How Long Does it Take to Install macOS Big Sur Beta?

The macOS Big Sur beta takes some time to download and install. You need to make sure you have enough time in your program to complete the download and then install. You need WiFi, stay connected to power, and you won’t be able to use your Mac as part of this experience.

This guide will walk you through how long it takes to install macOS Big Sur beta. With this information, you can decide whether you have enough time to start and finish in one go. The timing will depend on your Internet connection.

Apple is now rolling out the public beta of macOS Big Sur, which takes the same amount of time to install as the developer beta. Before starting this path, make sure you follow these steps before installing the update.

A frequently asked question is, “How long will it take for the macOS Big Sur beta to complete?” We’ll help you estimate how long this will take based on what you need to do and how fast your Internet connection is.

Plan to spend at least an hour installing macOS Big Sur beta on your Mac. This may take longer depending on your connection and how many people are downloading the beta at the same time. Here’s a breakdown of how long it took the macOS Big Sur beta to complete. These are estimates based on our experience. We will update this software as we install it.

This does not include the time it takes to download and install the macOS Developer Beta Utility, but it only takes a few minutes. If you run into problems with the macOS Big Sur beta, you’ll need to make sure you have a backup, as this is the easiest way to upgrade to macOS Catalina. If you’re not ready, that’s a good reason not to install the macOS Big Sur beta yet.

Prepare for macOS Big Sur Beta

Don’t treat the macOS Big Sur beta as a traditional macOS update. This is a pre-release update that requires more planning and more preparatory work.

Here’s what you need to do before installing macOS Big Sur beta. It saves time, but makes your installation and any possible downgrades much easier.

macOS Big Sur Beta Download Time

On the first day of beta, the macOS Big Sur beta download time will likely take a few days longer than you’d expect. This is because many other users are trying to do the same. The other factor is your internet connection speed.

In our experience, you can expect to spend at least 20-30 minutes downloading the update, which should be around 5GB in size, and for some home users it can take up to two hours.

macOS Big Sur Beta Installation Time

macOS Big Sur beta installation can be completed in less than an hour.

Schedule a macOS Big Sur Beta install time of between 30 and 60 minutes. This includes download time and installation time. If you choose to install on an external hard drive, you may need to spend a little more time installing it than on an internal SSD or Fusion drive, but that won’t change much.

Most of the time, you won’t be able to use your Mac while the macOS Big Sur beta is installing. During this part of the process, your Mac will appear on a black screen loading the beta, so plan accordingly.