Install macOS 10.12 public beta [How to]

Apple released the first public beta for macOS 10.12, just after releasing its second developer beta last week. The public beta is usable but still a bit buggy and unstable. However, if you have a spare Mac lying around or enough drive space to install it in a separate partition, here is our guide on how to do so.

Before we begin, make sure that you have backed up your data using Time Machine. This is for safety purposes so if anything goes wrong, your data will be safe and you can easily revert back. Also, make sure to check if your Mac is compatible with macOS.

Install macOS 10.12 public beta

1. Register on Apple’s Public Beta Software Program website here.
2. You now have to enroll your Mac. This is done by using a redemption code from the public beta website and redeeming it in the Mac App Store.
3. Once successfully done, the macOS 10.12 public beta will be added in your purchases and you can check its download progress in the Purchased tab. After the download is complete, the installer will launch and you can continue with upgrading your OS X installation to macOS.
4. If you want to do a clean install, which means that you want to wipe off all data from your drive and then install macOS 10.12 from scratch, follow our guide to creating a bootable macOS drive to do so. You can also dual-boot macOS with your existing OS X installation. Both these guides require that you exit the macOS installer once step 3 is complete.

If you wish to downgrade to your previous OS X installation after an upgrade (from step 3), you will have to reinstall OS X. This is where the Time Machine backup will be useful.