Is There a macOS 12 Monterey Beta Profile to Download?
Yes — at the time. macOS 12 Monterey launched during the configuration-profile era, so its beta genuinely was unlocked by a downloadable .mobileconfig file that you installed under Settings and then rebooted. That file no longer works on any device: Apple removed the profile mechanism from iOS in 2023, and the macOS 12 Monterey beta programme itself closed years ago.
What replaced it is simpler and safer. Beta access now lives in Settings, tied to your Apple Account, and works identically across iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and Apple TV. Our current beta download guide covers the whole process in four steps.
How the macOS 12 Monterey Beta Was Installed
Download the macOS 12 Monterey beta profile from Apple's beta site, tap Install, enter your passcode and restart the device. After the reboot, the beta appeared in Software Update as a normal update. Profiles expired periodically, which is why testers had to reinstall them each year.
The macOS 12 Monterey developer beta opened on June 7, 2021, with the public beta following in early July 2021. New builds then arrived every one to two weeks until the finished version shipped that autumn.
What macOS 12 Monterey Introduced
macOS 12 Monterey is remembered for Universal Control across Mac and iPad, AirPlay to Mac, Shortcuts arriving on the desktop, Focus modes and SharePlay. On the Mac the profile took a slightly different form: Apple distributed a beta access utility that enrolled the machine, after which betas appeared in Software Update. Same idea, different packaging.
Everything that shipped in macOS 12 Monterey carried forward into later releases, refined by successive cycles — which is the practical reason chasing an old beta build has little value today. The finished version, and the versions after it, contain all of it plus years of fixes.
Which Devices Ran macOS 12 Monterey
macOS 12 Monterey supported the iMac from 2015, MacBook from 2016, MacBook Air and MacBook Pro from 2015, Mac mini from 2014, Mac Pro from 2013 and the iMac Pro — the last macOS to carry that many Intel machines forward.
Compatibility and feature availability are separate questions on modern Apple releases: a device can be on the supported list while still missing the headline features that require newer silicon. Our supported devices page breaks down the current cycle model by model.
macOS 12 Monterey Today
macOS 12 Monterey has reached the end of its support life. Its final build was macOS 12.7.6, and no further updates are expected. Devices still running it should move to the newest version their hardware allows.
If your device currently runs macOS 12 Monterey, open Settings → General → Software Update to see the newest version it supports. Staying current matters for security even when no new features are on offer.
How to Get an Apple Beta in 2026
The programme is very much alive — it simply works through your Apple Account. Enrol free at beta.apple.com for the public beta or developer.apple.com for the developer channel, then open Settings → General → Software Update → Beta Updates and choose the current release.
Before you install anything, make an archived backup — it is the only route back to your current version with your data intact. If you later change your mind, our guide to leaving the beta program covers every device.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I download the macOS 12 Monterey beta profile?
No. The macOS 12 Monterey beta used a configuration profile at the time, but Apple removed that mechanism from iOS in 2023 and the macOS 12 Monterey beta programme is closed. No profile file for any version works on modern devices.
Can I still install macOS 12 Monterey today?
Only the finished macOS 12.7.6 release, and only on devices that cap there. Apple no longer signs macOS 12 Monterey beta builds, so beta versions cannot be installed on any device.
Which devices supported macOS 12 Monterey?
macOS 12 Monterey supported the iMac from 2015, MacBook from 2016, MacBook Air and MacBook Pro from 2015, Mac mini from 2014, Mac Pro from 2013 and the iMac Pro — the last macOS to carry that many Intel machines forward. Devices outside that list stayed on the previous release, which continued to receive security updates.
When did the macOS 12 Monterey beta come out?
The developer beta opened on June 7, 2021 and the public beta followed in early July 2021, with the finished version shipping later that year.