Apple today seeded the fourth beta of an upcoming OS X 10.11.6 El Capitan update to developers and public beta testers for testing purposes, one week after releasing the third OS X 10.11.6 beta and more than a month since the public release of OS X 10.11.5. OS X 10.11.6 has been in testing since May 23.

The fourth OS X 10.11.6 beta update can be downloaded through the Apple Developer Center or the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store.

elcapitanmacbook
OS X 10.11.6, much like OS X 10.11.5 and the El Capitan updates that came before it, focuses mainly on performance improvements and bug fixes instead of obvious outward-facing changes. According to Apple's release notes for earlier betas, the update improves the stability, compatibility, and security of Macs.

No obvious changes or bug fixes were found in the first three betas, but we'll update this post should anything new be discovered in the fourth beta.

Apple has also started testing macOS Sierra, the next-generation Mac operating system set to be released this fall. macOS Sierra includes features like Siri integration, auto unlocking with the Apple Watch, Apple Pay for the web, a new storage optimization feature, and more.

Related Forum: OS X El Capitan

Top Rated Comments

redheeler Avatar
123 months ago
kk. we ready for sierra PB! :apple::apple::apple::apple::apple::apple::apple:
Not until July as was said in the keynote. It has usually happened not long after the release of DP 3.
[doublepost=1467221344][/doublepost]Looks like MacRumors is still suppressing Mac news into the Mac Blog while watch band shortages make the front page. Seriously MacRumors, get your priorities straight. I'm tired of this.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
qawes Avatar
123 months ago
The more versions Apple adds to El Capitan, the better. I can't see myself updating to Sierra right after it's getting released, maybe after 2 or 3 months.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nutmac Avatar
123 months ago
Doh, fool me once shame on you (checked iPhone running iOS 10 beta 1 after seeing iOS 9.3.3 beta 4 article). Fool me twice, shame on me (checked MacBook Pro running macOS Sierra beta 1 after seeing this article).
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jmh600cbr Avatar
123 months ago
kk. we ready for sierra PB! :apple::apple::apple::apple::apple::apple::apple:
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Ebenezum Avatar
123 months ago
Are USB devices finally working normally?

It has been problematic since 10.11.0 and there is no way I'm going to install 10.11 unless it is fixed permanently. All devices work normally in Mavericks so it has to be 10.11 driver issue.

I'm also hoping Apple would fix other bugs such as Spotlight can't find files (reindex helps for a few days), Finder, Photos opening instead of Image Capture etc. Sure I can work around these bugs but why bother because they don't exist in Mavericks?

I have reported all of these to Apple after every point release to 10.11 was released and I'm not exactly impressed that none of the bugs have been fixed! :mad:
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
gsmornot Avatar
123 months ago
bruh do i look amateur? i knwo july and DP3 but im jacked up
I keep scrolling back to this and laughing.

Side note, I was expecting today but ah well. Waiting to see what happens with my 2009 MacBook Pro that's not supposed to have Sierra installed but does.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 26

15 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.2

Friday December 5, 2025 9:40 am PST by
Apple is about to release iOS 26.2, the second major point update for iPhones since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least 15 notable changes and improvements worth checking out. We've rounded them up below. Apple is expected to roll out iOS 26.2 to compatible devices sometime between December 8 and December 16. When the update drops, you can check Apple's servers for the ...
Intel Inside iPhone Feature

Apple's Return to Intel Rumored to Extend to iPhone

Friday December 5, 2025 10:08 am PST by
Intel is expected to begin supplying some Mac and iPad chips in a few years, and the latest rumor claims the partnership might extend to the iPhone. In a research note with investment firm GF Securities this week, obtained by MacRumors, analyst Jeff Pu said he and his colleagues "now expect" Intel to reach a supply deal with Apple for at least some non-pro iPhone chips starting in 2028....
ios 18 to ios 26 upgrade

Apple Pushes iPhone Users Still on iOS 18 to Upgrade to iOS 26

Tuesday December 2, 2025 11:09 am PST by
Apple is encouraging iPhone users who are still running iOS 18 to upgrade to iOS 26 by making the iOS 26 software upgrade option more prominent. Since iOS 26 launched in September, it has been displayed as an optional upgrade at the bottom of the Software Update interface in the Settings app. iOS 18 has been the default operating system option, and users running iOS 18 have seen iOS 18...
iOS 26

Apple Seeds iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 Release Candidates to Developers and Public Beta Testers

Wednesday December 3, 2025 10:33 am PST by
Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 updates to developers and public beta testers, with the software coming two weeks after Apple seeded the third betas. The release candidates represent the final versions of iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 that will be provided to the public if no further bugs are found during this final week of testing....
Photos App Icon Liquid Glass

John Gruber Shares Scathing Commentary About Apple's Departing Software Design Chief

Thursday December 4, 2025 9:30 am PST by
In a statement shared with Bloomberg on Wednesday, Apple confirmed that its software design chief Alan Dye will be leaving. Apple said Dye will be succeeded by Stephen Lemay, who has been a software designer at the company since 1999. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that Dye will lead a new creative studio within the company's AR/VR division Reality Labs. On his blog Daring Fireball,...
iOS 26

When Will Apple Release iOS 26.2?

Monday December 1, 2025 4:37 pm PST by
We're getting closer to the launch of the final major iOS update of the year, with Apple set to release iOS 26.2 in December. We've had three betas so far and are expecting a fourth beta or a release candidate this week, so a launch could follow as soon as next week. Past Launch Dates Apple's past iOS x.2 updates from the last few years have all happened right around the middle of the...
maxresdefault

iPhone Fold: Launch, Pricing, and What to Expect From Apple's Foldable

Monday December 1, 2025 3:00 am PST by
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that ...
ive and altman

Jony Ive's OpenAI Device Barred From Using 'io' Name

Friday December 5, 2025 6:22 am PST by
A U.S. appeals court has upheld a temporary restraining order that prevents OpenAI and Jony Ive's new hardware venture from using the name "io" for products similar to those planned by AI audio startup iyO, Bloomberg Law reports. iyO sued OpenAI earlier this year after the latter announced its partnership with Ive's new firm, arguing that OpenAI's planned "io" branding was too close to its...
iphone air camera

iPhone Air's Resale Value Has Dropped Dramatically, Data Shows

Thursday December 4, 2025 5:27 am PST by
The iPhone Air has recorded the steepest early resale value drop of any iPhone model in years, with new data showing that several configurations have lost almost 50% of their value within ten weeks of launch. According to a ten-week analysis published by SellCell, Apple's latest lineup is showing a pronounced split in resale performance between the iPhone 17 models and the iPhone Air....
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

iPhone 17 Pro Lost a Camera Feature Pro Models Have Had Since 2020

Thursday December 4, 2025 5:18 am PST by
iPhone 17 Pro models, it turns out, can't take photos in Night mode when Portrait mode is selected in the Camera app – a capability that's been available on Apple's Pro devices since the iPhone 12 Pro in 2020. If you're an iPhone 17 Pro or iPhone 17 Pro Max owner, try it for yourself: Open the Camera app with Photo selected in the carousel, then cover the rear lenses with your hand to...