How to Check a Mac’s macOS Version Number

Want to know what version of macOS is installed on your Mac? Curious about the build number (and its meaning)? Find out here how to locate and check the macOS version and build number of your Mac.

First, Two Kids Look at a Weathervane

The children are in Hans Lippershey‘s spectacle shop in the Dutch town of Middelburg (part of Zeeland), and the year is around 1608.

Playing with old lenses, the kids discovered that, if only they held two of them in front of their eyes in just the right way, a faraway weathervane would look much bigger.

Lippershey, so the legendary story goes, looked at them, looked through the lenses, and—constructed the “looker” (kijker in Dutch), arguably the first patented telescope.

How to Check the macOS Version Installed on Your Mac

Using the Apple Menu

In macOS Ventura and Later

In macOS Monterey and Earlier

To find your Mac’s installed macOS version on macOS Monterey and earlier, take essentially the same steps as in the current macOS version (with different looks):

1. Open the Apple logo menu.
2. Select About This Mac.
3. Go to the Overview tab.
4. Find the macOS name and version number on that page.
   

Using macOS Terminal

To learn about your Mac’s macOS name and version number from a Terminal command prompt:

1. Open a Terminal window or tab.
2. Enter sw_vers -productVersion.
3. Press Enter.
4. See the macOS version printed.
   

How to Check Your Mac’s macOS Build Number

Using the Apple Menu

To find the build number for your macOS installation:

1. Open About This Mac. (See above.)
2. Click System Report….
3. Go to Software.
4. Find the macOS build number in parens following the macOS name and version number under System Version:.

Using Terminal

To identify your Mac’s OS build number on the command line:

1. Open a a new Terminal window.
2. Type sw_vers.
   Just the build number: Use sw_vers -buildVersion to get just the currently installed macOS’s build.
3. Press Enter.
4. Find the build number either printed out without indication or under BuildVersion:.
   

How to Check Your macOS Darwin Kernel Version

The kernel is the operating system’s central component that allocates resources such as memory and computing time. macOS uses the Darwin kernel, derived from NextSTEP‘s kernel.

Using System Information

To identify your macOS Darwin kernel version:

1. Open System Information.
   Here’s how: You can click System Report… in the About section of the system settings’ General category or use spotlight to search for and open system information.
2. Go to Software.
3. Find the Darwin version under Kernel Version:.

Using Terminal

To find the Darwin kernel version using the command line:

1. Open a Terminal window.
2. Type uname -r.
3. Find the kernel version listed.
   

How to Check the macOS Version Installed on Your Mac: FAQ

What is the latest version of macOS available?

You can always find the version numbers for the latest Mac OS releases at

• Apple under Which macOS version is the latest? or, of course, at
• Apple Open Source releases.

What do the version and build numbers mean?

macOS Version Numbers Interpreted

The macOS version number is made up of three parts separated by dots.

For instance, macOS Sonoma 14.2.1 is made up of these parts:

Major release	Minor version	Patch
14	2	1
A major OS release (This typically has a name or prominently marketed version number, such as “macOS Sonoma”)	A release with new features	A release with bug fixes

macOS Build Numbers Interpreted

The build name is also made up of three parts. Here, the parts are not separated.

Build number 23C71 is made up of these parts, for instance:

Major build number	Minor build letter	Build number
23	C	71
The major build number corresponds to the major release version number, increasing with each release	The minor build letter typically increases with the minor OS release version, also indicating new features	The build number corresponds to the compilation for the minor build number, increasing with each build—typically once a day, but more often as needed.

Darwin Kernel Versions Interpreted

The kernel version follows the pattern for macOS release versions (three parts separated by dots), albeit for its own set of features.

Kernel version 23.2.0 (found with macOS Sonoma 14.2.1), e.g., is made up of these parts:

Major release	Minor version	Patch
23	2	0
The major kernel release corresponds to major OS releases (and typically matches the number)	The minor kernel release indicates new kernel features or modifications	A kernel patch release without changes in features or functionality apart from the patch

(How to find your Mac’s macOS version and name tested with macOS Sonoma 14.3–14.5, Ventura 13.4, Monterey 12.3 and Big Sur 11.5; first published August 2021, last updated July 2024)