenCore 1.0.6 RELEASE · 22 kexts
From our build with the OCLP 3.0.0-rc.5 app's command line (--build --model MacBookAir3,2) on a GitHub macOS runner, 2026-11-05. Boot arguments: keepsyms=1 debug=0x100 -lilubetaall -nomt_core -btlfxallowanyaddr amfi=0x80.
Kexts Reasons are shown for kexts that set this Mac apart; the rest are explained in the kext glossary.
Lilu.kext 1.7.2AAAMouSSE.kext 0.95-DortaniaTranslates SSE4.2 instructions to compatible code for SSE4,1 CPUs, required for AMD Metal drives Needed on: MacPro3,1.telemetrap.kext 1.0.0Ensures telemetry.plugin doesn't run, required for SSE4,1 CPUs Needed on: Penryn CPUs.CryptexFixup.kext 1.0.5NoAVXFSCompressionTypeZlib.kext 12.3.1Prevents AVXFSCompressionTypeZlib crash on pre AVX1.0 systems in 12.4+NoAVXFSCompressionTypeZlib-AVXpel.kext 12.6Prevents AVXFSCompressionTypeZlib crash on pre AVX1.0 systems in 12.4+NoAVXFSCompressionTypeZlib-AVXpel-Tahoe.kext 26.7Prevents AVXFSCompressionTypeZlib crash on pre AVX1.0 systems in 12.4+AppleIntelCPUPowerManagement.kext 1.0.0AppleIntelCPUPowerManagementClient.kext 1.0.0ASPP-Override.kext 1.0.1Forces ACPI_SMC_PlatformPlugin to outmatch X86PlatformPlugin and disable firmware throttlingECM-Override.kext 1.0.0CatalinaIntelI210Ethernet.kext 1.0.0corecaptureElCap.kext 1.0.2Re-inject WiFi drivers from El Capitan Needed on: BCM94328, BCM94322 and Atheros chipsets.IO80211ElCap.kext 2.0.1Re-inject WiFi drivers from El Capitan Needed on: BCM94328, BCM94322 and Atheros chipsets.AppleALC.kext 1.6.3-JazzznyBlueToolFixup.kext 2.7.2Bluetooth-Spoof.kext 1.0.0Injects extra data into certain bluetooth chipsets for recognition by the system Needed on: Models with the BCM2070 or BCM2046 chipsets.CSLVFixup.kext 2.6.1AMFIPass.kext 1.4.1RestrictEvents.kext 1.1.7AppleUSBTopCase.kext 1.0.0Restore USB Keyboard support on Mac OS VenturaAppleUSBMultitouch.kext 1.0.0Restore USB Trackpad support on Mac OS Ventura
Settings specific to this Mac
- Overriding ACPI SMC matching 41 of 86 builds
- Enabling BCM94328 Networking Support 19 of 86 builds
- Fixing AVX hardcoding in JavaScriptCore 31 of 86 builds
- Setting RestrictEvents patch arguments: sbvmm,jsc 28 of 86 builds
10 more settings are applied to most of the 86 Macs we built; they are listed in the full build log.
Our build for MacBookAir3,2 loads 22 kexts in an EFI folder of 21.7 MB. Across the 86 Macs we built, the median is 18; 70% of builds load fewer.
No issue in OCLP's tracker was filed with MacBookAir3,2 as the machine model (searched 2026-11-05), so there is no owner feedback to summarise for this exact model.
MacBook Air 2012
Short answer
Apple stopped at macOS Catalina. With OpenCore Legacy Patcher the MacBook Air 2012 runs macOS Big Sur through macOS Tahoe 26. Our pick for most people: macOS Sequoia. No Intel Mac can run macOS 27.
MacBook Air (11-inch, Mid 2012)MacBookAir5,1
- Model identifier
MacBookAir5,1- Board ID
Mac-66F35F19FE2A0D05- CPU generation
- 3rd-gen Core i (Ivy Bridge)
- Graphics
- Intel HD Graphics 4000 (Ivy Bridge)
- Wi-Fi
- Broadcom BCM4360 (802.11ac)
- Last macOS from Apple
- macOS Catalina
- T1 / T2 chip
- None
- Battery rating
- 1,000 cycles to 80% capacity, Apple
Our pick
macOS SequoiaNewest possible: macOS Tahoe
Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 4000 (Ivy Bridge), patched as Legacy Metal (3802). Sequoia is the newest macOS the stable OCLP 2.5.1 supports. How we pick
| macOS | Status | Root patches OCLP applies |
|---|---|---|
| macOS Big Sur11.7.11 | OCLP | OpenCore only, no root patches |
| macOS Monterey12.7.6 | Intel Ivy Bridge | |
| macOS Ventura13.7.8 | Intel Ivy Bridge | |
| macOS Sonoma14.8.9 | Intel Ivy Bridge · Modern Wireless | |
| macOS Sequoia15.8.2 | Intel Ivy Bridge · Modern Wireless | |
| macOS Tahoe26.7.2 | Intel Ivy Bridge · Modern Wireless · Modern Audio | |
| macOS Golden Gate27 | No | No Intel Mac can run macOS 27, with or without OCLP. |
Compared with the MacBook Air (11-inch, Mid 2011) MacBookAir4,1
| What | MacBookAir4,1 | MacBookAir5,1 |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | 2nd-gen Core i (Sandy Bridge) | 3rd-gen Core i (Ivy Bridge) |
| Graphics | Intel HD Graphics 3000 (Sandy Bridge) | Intel HD Graphics 4000 (Ivy Bridge) |
| Ethernet | Broadcom | — |
| Last macOS from Apple | macOS High Sierra | macOS Catalina |
- Root patches on Tahoe. New compared with the MacBook Air (11-inch, Mid 2011): Intel Ivy Bridge. No longer needed: Intel Sandy Bridge.
- Kexts OpenCore loads. Added:
KDKlessWorkaround.kext. Dropped:ASPP-Override.kext,CatalinaBCM5701Ethernet.kextandAppleALC.kext. (19 kexts on the MacBook Air (11-inch, Mid 2011), 17 here, from our builds.)
How much patching MacBookAir5,1 needs on each macOS
| macOS | Patch sets | Files installed | Files removed | KDK | MetallibSupportPkg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Sur | OpenCore only | 0 | 0 | No | No |
| Monterey | Intel Ivy Bridge | 7 | 0 | No | No |
| Ventura | Intel Ivy Bridge | 8 | 0 | No | No |
| Sonoma | Intel Ivy Bridge · Modern Wireless | 11 | 0 | No | No |
| Sequoia | Intel Ivy Bridge · Modern Wireless | 150 | 1 | No | Yes |
| Tahoe | Intel Ivy Bridge · Modern Wireless · Modern Audio | 15 | 0 | Yes | No |
OCLP installs 0 files for this Mac on Big Sur and 15 on Tahoe. A Kernel Debug Kit is needed from Tahoe. MetallibSupportPkg is needed from Sequoia.
From OCLP's own documentation
Universal Control. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth hardware: Wi-Fi 4 + BT 4.0. Universal Control works out of the box. Universal Control will work. Dortania, Universal Control guide
OCLP changelog entries that name this Mac, newest release first, word for word:
0.0.13Fix crash with MacBookAir5,x
On Tahoe this Mac needs Intel Ivy Bridge, Modern Wireless and Modern Audio. What each of those restores, and what to keep ready when root patching: macOS Tahoe: what works and what does not.
Known issues
- Legacy Metal (macOS 13+) (source) Dortania, Supported Models
What OCLP puts on the EFI partition for MacBookAir5,1 OpenCore 1.0.6 RELEASE · 17 kexts
From our build with the OCLP 3.0.0-rc.5 app's command line (--build --model MacBookAir5,1) on a GitHub macOS runner, 2026-11-05. Boot arguments: keepsyms=1 debug=0x100 -lilubetaall amfi=0x80.
Kexts Reasons are shown for kexts that set this Mac apart; the rest are explained in the kext glossary.
Lilu.kext 1.7.2CryptexFixup.kext 1.0.5AppleIntelCPUPowerManagement.kext 1.0.0AppleIntelCPUPowerManagementClient.kext 1.0.0ECM-Override.kext 1.0.0CatalinaIntelI210Ethernet.kext 1.0.0AirportBrcmFixup.kext 2.2.1IOSkywalkFamily.kext 1.2.0IO80211FamilyLegacy.kext 1.0.0AirPortBrcmNIC-Tahoe.kext 1.0.0KDKlessWorkaround.kext 1.0.0Helps with Mac os updates on KDKless patched systemsBlueToolFixup.kext 2.7.2CSLVFixup.kext 2.6.1AMFIPass.kext 1.4.1RestrictEvents.kext 1.1.7AppleUSBTopCase.kext 1.0.0Restore USB Keyboard support on Mac OS VenturaAppleUSBMultitouch.kext 1.0.0Restore USB Trackpad support on Mac OS Ventura
Settings specific to this Mac
- Enabling Windows 10 UEFI Audio support 21 of 86 builds
- Enabling BCM943224 and BCM94331 Networking Support 24 of 86 builds
- Using known ARPT Path: PciRoot(0x0)/Pci(0x1C,0x1)/Pci(0x0,0x0) 19 of 86 builds
- Disabling mediaanalysisd 24 of 86 builds
- Fixing CoreGraphics support on Ivy Bridge 12 of 86 builds
- Setting RestrictEvents block arguments: media 22 of 86 builds
- Setting RestrictEvents patch arguments: sbvmm,f16c 12 of 86 builds
10 more settings are applied to most of the 86 Macs we built; they are listed in the full build log.
Our build for MacBookAir5,1 loads 17 kexts in an EFI folder of 33.9 MB. Across the 86 Macs we built, the median is 18; 36% of builds load fewer.
What owners reported for MacBookAir5,1 2 reports on GitHub
2 issues were filed in OCLP's tracker with MacBookAir5,1 as the machine model (2 closed, 0 open), filed 2021; the newest is from 2021-12-18. The topics that come up most, by keyword match in the title and text: graphics (1), sleep and power (1) and install or update (1). These are owners' reports, not confirmed bugs, and all of them were filed on OCLP versions from before 2024, so many describe problems that have since been fixed.
MacBook Air (13-inch, Mid 2012)MacBookAir5,2
- Model identifier
MacBookAir5,2- Board ID
Mac-2E6FAB96566FE58C- CPU generation
- 3rd-gen Core i (Ivy Bridge)
- Graphics
- Intel HD Graphics 4000 (Ivy Bridge)
- Wi-Fi
- Broadcom BCM4360 (802.11ac)
- Last macOS from Apple
- macOS Catalina
- T1 / T2 chip
- None
- Battery rating
- 1,000 cycles to 80% capacity, Apple
Our pick
macOS SequoiaNewest possible: macOS Tahoe
Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 4000 (Ivy Bridge), patched as Legacy Metal (3802). Sequoia is the newest macOS the stable OCLP 2.5.1 supports. How we pick
| macOS | Status | Root patches OCLP applies |
|---|---|---|
| macOS Big Sur11.7.11 | OCLP | OpenCore only, no root patches |
| macOS Monterey12.7.6 | Intel Ivy Bridge | |
| macOS Ventura13.7.8 | Intel Ivy Bridge | |
| macOS Sonoma14.8.9 | Intel Ivy Bridge · Modern Wireless | |
| macOS Sequoia15.8.2 | Intel Ivy Bridge · Modern Wireless | |
| macOS Tahoe26.7.2 | Intel Ivy Bridge · Modern Wireless · Modern Audio | |
| macOS Golden Gate27 | No | No Intel Mac can run macOS 27, with or without OCLP. |
Compared with the MacBook Air (13-inch, Mid 2011) MacBookAir4,2
| What | MacBookAir4,2 | MacBookAir5,2 |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | 2nd-gen Core i (Sandy Bridge) | 3rd-gen Core i (Ivy Bridge) |
| Graphics | Intel HD Graphics 3000 (Sandy Bridge) | Intel HD Graphics 4000 (Ivy Bridge) |
| Ethernet | Broadcom | — |
| Last macOS from Apple | macOS High Sierra | macOS Catalina |
- Root patches on Tahoe. New compared with the MacBook Air (13-inch, Mid 2011): Intel Ivy Bridge. No longer needed: Intel Sandy Bridge.
- Kexts OpenCore loads. Added:
KDKlessWorkaround.kext. Dropped:ASPP-Override.kext,CatalinaBCM5701Ethernet.kextandAppleALC.kext. (19 kexts on the MacBook Air (13-inch, Mid 2011), 17 here, from our builds.)
How much patching MacBookAir5,2 needs on each macOS
| macOS | Patch sets | Files installed | Files removed | KDK | MetallibSupportPkg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Sur | OpenCore only | 0 | 0 | No | No |
| Monterey | Intel Ivy Bridge | 7 | 0 | No | No |
| Ventura | Intel Ivy Bridge | 8 | 0 | No | No |
| Sonoma | Intel Ivy Bridge · Modern Wireless | 11 | 0 | No | No |
| Sequoia | Intel Ivy Bridge · Modern Wireless | 150 | 1 | No | Yes |
| Tahoe | Intel Ivy Bridge · Modern Wireless · Modern Audio | 15 | 0 | Yes | No |
OCLP installs 0 files for this Mac on Big Sur and 15 on Tahoe. A Kernel Debug Kit is needed from Tahoe. MetallibSupportPkg is needed from Sequoia.
From OCLP's own documentation
Universal Control. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth hardware: Wi-Fi 4 + BT 4.0. Universal Control works out of the box. Universal Control will work. Dortania, Universal Control guide
OCLP changelog entries that name this Mac, newest release first, word for word:
0.0.13Fix crash with MacBookAir5,x
On Tahoe this Mac needs Intel Ivy Bridge, Modern Wireless and Modern Audio. What each of those restores, and what to keep ready when root patching: macOS Tahoe: what works and what does not.
Known issues
- Legacy Metal (macOS 13+) (source) Dortania, Supported Models
What OCLP puts on the EFI partition for MacBookAir5,2 OpenCore 1.0.6 RELEASE · 17 kexts
From our build with the OCLP 3.0.0-rc.5 app's command line (--build --model MacBookAir5,2) on a GitHub macOS runner, 2026-11-05. Boot arguments: keepsyms=1 debug=0x100 -lilubetaall amfi=0x80.
Kexts Reasons are shown for kexts that set this Mac apart; the rest are explained in the kext glossary.
Lilu.kext 1.7.2CryptexFixup.kext 1.0.5AppleIntelCPUPowerManagement.kext 1.0.0AppleIntelCPUPowerManagementClient.kext 1.0.0ECM-Override.kext 1.0.0CatalinaIntelI210Ethernet.kext 1.0.0AirportBrcmFixup.kext 2.2.1IOSkywalkFamily.kext 1.2.0IO80211FamilyLegacy.kext 1.0.0AirPortBrcmNIC-Tahoe.kext 1.0.0KDKlessWorkaround.kext 1.0.0Helps with Mac os updates on KDKless patched systemsBlueToolFixup.kext 2.7.2CSLVFixup.kext 2.6.1AMFIPass.kext 1.4.1RestrictEvents.kext 1.1.7AppleUSBTopCase.kext 1.0.0Restore USB Keyboard support on Mac OS VenturaAppleUSBMultitouch.kext 1.0.0Restore USB Trackpad support on Mac OS Ventura
Settings specific to this Mac
- Enabling Windows 10 UEFI Audio support 21 of 86 builds
- Enabling BCM943224 and BCM94331 Networking Support 24 of 86 builds
- Using known ARPT Path: PciRoot(0x0)/Pci(0x1C,0x1)/Pci(0x0,0x0) 19 of 86 builds
- Disabling mediaanalysisd 24 of 86 builds
- Fixing CoreGraphics support on Ivy Bridge 12 of 86 builds
- Setting RestrictEvents block arguments: media 22 of 86 builds
- Setting RestrictEvents patch arguments: sbvmm,f16c 12 of 86 builds
10 more settings are applied to most of the 86 Macs we built; they are listed in the full build log.
Our build for MacBookAir5,2 loads 17 kexts in an EFI folder of 33.9 MB. Across the 86 Macs we built, the median is 18; 36% of builds load fewer.
What owners reported for MacBookAir5,2 2 reports on GitHub
2 issues were filed in OCLP's tracker with MacBookAir5,2 as the machine model (2 closed, 0 open), filed 2021; the newest is from 2021-10-01. These are owners' reports, not confirmed bugs, and all of them were filed on OCLP versions from before 2024, so many describe problems that have since been fixed.
MacBook Air 2018
Short answer
Apple's last macOS for the MacBook Air 2018 is macOS Sonoma. It has a T2 security chip, and OpenCore Legacy Patcher does not support T2 Macs, so newer macOS versions are not possible with OCLP. Stay on macOS Sonoma, which keeps getting Apple security updates for now.
MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2018)MacBookAir8,1
- Model identifier
MacBookAir8,1- Board ID
Mac-827FAC58A8FDFA22- CPU generation
- 8th/9th-gen Core (Coffee Lake)
- Graphics
- Intel UHD 630 / Iris Plus (Coffee Lake)
- Wi-Fi
- Broadcom (T2-era)
- Last macOS from Apple
- macOS Sonoma
- T1 / T2 chip
- T2
- Battery rating
- 1,000 cycles to 80% capacity, Apple
Best choice
macOS Sonoma
This Mac has a T2 security chip, which OpenCore Legacy Patcher does not support. Stay on macOS Sonoma, the newest version Apple supports on it.
Compared with the MacBook Air (13-inch, Early 2015) MacBookAir7,2
| What | MacBookAir7,2 | MacBookAir8,1 |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | 5th-gen Core (Broadwell) | 8th/9th-gen Core (Coffee Lake) |
| Graphics | Intel Iris / HD 6000 (Broadwell) | Intel UHD 630 / Iris Plus (Coffee Lake) |
| Wi-Fi | Broadcom BCM4350/4360-class (AirportBrcmNIC) | Broadcom (T2-era) |
| Bluetooth | BRCM20702 v2 | UART |
| Last macOS from Apple | macOS Monterey | macOS Sonoma |
| Security chip | None | T2 |
- Root patches on Tahoe. No longer needed: Intel Broadwell, Modern Wireless, Modern Audio and PCIe FaceTime Camera.
From OCLP's own documentation
OCLP changelog entries that name this Mac, newest release first, word for word:
2.0.0Implement early macOS Sequoia support: → Excludes the newly dropped MacBookAir8,x series.2.0.0Excludes the newly dropped MacBookAir8,x series. → No estimate can be given when support will be added.
No issue in OCLP's tracker was filed with MacBookAir8,1 as the machine model (searched 2026-11-05), so there is no owner feedback to summarise for this exact model.
MacBook Air 2019
Short answer
Apple's last macOS for the MacBook Air 2019 is macOS Sonoma. It has a T2 security chip, and OpenCore Legacy Patcher does not support T2 Macs, so newer macOS versions are not possible with OCLP. Stay on macOS Sonoma, which keeps getting Apple security updates for now.
MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2019)MacBookAir8,2
- Model identifier
MacBookAir8,2- Board ID
Mac-226CB3C6A851A671- CPU generation
- 8th/9th-gen Core (Coffee Lake)
- Graphics
- Intel UHD 630 / Iris Plus (Coffee Lake)
- Wi-Fi
- Broadcom (T2-era)
- Last macOS from Apple
- macOS Sonoma
- T1 / T2 chip
- T2
- Battery rating
- 1,000 cycles to 80% capacity, Apple
Best choice
macOS Sonoma
This Mac has a T2 security chip, which OpenCore Legacy Patcher does not support. Stay on macOS Sonoma, the newest version Apple supports on it.
From OCLP's own documentation
OCLP changelog entries that name this Mac, newest release first, word for word:
2.0.0Implement early macOS Sequoia support: → Excludes the newly dropped MacBookAir8,x series.2.0.0Excludes the newly dropped MacBookAir8,x series. → No estimate can be given when support will be added.
No issue in OCLP's tracker was filed with MacBookAir8,2 as the machine model (searched 2026-11-05), so there is no owner feedback to summarise for this exact model.
MacBook Air 2020
Short answer
Apple's last macOS for the MacBook Air 2020 is macOS Sequoia. It has a T2 security chip, and OpenCore Legacy Patcher does not support T2 Macs, so newer macOS versions are not possible with OCLP. Stay on macOS Sequoia, which keeps getting Apple security updates for now.
MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020)MacBookAir9,1
- Model identifier
MacBookAir9,1- Board ID
Mac-0CFF9C7C2B63DF8D- CPU generation
- 10th-gen Core (Ice Lake)
- Graphics
- Intel Iris Plus (Ice Lake)
- Wi-Fi
- Broadcom (T2-era)
- Last macOS from Apple
- macOS Sequoia
- T1 / T2 chip
- T2
- Battery rating
- 1,000 cycles to 80% capacity, Apple
Best choice
macOS Sequoia
This Mac has a T2 security chip, which OpenCore Legacy Patcher does not support. Stay on macOS Sequoia, the newest version Apple supports on it.
Compared with the MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2019) MacBookAir8,2
| What | MacBookAir8,2 | MacBookAir9,1 |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | 8th/9th-gen Core (Coffee Lake) | 10th-gen Core (Ice Lake) |
| Graphics | Intel UHD 630 / Iris Plus (Coffee Lake) | Intel Iris Plus (Ice Lake) |
| Last macOS from Apple | macOS Sonoma | macOS Sequoia |
No issue in OCLP's tracker was filed with MacBookAir9,1 as the machine model (searched 2026-11-05), so there is no owner feedback to summarise for this exact model.
Installing a newer macOS on these models
Update the firmware first by installing the newest macOS Apple offers for your model, back up, then follow How to install OpenCore Legacy Patcher: build OpenCore for your model identifier, create the installer on a USB drive, install, then run Post-Install Root Patch.
Memory
Macs with 2 GB of memory cannot install macOS Sonoma or newer (Dortania, Supported Models). Upgrade the memory first if your Mac allows it.Keep going
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