Apple Releases Second OS X 10.11.4 El Capitan Beta to Public Beta Testers - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Apple Releases Second OS X 10.11.4 El Capitan Beta to Public Beta Testers

OS X El Capitan LogoApple today seeded the second beta of an upcoming OS X 10.11.4 beta to public beta testers, just a few days after releasing the second OS X 10.11.4 beta to developers and just over a week after releasing OS X 10.11.3.

The second beta is available through the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store for those who are enrolled in Apple's beta testing program. Those wishing to join the program can sign up on Apple's beta testing website.

OS X 10.11.4 includes a couple of new features, such as the ability to support password protected notes in the Notes app, but like the recent OS X 10.11.3 update, it appears to focus primarily on under-the-hood bug fixes and performance improvements with few noticeable outward-facing changes.

Apple is likely to release OS X 10.11.4 in the spring, alongside iOS 9.3, watchOS 2.2, and tvOS 9.2.

Related Forum: OS X El Capitan

Popular Stories

Apple MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display family lineup feature

Apple Announces OLED MacBook Pro With Touch Display

Wednesday October 28, 2026 10:11 am PDT by
Apple today announced a new high-end MacBook Pro, which is available in 14-inch and 16-inch sizes. The new device has a PROLED XDR display that supports touch gestures, and a glowing rear Apple logo. Pricing on the MacBook Pro starts at $2,899 for the 14-inch model and $3,399 for the 16-inch model. Apple says the MacBook Pro has the "world's best display in a pro laptop." The PROLED...
iPad mini OLED feature 1

Apple Executive Comments on New iPad Mini Lacking 120Hz Display

Thursday October 29, 2026 1:47 pm PDT by
While the new iPad mini has an OLED display, the device does not support ProMotion, meaning the display's refresh rate is limited to 60Hz instead of 120Hz. ProMotion support would have allowed for the iPad mini's refresh rate to automatically adjust from 10Hz to 120Hz depending on the content being displayed, but evidently Apple has kept the feature exclusive to the iPad Pro among iPad...
apple pro tell logo

Apple Opened Pre-Orders for Five New Products This Week

Wednesday October 28, 2026 2:49 am PDT by
Apple opened pre-orders for five new products on Wednesday, October 28, including its first touchscreen MacBook Pro models. Pre-orders opened for the following new products: iPad mini with OLED display and A20 Pro chip iMac with M6 chip 14-inch MacBook Pro with M6 chip 14-inch MacBook Pro with OLED touchscreen 16-inch MacBook Pro with OLED touchscreen Pre-orders for the iPad mini,...

Top Rated Comments

140 months ago
Get rid of Rootless (system integrity protection). Please and thank you.
There is zero reason to compromise on security for the sake of true root access. The majority of users will benefit from added security, as they do not need root. Those who do know how to do disable it anyway.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
chucker23n1 Avatar
140 months ago
How exactly? (Comparison with Yosemite would be handy.)
Significantly lowered vector of stability and security issues.

Isn't it nice of Apple to not release dev and pub betas on the same day, thus giving Macrumors EIGHT new articles to post?
Yes, I'm sure increasing Macrumors's ad impressions is a top priority for Apple's beta release schedule.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
chucker23n1 Avatar
140 months ago
I wonder if they'll fix the Safari full screen youtube bug that's been around since El Capitan came out...
Fix Mail not sending mail, some Apps need to be 100% guaranteed to work, sadly Apple thinks otherwise.
Have you guys considered, y'know, reporting those issues?

(FWIW, I can watch YouTube in full-screen in Safari, and I can send mail with Mail. I have been able to in 10.11.3, 10.11.2, 10.11.0, and, well, for a long time.)
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dogslobber Avatar
140 months ago
When I said "exactly" I didn't mean "by saying something that actually means nothing whatsoever but sounds smart". If you come with a statistic of 99.99% of users benefitting, please follow that real world examples where that happens, ideally with numbers confirming the 99.99% percentage. Thanks in advance!
SIP protects users who would blindly type admin password to allow their system to be root kitted. That means even if they type that sudo root password indiscriminately, SIP will protect those system files from being altered or overwritten. Or that's what is generally claimed. I think it's a good idea for the majority who don't do OS or kernel development.

In terms of TotalFinder and such hacks, those lead to OS instability through using undocumented interfaces so it reduces the barrier for support needs as it's more of a hassle to disable SIP than be bothered with some wacky app.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
140 months ago
How exactly? (Comparison with Yosemite would be handy.)
I always found it odd that an operating system predominantly targeted at consumers would allow unrestricted root access. Access that could destroy an entire system with one single command, a command that could be executed by any program. Perhaps the times are not as bad on the Mac yet and maybe it is premature in El Capitan specifically, but future-proofing OS X for such attack vectors is not a bad idea in my opinion. I also love to see how some developers scrambled to fix their applications just so that it would continue to work without problems, so why not stick to Apple’s security guidelines to begin with?

So far the only reasonable complaints I heard were from people who like to used hacks like TotalFinder or XtraFinder or swap application icons. If you you are experienced enough, you will find the tool to turn SIP off and use OS X just like before. No big deal. I’d wager that the mentioned percentage of 99.9% is equal to the percentage of people who did not turn off SIP.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bladerunner2000 Avatar
140 months ago
Rootless benefits 99.99% of users. For advanced users:

http://osxdaily.com/2015/10/05/disable-rootless-system-integrity-protection-mac-os-x/
It doesn't though. Did you or anyone else ever have any kind of detriment with the lack of SIP in all of the years prior?

All SIP has done is restrict choice/options to the consumer even more and effectively destroyed 3rd party developers like TotalFinder or XtraFinder.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Latest Stories
'Pluribus' Season 2 Reportedly Starts Production Today
'Pluribus' Season 2 Reportedly Starts Production Today
2 hours ago
iPhone 18 Pro Sales Surge in China, Offsetting Decline in U.S. and Japan
iPhone 18 Pro Sales Surge in China, Offsetting Decline in U.S. and Japan
3 hours ago
HomeView Software 27.2: Wallpapers, Control Center, and More
HomeView Software 27.2: Wallpapers, Control Center, and More
9 hours ago
Apple Alerts Stores to iPhone Duo's Display Cracking Issue
Apple Alerts Stores to iPhone Duo's Display Cracking Issue
10 hours ago
iOS 27.3 Will Enable These Apple Intelligence Features in China
iOS 27.3 Will Enable These Apple Intelligence Features in China
11 hours ago
Apple Says iOS 27.3 Beta Coming Next Week
Apple Says iOS 27.3 Beta Coming Next Week
11 hours ago
Apple's Flash Storage Suppliers Are Finally 'Getting Their Revenge'
Apple's Flash Storage Suppliers Are Finally 'Getting Their Revenge'
12 hours ago
14 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 27.2
14 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 27.2
13 hours ago
iPhone Duo Review: One Week Later
iPhone Duo Review: One Week Later
14 hours ago
Samsung Mocks iPhone Duo Display Cracks in New Ad Campaign
Samsung Mocks iPhone Duo Display Cracks in New Ad Campaign
15 hours ago
The MacRumors Show: OLED MacBook Pro, iPad Mini 8, and More
The MacRumors Show: OLED MacBook Pro, iPad Mini 8, and More
16 hours ago
MacBook Pro With Touch Display: 15 More Details Revealed
MacBook Pro With Touch Display: 15 More Details Revealed
16 hours ago
Russia Places Apple on State Surveillance Registry
Russia Places Apple on State Surveillance Registry
18 hours ago
Halloween Weekend Brings Discounts on Apple Accessories and Pre-Orders
Halloween Weekend Brings Discounts on Apple Accessories and Pre-Orders
18 hours ago
Apple Has Released More Than 25 New Products in the Past Two Months
Apple Has Released More Than 25 New Products in the Past Two Months
18 hours ago
Local Code Launches as Free, Private AI Assistant Tool for Mac
Local Code Launches as Free, Private AI Assistant Tool for Mac
19 hours ago
Apple Acquires Ascend.io
Apple Acquires Ascend.io
20 hours ago
HomePod Mini 2 Launches Today: All the New Features
HomePod Mini 2 Launches Today: All the New Features
20 hours ago
AirTag 2 4-Pack Drops to New Low Price of $69.99
AirTag 2 4-Pack Drops to New Low Price of $69.99
20 hours ago
Rian Johnson's iPhone Camera App Goes Viral
Rian Johnson's iPhone Camera App Goes Viral
20 hours ago
Where Did All the iPhone Duos Go? Mostly to Apple's Stores
Where Did All the iPhone Duos Go? Mostly to Apple's Stores
23 hours ago
Apple's Touchscreen MacBook Pro Could Ship 1.5M Units in 2027
Apple's Touchscreen MacBook Pro Could Ship 1.5M Units in 2027
23 hours ago
New Apple TV 4K and iPad Mini: RAM Amounts Revealed
New Apple TV 4K and iPad Mini: RAM Amounts Revealed
1 day ago
Apple Executive Comments on New iPad Mini Lacking 120Hz Display
Apple Executive Comments on New iPad Mini Lacking 120Hz Display
2 days ago
Here's a Hands-On Look at HomePod Mini 2's New Two-Tone Colors
Here's a Hands-On Look at HomePod Mini 2's New Two-Tone Colors
2 days ago
Apple Lowers App Store Fees in Taiwan Starting October 31
Apple Lowers App Store Fees in Taiwan Starting October 31
2 days ago
HomeView Pre-Order Returns to $289.99 on Amazon
HomeView Pre-Order Returns to $289.99 on Amazon
2 days ago
Apple Avoids Showing Pinched Fingers on iPad Mini Page in South Korea
Apple Avoids Showing Pinched Fingers on iPad Mini Page in South Korea
2 days ago
Old 'Popcorn Time' App Left Hundreds of Thousands of Macs at Risk
Old 'Popcorn Time' App Left Hundreds of Thousands of Macs at Risk
2 days ago
You Can Turn Off the New MacBook Pro's Touchscreen Functionality
You Can Turn Off the New MacBook Pro's Touchscreen Functionality
2 days ago