Introduced 15 years ago, what was originally a Recovery partition has become complex in Intel Macs, and completely different in Apple silicon, with a fallback.
Apple silicon
How Intel Macs with T2 chips, and Apple silicon Macs can be rescued from the apparently dead by connecting them to another Mac in DFU mode.
If you want to dual-boot between Sequoia and Tahoe, for example, there are four main options, including external bootable disks and VMs. These tips help you choose which is most suitable..
Complete listing of all frequency steps for M1-M5 chips in each variant, for E, P and S cores, and for the A18 Pro in the MacBook Neo. Is the M5 P type more like an older E or P core?
Have you got a MacBook Neo, or a MacBook Pro with an M5 Pro or Max chip? Could you please help update the table of CPU core frequencies, as explained here.
Refurb, from a reseller, or buy private? What to beware of, what to check, and how to ensure the Mac you buy won’t lock you out.
macOS will delay disk and other input/output operations for background tasks like backing up. Is there any point in disabling that in an Apple silicon Mac to make backups faster?
How a Content Caching Server can be used to supply an update. Preflight checks are extensive, and lead on to other preparation. Finally the boot chime is muted, and the Mac rebooted to allow installation.
Do you still need Rosetta to translate Intel code so it runs on Apple silicon? With macOS 26.4, Rosetta warnings will start, telling that it won’t be available for much longer.
An important update for those expecting to update Apple silicon Macs to 26.4, as older versions may crash, and are expected to report firmware version errors.
The Eclectic Light Company 