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Im planning on getting the new M5 MBP i expect to be released next week. Is it possible to downgrade? I assume it comes with Tahoe :(

by thecopy 7mo ago

mpalmer 7mo ago
Almost certainly not :|
mhurron 7mo ago
Typically no, Mac's don't expect to run versions of macOS before the one they were released with.
teaearlgraycold 7mo ago
Why not buy a used M4 Pro/Max?
layer8 7mo ago
It’s not worth it, especially since the M6 MBP is rumored to already come out later this year (though likely with a price hike): https://9to5mac.com/2026/02/26/two-unique-new-macbook-pros-are-launching-this-year-starting-next-week/ https://9to5mac.com/2026/02/26/two-unique-new-macbook-pros-a...
- cosmic_cheese 7mo ago
  Depends on what one is looking for. I'm considering upgrading to an M5 model because while the M6 redesign might come with some nicer specs, it's also going to be coming with some teething pains by virtue of having a new design. The M5 generation is probably going to be a speed bump with a chassis and screen that's a known quantity and has had the kinks smoothed out.
  - DavidPiper 7mo ago
    I'm also cautious of the redesign. But I got burned by the first Touchbar Macbook back in the day, so twice shy etc.
    - ProllyInfamous 7mo ago
      I skipped the touchbar/buttery era, but before that the GPU/ballgate disaster plagued the MacBookPro lineup — pushed me away from Apple hardware for over decade! My vision has since gotten bad enough that I can't really use laptops/phones well, anymore — but recently got a 15" MacBookAir, M3 pre-Tahoe (for bedtime youtubies). The hardware is exceptional, battery life even more so... and I'll never update the operating system.
sgloutnikov 7mo ago
It's possible if you do a wipe and do a fresh install. You essentially boot into the Sequoia installer. I'm also looking at possibly picking up a M5 MBP and was the first things I looked into.
grliga 7mo ago
I bought a refurb m4 mac recently just to avoid tahoe slop ... worth considering, I think.
bla3 7mo ago
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/02/how-to-downgrade-from-macos-26-tahoe-on-a-new-mac/ https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/02/how-to-downgrade-fro... describes how to downgrade.
- latexr 7mo ago
  From that page: > As a rule of thumb, Macs will not run any version of macOS older than the one they shipped with when they launched. Apple provides security updates for older versions of macOS, but it doesn’t bother backporting drivers and other hardware support from newer versions to older ones. So the answer is “no”, they probably won’t be able to downgrade on the models that are about to be released.

Im planning on getting the new M5 MBP i expect to be released next week. Is it possible to downgrade? I assume it comes with Tahoe :(

by thecopy 7mo ago

Im planning on getting the new M5 MBP i expect to be released next week. Is it possible to downgrade? I assume it comes with Tahoe :(

mpalmer 7mo ago

Almost certainly not :|

mhurron 7mo ago

Typically no, Mac's don't expect to run versions of macOS before the one they were released with.

teaearlgraycold 7mo ago

Why not buy a used M4 Pro/Max?

layer8 7mo ago

It’s not worth it, especially since the M6 MBP is rumored to already come out later this year (though likely with a price hike): https://9to5mac.com/2026/02/26/two-unique-new-macbook-pros-are-launching-this-year-starting-next-week/ https://9to5mac.com/2026/02/26/two-unique-new-macbook-pros-a...

cosmic_cheese 7mo ago
Depends on what one is looking for. I'm considering upgrading to an M5 model because while the M6 redesign might come with some nicer specs, it's also going to be coming with some teething pains by virtue of having a new design. The M5 generation is probably going to be a speed bump with a chassis and screen that's a known quantity and has had the kinks smoothed out.
- DavidPiper 7mo ago
  I'm also cautious of the redesign. But I got burned by the first Touchbar Macbook back in the day, so twice shy etc.
  - ProllyInfamous 7mo ago
    I skipped the touchbar/buttery era, but before that the GPU/ballgate disaster plagued the MacBookPro lineup — pushed me away from Apple hardware for over decade! My vision has since gotten bad enough that I can't really use laptops/phones well, anymore — but recently got a 15" MacBookAir, M3 pre-Tahoe (for bedtime youtubies). The hardware is exceptional, battery life even more so... and I'll never update the operating system.

sgloutnikov 7mo ago

It's possible if you do a wipe and do a fresh install. You essentially boot into the Sequoia installer. I'm also looking at possibly picking up a M5 MBP and was the first things I looked into.

grliga 7mo ago

I bought a refurb m4 mac recently just to avoid tahoe slop ... worth considering, I think.

bla3 7mo ago

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/02/how-to-downgrade-from-macos-26-tahoe-on-a-new-mac/ https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/02/how-to-downgrade-fro... describes how to downgrade.

latexr 7mo ago
From that page: > As a rule of thumb, Macs will not run any version of macOS older than the one they shipped with when they launched. Apple provides security updates for older versions of macOS, but it doesn’t bother backporting drivers and other hardware support from newer versions to older ones. So the answer is “no”, they probably won’t be able to downgrade on the models that are about to be released.