Apple Releases macOS Sierra 10.12.5 With Headphones Audio Fix and Enhanced Mac App Store Compatibility

Apple today released macOS Sierra 10.12.5, the fifth update to the macOS Sierra operating system that first launched in September of 2016. macOS Sierra 10.12.5 comes more than one month after the release of macOS Sierra 10.12.4, an update that introduced Night Shift for Mac. Five betas of macOS Sierra 10.12.5 were seeded to developers and public beta testers ahead of the update's release.

macOS Sierra 10.12.5 is a free update for all customers who have a compatible machine. The update can be downloaded using the Software Update function in the Mac App Store.

macos 10
No feature additions, bug fixes, or other changes were found in macOS Sierra 10.12.5 during the beta testing process, and developers and public beta testers were only told that the update "improves the stability, compatibility, and security of your Mac." According to Apple's release notes, the following bug fixes and enhancements are included in 10.12.5:

- Fixes an issue where audio may stutter when played through USB headphones
- Enhances compatibility of the Mac App Store with future software updates
- Adds support for media-free installation of Windows 10 Creators Update using Boot Camp

An list of the security fixes bundled into the update is available via an accompanying support document.

macOS Sierra 10.12.5 will soon be followed by a new version of macOS, which we expect to see introduced at Apple's June Worldwide Developers Conference. The new version of macOS will be in testing for several months, however, so Apple is likely to continue updating macOS Sierra.

Update: For those still using OS X El Capitan, Apple has issued a new 2017-002 security update. There's also a security update for OS X Yosemite.

Related Forum: macOS Sierra

Popular Stories

iPhone Pocket Short

iPhone Pocket is Now Completely Sold Out Worldwide

Tuesday November 25, 2025 7:16 am PST by
Apple recently teamed up with Japanese fashion brand ISSEY MIYAKE to create the iPhone Pocket, a limited-edition knitted accessory designed to carry an iPhone. However, it is now completely sold out in all countries where it was released. iPhone Pocket became available to order on Apple's online store starting Friday, November 14, in the United States, France, China, Italy, Japan, Singapore, ...
New Intel Logo

Apple and Intel Rumored to Partner on Mac Chips Again in a New Way

Friday November 28, 2025 7:33 am PST by
While all Macs are now powered by Apple's custom-designed chips, a new rumor claims that Apple may rekindle its partnership with Intel, albeit in a new and limited way. Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today said Intel is expected to begin shipping Apple's lowest-end M-series chip as early as mid-2027. Kuo said Apple plans to utilize Intel's 18A process, which is the "earliest...
iphone black friday gold

The Best Black Friday iPhone Deals Still Available

Friday November 28, 2025 6:24 am PST by
Cellular carriers have always offered big savings on the newest iPhone models during the holidays, and Black Friday 2025 sales have kicked off at AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and more. Right now we're tracking notable offers on the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air. For even more savings, keep an eye on older models during the holiday shopping season. Note: MacRumors is...
apple store down feature

Here's Why the Apple Store is Going Down

Thursday November 27, 2025 1:01 pm PST by
Apple's online store is going down for a few hours on a rolling country-by-country basis right now, but do not get your hopes up for new products. Apple takes its online store down for a few hours ahead of Black Friday every year to tease/prepare for its annual gift card offer with the purchase of select products. The store already went down and came back online in Australia and New Zealand, ...
streaming black friday 2025

Best Black Friday Streaming Deals - Save Big on Apple TV, Disney+, Hulu, and More

Thursday November 27, 2025 1:14 pm PST by
We've been focusing on deals on physical products over the past few weeks, but Black Friday is also a great time of year to purchase a streaming membership. Some of the biggest services have great discounts for new and select returning members this week, including Apple TV, Disney+, Hulu, Paramount+, Peacock, and more. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When...
iphone air camera

iPhone Air Flop Sparks Industry Retreat From Ultra-Thin Phones

Thursday November 27, 2025 3:14 am PST by
Apple's disappointing iPhone Air sales are causing major Chinese mobile vendors to scrap or freeze their own ultra-thin phone projects, according to reports coming out of Asia. Since the ‌iPhone Air‌ launched in September, there have been reports of poor sales and manufacturing cuts, while Apple's supply chain has scaled back shipments and production. Apple supplier Foxconn has...
maxresdefault

The MacRumors Show: Apple's Big Plans for iPad Mini 8

Friday November 28, 2025 8:39 am PST by
On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we talk through the latest rumors about Apple's upcoming iPad mini 8. Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel for more videos The next-generation version of the iPad mini is expected to feature an OLED display, as part of Apple's plan to expand the display technology across many more of its devices. Apple's first OLED device was the Apple...
Apple Foldable Thumb

Foldable iPhone to Debut These Three Breakthrough Features

Tuesday November 25, 2025 7:09 am PST by
Apple's first foldable iPhone is expected to launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models in fall 2026, and it's shaping up to include three standout features that could set it apart from the competition. The book-style foldable will reportedly feature an industry-first 24-megapixel under-display camera built into the inner display, according to a recent JP Morgan equity research report. That...

Top Rated Comments

jclo Avatar
112 months ago
Missed one via the 'find and replace' ;-)
No find and replace, just a typo. I know these release and beta posts end up sounding similar when there's not a lot in an update, but I take the time to lovingly write them out word by word each time. Numbers are hard, though, especially on Mondays! Thanks for the heads up :)
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
randolorian Avatar
112 months ago
Can anyone share the initial impressions after installing this update? I hope no functioning features disappear from this release...
I don't do impressions, my training is in engineering. But the install went fine.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Sirious Avatar
112 months ago
Still no APFS.
Next major version, WWDC.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ck2875 Avatar
112 months ago

macOS Sierra 10.12.3 is a free update for all customers who have a compatible machine.
Missed one via the 'find and replace' ;-)
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Cougarcat Avatar
112 months ago
MacOS Sierra 10.12.5 update has a nasty surprise. It disables support for the nVidia Web Driver. Apple is trying to prevent people from installing new graphics cards in their Macs.
Have you only recently used web drivers? They are tied to the version of OS. NVidia has to issue updates. Usually they release betas.

Anyway, no conspiracy here.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macsba Avatar
112 months ago
when safari going to support 4k video on youtube again doe
Blame Google.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)