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

Home Hub Command Center with Dome Base Feature

Apple Smart Home Hub to Feature iMac G4-Style Design

Wednesday September 30, 2026 4:36 am PDT by
Apple's long-rumored smart home hub will have an iMac G4-style design and a host of unique features, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports. The smart home hub is said to feature a square 6-inch display, with variants that can be placed on a countertop or mounted on a wall. It features a single FaceTime camera on the front, with microphones and speakers in its connected base. Gurman described the...
HomePod minis on gradient feature 1 1

Three New Apple Smart Home Products Coming on October 13

Wednesday September 30, 2026 4:04 am PDT by
Apple plans to introduce a series of new smart home products on Tuesday, October 13, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Apple reportedly plans to debut its long-awaited smart home hub device, a new HomePod mini, and a new Apple TV on the date. The new HomePod mini and Apple TV are set to retain their existing designs, but tout faster chips to support Siri AI. The new HomePod mini will...
iphone duo colors

Apple Shares Photos Shot on iPhone Duo

Thursday October 1, 2026 1:37 pm PDT by
Apple on Instagram today shared a curated gallery of six photos shot on the iPhone Duo. The photos were shot by American photographers Jake Michaels and Jason Nocito, as part of a project commissioned by Apple. iPhone Duo is equipped with four cameras:A rear 48-megapixel Fusion Main camera A rear 48-megapixel Ultra Wide camera A front 12-megapixel Center Stage camera in the outer display A...

Top Rated Comments

139 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
139 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
139 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
139 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)
139 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
139 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
Apple Says iPhone 18 Pro Max Users With AT&T Cellular Issue Need to Have Device Replaced
Apple Says iPhone 18 Pro Max Users With AT&T Cellular Issue Need to Have Device Replaced
9 hours ago
Apple Announces 'Full Disk Access' Changes on macOS Due to AI Agents
Apple Announces 'Full Disk Access' Changes on macOS Due to AI Agents
16 hours ago
AT&T and Apple Just Took Steps Toward Fixing iPhone 18 Pro Max Issue
AT&T and Apple Just Took Steps Toward Fixing iPhone 18 Pro Max Issue
17 hours ago
AT&T on iPhone 18 Pro Max Issues: 'We Are Working With Apple'
AT&T on iPhone 18 Pro Max Issues: 'We Are Working With Apple'
20 hours ago
Upgrading From an Older Apple Watch? Here's How the New Features Stack Up
Upgrading From an Older Apple Watch? Here's How the New Features Stack Up
21 hours ago
Beats 360 Cushion Kits and Apple Accessories See Early Prime Day Price Drops
Beats 360 Cushion Kits and Apple Accessories See Early Prime Day Price Drops
21 hours ago
Apple Store in UK Reopening on iPhone Duo Launch Day
Apple Store in UK Reopening on iPhone Duo Launch Day
22 hours ago
AT&T Acknowledges iPhone 18 Pro Max Issues: Update 'Immediately'
AT&T Acknowledges iPhone 18 Pro Max Issues: Update 'Immediately'
1 day ago
New 'AirFly Drive' Accessory Turns Wired CarPlay Into Wireless CarPlay
New 'AirFly Drive' Accessory Turns Wired CarPlay Into Wireless CarPlay
2 days ago
Apple Shares Photos Shot on iPhone Duo
Apple Shares Photos Shot on iPhone Duo
2 days ago
Apple Says iPhone Duo Has Replaceable 'Cover Layer'
Apple Says iPhone Duo Has Replaceable 'Cover Layer'
2 days ago
Apple's Smart Home Camera Will Apparently Have 'No Video Recording'
Apple's Smart Home Camera Will Apparently Have 'No Video Recording'
2 days ago
Apple TV Just Updated Its Selection of 'Bonus' Movies
Apple TV Just Updated Its Selection of 'Bonus' Movies
2 days ago
iPhone 18 Pro Colors Buyer's Guide: Which Should You Choose?
iPhone 18 Pro Colors Buyer's Guide: Which Should You Choose?
2 days ago
Early Prime Big Deal Days: Best Discounts on Accessories, TVs, and More at Amazon
Early Prime Big Deal Days: Best Discounts on Accessories, TVs, and More at Amazon
2 days ago
MacBook Pro With OLED Touch Screen Rumored to Launch in October or November
MacBook Pro With OLED Touch Screen Rumored to Launch in October or November
2 days ago
Apple's All-New Home Hub Rumored to Launch in These Four Colors
Apple's All-New Home Hub Rumored to Launch in These Four Colors
2 days ago
iPhone 18 Pro Aperture Control Goes Fully Manual in Halide 3.2
iPhone 18 Pro Aperture Control Goes Fully Manual in Halide 3.2
2 days ago
Apple Stores Receive 'Do Not Open' Boxes Ahead of Smart Home Products Launch
Apple Stores Receive 'Do Not Open' Boxes Ahead of Smart Home Products Launch
2 days ago
iPhone 18 Pro Sales Jump in China Ahead of iPhone Duo Launch
iPhone 18 Pro Sales Jump in China Ahead of iPhone Duo Launch
2 days ago
Apple TV Still Down for Some Users Following Apple Services Outage
Apple TV Still Down for Some Users Following Apple Services Outage
2 days ago
Microsoft 365 Work Accounts May Stop Syncing in Apple Mail
Microsoft 365 Work Accounts May Stop Syncing in Apple Mail
1 day ago
Apple's Smart Home Hub: Everything We Know So Far
Apple's Smart Home Hub: Everything We Know So Far
3 days ago
Apple's Home Hub Borrows From the iPhone Duo's StandBy Mode
Apple's Home Hub Borrows From the iPhone Duo's StandBy Mode
3 days ago
Apple Invites App Updated With Three New Features
Apple Invites App Updated With Three New Features
3 days ago
Apple Event on October 13?
Apple Event on October 13?
3 days ago
Apple Watch SE 3 vs. Series 12 Buyer's Guide: Which Should You Buy?
Apple Watch SE 3 vs. Series 12 Buyer's Guide: Which Should You Buy?
3 days ago
iPad Mini 8 to Offer These 10 New Features
iPad Mini 8 to Offer These 10 New Features
3 days ago
DoorDash Unveils AI Food Ordering Through Apple's Messages App
DoorDash Unveils AI Food Ordering Through Apple's Messages App
3 days ago
Amazon Takes Up to $150 Off Select M5 MacBook Air Models
Amazon Takes Up to $150 Off Select M5 MacBook Air Models
3 days ago