Hosted by site sponsor WebMate.







MacOS 9/Classic Support Q&A - Updated October 27, 2007

To be notified of new Q&As, sign up for EveryMac.com's bimonthly email list.




Which are the last Macs capable of running MacOS 9/Classic applications?

Unfortunately for some whom have been Mac users since the beginning of the Macintosh, Apple does not support the MacOS 9/Classic environment on any of the Intel-based Macs or even on PowerPC-based Macs starting with MacOS X 10.5 "Leopard". Nevertheless, you also may be interested in reading "Are there any third-party programs to run MacOS 9/Classic applications on Intel Macs?"

The last Macs capable of running MacOS 9/Classic applications within the "Classic Environment" -- provided by MacOS X 10.4.11 "Tiger" and earlier -- are the last models in the Power Macintosh G5, iMac G5, eMac, Mac mini G4, iBook, and PowerBook G4 series. These systems cannot run MacOS 9/Classic applications if running MacOS X 10.5 "Leopard" or later.

These include the following Macs:

Power Macintosh G5

Power Macintosh G5 Dual Core (2.0)
Power Macintosh G5 Dual Core (2.3)
Power Macintosh G5 "Quad Core" (2.5)

iMac G5

iMac G5/1.9 17-Inch (iSight)
iMac G5/2.1 20-Inch (iSight)

eMac

eMac G4/1.42 (2005)

Mac mini G4

Mac mini G4/1.25
Mac mini G4/1.42
Mac mini G4/1.5

iBook

iBook G4/1.33 12-Inch (Mid-2005 - Opaque)
iBook G4/1.42 14-Inch (Mid-2005 - Opaque)

PowerBook G4

PowerBook G4/1.5 12-Inch (Al)
PowerBook G4/1.67 15-Inch (DLSD/HR - Al)
PowerBook G4/1.67 17-Inch (DLSD/HR - Al)

Shortly after the release of the MacBook "Core 2 Duo" models, on or around November 8, 2006, Apple quietly stopped selling the iBook G4/1.33 12-Inch (Mid-2005 - Opaque) and iBook G4/1.42 14-Inch (Mid-2005 - Opaque), which were the last models available new for education.

For a rundown of the last systems capable of booting directly in MacOS 9, please refer to "What is the fastest Mac capable of booting into MacOS 9? Which are the last Macs capable of booting into MacOS 9?" You also might like to read "Are any Macs capable of booting into both MacOS X 10.5 "Leopard" and MacOS 9?"

For complete MacOS 9/Classic compatiblity of all PowerPC G3 and later PowerPC-based Macs, please refer to the MacOS 9/Classic Support Capability listing.


Permalink | Report an Error/Typo | Sign Up for Site Update Notices



<< MacOS 9/Classic Support Q&A (Main)



Established in 1996, EveryMac.com has been created by experts with decades of experience with Apple hardware. EveryMac.com includes, and always has included, original research incorporating detailed, hands-on inspection of packaging, computers, and devices as well as extensive real-world use. All information is provided in good faith, but no website or person is perfect. Accordingly, EveryMac.com is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind whatsoever. EveryMac.com, and the authors thereof, shall not be held responsible or liable, under any circumstances, for any damages resulting from the use or inability to use the information within. For complete disclaimer and copyright information please read and understand the Terms of Use and the Privacy Policy before using EveryMac.com. Copying, scraping, or use of any content without expressed permission is not allowed, although links to any page are welcomed and appreciated.