Apple releases a free new Mac operating system (macOS) every year and strongly recommends that Macs be upgraded when it is available. The university follows this recommendation and considers upgrading your macOS a must-do for university Macs because it provides updated security, feature enhancements, and prevents compatibility issues with other software.
Upgrade the memory of nearly any iMac, MacBook Pro, Mac Pro, or Mac mini. Save money by trading in your original memory chips for a cash rebate. Upgrade the memory of nearly any iMac, MacBook Pro, Mac Pro, or Mac mini. Save money by trading in your original memory chips for a cash rebate. 2011-2014 RAM Hard Drive Data Doubler. 2010 RAM Hard Drive Data Doubler. Intel Mac mini Polycarbonate Processor RAM Hard Drive. Mac mini Original (G4) RAM Hard Drive Optical Drive. Mac Pro Late 2013 Processor RAM Storage Graphics Cards. Mac Pro 2010/2012 Processors RAM Hard Drives Optical Drives Video Cards PCI. Start quickly with the most recent versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote and OneDrive —combining the familiarity of Office and the unique Mac features you love. Work online or offline, on your own or with others in real time—whatever works for what you’re doing. As of the November 2019 update for Microsoft 365 for Mac or Office 2019 for Mac (build 16.31), macOS 10.13.6 or later is required to receive updates to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and OneNote.
The Office of Technology Services (OTS) can't push and automatically install certain software upgrades on Macs, including macOS upgrades and Microsoft Office. Therefore, we rely on faculty, staff, and lab managers to maintain and upgrade software on their university computers when they receive OTS notifications that upgrades are available.
Towson's macOS Upgrade Timeline
- Apple releases a new macOS each fall.
- OTS tests it with University products and services.
- After the testing is complete, OTS releases the new OS several weeks after Apple's release and upgrade notifications are emailed to Mac clients.
- Faculty and staff can then install it themselves on university-owned Macs by following the preparation and installation procedures below.
We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in completing the necessary upgrades. If you need help or have questions, please call the OTS Faculty/Staff Help Center, 410-704-5151 and follow the menu options.
Macs in computer labs and classrooms will be upgraded each year on a schedule determined by college and department staff.
Upgrading macOS at Towson
Carefully follow the procedures below to prevent loss of data or unexpected compatibility issues:
Upgrade Microsoft Office
Before upgrading your macOS, you'll first want to confirm that you are running the current version of Microsoft Office. Follow the Procedures to Upgrade Microsoft Office (PDF) to identify what version you have and and upgrade, if necessary.After confirming that you're running the current Microsoft Office version, confirm that your Mac hardware is compatible with the new macOS upgrade, see the macOS Upgrade Requirements at Apple’s macOS upgrade site. Once a macOS upgrade is completed, it can't be uninstalled and remains as the OS on the Mac until the next upgrade.
- If your Mac meets the upgrade requirements: follow the
Procedures to Upgrade Your Towson macOS (PDF).
If your Mac doesn't meet the requirements, you can obtain a newer Mac with one of the options in the 'Upgrading University-Owned Macs' section below.
Upgrading University-Owned Macs
If your university-owned Mac is not compatible with the new macOS, it has reached the end of it's useful life cycle, you'll need to upgrade the Mac to prevent issues with security and compatibility with hardware and software. Options for upgrading your Towson Mac are available through the Computer Trade-Up Program and EduCycle Computer Reconditioning Program.
Upgrading Personal Macs
Upgrading to a new OS is highly encouraged to ensure that you have security and functionality enhancement at home or on your laptop, just as you do at the office. People connect to the campus network from personally-owned computers, so keeping them secure is equally important for the benefit of the computing community as a whole.
Consult Apple’s Mac OS Support site for information and requirements.
Incredible music.
In the key of easy.
GarageBand is a fully equipped music creation studio right inside your Mac — with a complete sound library that includes instruments, presets for guitar and voice, and an incredible selection of session drummers and percussionists. With Touch Bar features for MacBook Pro and an intuitive, modern design, it’s easy to learn, play, record, create, and share your hits worldwide. Now you’re ready to make music like a pro.
Start making professional‑sounding music right away. Plug in your guitar or mic and choose from a jaw‑dropping array of realistic amps and effects. You can even create astonishingly human‑sounding drum tracks and become inspired by thousands of loops from popular genres like EDM, Hip Hop, Indie, and more.
More sounds, more inspiration.
Plug in your USB keyboard and dive into the completely inspiring and expanded Sound Library, featuring electronic‑based music styles like EDM and Hip Hop. The built‑in set of instruments and loops gives you plenty of creative freedom.
Upgrades For Macbook Pro
The Touch Bar takes center stage.
The Touch Bar on MacBook Pro puts a range of instruments at your fingertips. Use Performance view to turn the Touch Bar into drum pads or a one-octave keyboard for playing and recording.
Plug it in. Tear it up.
Plug in your guitar and choose from a van-load of amps, cabinets, and stompboxes.
Design your dream bass rig.
Customize your bass tone just the way you want it. Mix and match vintage or modern amps and speaker cabinets. You can even choose and position different microphones to create your signature sound.
Drumroll please.
GarageBand features Drummer, a virtual session drummer that takes your direction and plays along with your song. Choose from 28 drummers and three percussionists in six genres.
Shape your sound. Quickly and easily.
Whenever you’re using a software instrument, amp, or effect, Smart Controls appear with the perfect set of knobs, buttons, and sliders. So you can shape your sound quickly with onscreen controls or by using the Touch Bar on MacBook Pro.
Look, Mom — no wires.
You can wirelessly control GarageBand right from your iPad with the Logic Remote app. Play any software instrument, shape your sound with Smart Controls, and even hit Stop, Start, and Record from across the room.
Jam with drummers of every style.
Drummer, the virtual session player created using the industry’s top session drummers and recording engineers, features 28 beat‑making drummers and three percussionists. From EDM, Dubstep, and Hip Hop to Latin, Metal, and Blues, whatever beat your song needs, there’s an incredible selection of musicians to play it.
Each drummer has a signature kit that lets you produce a variety of groove and fill combinations. Use the intuitive controls to enable and disable individual sounds while you create a beat with kick, snare, cymbals, and all the cowbell you want. If you need a little inspiration, Drummer Loops gives you a diverse collection of prerecorded acoustic and electronic loops that can be easily customized and added to your song.
Audition a drummer for a taste of his or her distinct style.
Powerful synths with shape‑shifting controls.
Get creative with 100 EDM- and Hip Hop–inspired synth sounds. Every synth features the Transform Pad Smart Control, so you can morph and tweak sounds to your liking.
Sweeping Arp
Droplets
Bright Punchy Synth
Pumping Synth Waves
Epic Hook Synth
Learn to play
Welcome to the school of rock. And blues. And classical.
Get started with a great collection of built‑in lessons for piano and guitar. Or learn some Multi‑Platinum hits from the actual artists who recorded them. You can even get instant feedback on your playing to help hone your skills.
Take your skills to the next level. From any level.
Choose from 40 different genre‑based lessons, including classical, blues, rock, and pop. Video demos and animated instruments keep things fun and easy to follow.
Teachers with advanced degrees in hit‑making.
Learn your favorite songs on guitar or piano with a little help from the original recording artists themselves. Who better to show you how it’s done?
Instant feedback.
Play along with any lesson, and GarageBand will listen in real time and tell you how you’re doing, note for note. Track your progress, beat your best scores, and improve your skills.
Tons of helpful recording and editing features make GarageBand as powerful as it is easy to use. Edit your performances right down to the note and decibel. Fix rhythm issues with a click. Finesse your sound with audio effect plug‑ins. And finish your track like a pro, with effects such as compression and visual EQ.
Go from start to finish. And then some.
Create and mix up to 255 audio tracks. Easily name and reorder your song sections to find the best structure. Then polish it off with all the essentials, including reverb, visual EQ, volume levels, and stereo panning.
Take your best take.
Record as many takes as you like. You can even loop a section and play several passes in a row. GarageBand saves them all in a multi‑take region, so it’s easy to pick the winners.
Your timing is perfect. Even when it isn’t.
Played a few notes out of time? Simply use Flex Time to drag them into place. You can also select one track as your Groove Track and make the others fall in line for a super‑tight rhythm.
Upgrade Mac Operating System
Polish your performance.
Capture your changes in real time by adjusting any of your software instruments’ Smart Controls while recording a performance. You can also fine‑tune your music later in the Piano Roll Editor.
Touch Bar. A whole track at your fingertips.
The Touch Bar on MacBook Pro lets you quickly move around a project by dragging your finger across a visual overview of the track.
Wherever you are, iCloud makes it easy to work on a GarageBand song. You can add tracks to your GarageBand for Mac song using your iPhone or iPad when you’re on the road. Or when inspiration strikes, you can start sketching a new song idea on your iOS device, then import it to your Mac to take it even further.
Iphoto Upgrade For Mac
GarageBand for iOS
Play, record, arrange, and mix — wherever you go.
GarageBand for Mac
Your personal music creation studio.
Logic Remote
A companion app for Logic Pro X.