Which apps still work on an old Mac (2012–2017)
Chrome, Office, Spotify, WhatsApp, Teams, Zoom…: what each one asks for, whether it installs on your Mac and what the alternative is, on macOS or with Linux.
Each app asks for a minimum macOS version to install or update. A 2012 Mac stops at macOS 10.15 Catalina; 2013 and 2014 ones at 11 Big Sur; the 2014 Mac mini and 2015 ones at 12 Monterey; the 2017 MacBook Pro at 13 Ventura. A copy you already have may keep opening for a while, but without updates.
| App | Needs | 2012 | 2013–2014 | Mac mini 2014, 2015 | 2017 MacBook Pro | On your Mac, if it won't install | With Linux |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google Chrome | macOS 13 | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | Firefox | Yes, up to date |
| Firefox | macOS 10.15 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Works | Yes, up to date |
| Microsoft 365 (Word, Excel…) | macOS 14 | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | Office on the web (office.com), LibreOffice | Office on the web, LibreOffice |
| Microsoft Teams | macOS 15 (latest 3) | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | Teams in the browser (Firefox) | Teams in the browser |
| Spotify | macOS 13 | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | Web player (open.spotify.com) in Firefox | Official Spotify app |
| macOS 11 | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | WhatsApp Web in Firefox | WhatsApp Web | |
| Zoom | macOS 10.15 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Works | Official Zoom app |
| Dropbox | macOS 11 | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Reduced version or dropbox.com | Official Dropbox app |
| Netflix | macOS 10.15.5 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Firefox | In Firefox or Chrome |
| Adobe Acrobat Reader | macOS 12 | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | Preview (built into the Mac) | Atril or Okular |
✓ installs and updates · ✗ won't install or update. Requirements from each app's official page, October 2026; they change when a new macOS ships. Netflix works on all of them with Firefox, though not with Safari on a 2012 Mac (Safari 14 needs macOS 11). Dropbox has a reduced version for macOS 10.13 to 10.15.
The pattern is clear: anything that goes through the web (WhatsApp Web, Office, Teams, Spotify's player) keeps working as long as you have an up-to-date browser, and Firefox still is on all these Macs. Desktop apps fall behind one after another.
If you want to keep using this Mac with everything up to date
Linux is a free system that still gets updates on these Macs. With it you get up-to-date Chrome and Firefox, Office in the browser, LibreOffice and security patches again. The ResucitaTuMac Kit installs it for you with a wizard (in Spanish), without sending the Mac anywhere: you can keep macOS alongside and choose at power-on.
It's for Intel Macs from 2012 to 2015 and the 2017 MacBook Pro without Touch Bar. One-off payment of €24.99.
Check for free whether your Mac worksSee how it's done