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
122 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
122 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
122 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
122 months ago
kk. we ready for sierra PB! :apple::apple::apple::apple::apple::apple::apple:
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Ebenezum Avatar
122 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
122 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

iOS 26.1 Coming Soon: New Features for Your iPhone and Release Date

Monday October 27, 2025 7:55 am PDT by
The upcoming iOS 26.1 update includes a handful of new features and changes for iPhones, including a toggle for changing the appearance of the Liquid Glass design, "slide to stop" for alarms in the Clock app, and more. Below, we outline key details about iOS 26.1. Release Date Given that Apple has yet to seed an iOS 26.1 Release Candidate, which is typically the final beta version, the...
iOS 26

6 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.1

Wednesday October 29, 2025 4:22 am PDT by
Apple is about to drop iOS 26.1, the first major point release since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least six notable changes and improvements to look forward to. We've rounded them up below. Apple has already provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate version of iOS 26.1, which means Apple will likely roll out the update to all compatible...
maxresdefault

Apple TV 4K Could Still Launch Before 2025 Ends: All the Rumored Features

Monday October 27, 2025 4:51 pm PDT by
Apple is designing an updated version of the Apple TV 4K, and rumors suggest that it could come out sometime in the next couple of months. We're not expecting a major overhaul with design changes, but even a simple chip upgrade will bring major improvements to Apple's set-top box. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. We've rounded up all the latest Apple TV rumors. ...
iOS 26

Apple Seeds iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, and macOS Tahoe 26.1 Release Candidates

Tuesday October 28, 2025 1:07 pm PDT by
Apple today provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, macOS Tahoe 26.1, tvOS 26.1, watchOS 26.1, and visionOS 26.1 updates for testing purposes. The RCs betas come a week after Apple released the fourth betas. The new betas can be downloaded from the Settings app on a compatible device by going to General > Software...
M6 MacBook Pro Feature 1

M6 MacBook Pro: Release Date, Pricing, and What to Expect

Monday October 27, 2025 9:15 am PDT by
Apple this month refreshed the 14-inch MacBook Pro base model with its new M5 chip, and higher-end 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips are expected to follow in early 2026. However, these machines will represent the final update to the current design, with Apple reportedly developing a completely new version of the MacBook Pro packed with next-generation hardware...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

8 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Thursday October 30, 2025 4:42 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...
macos tahoe

Here Are Apple's Release Notes for macOS Tahoe 26.1

Tuesday October 28, 2025 1:21 pm PDT by
Apple today provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate version of macOS Tahoe 26.1, which means the update will likely see a public launch next week. The release candidate includes notes on what's in the update, so we have a full picture of the new features that Apple has included. macOS Tahoe 26.1 adds AutoMix support over AirPlay, improved FaceTime audio...
ipad mini 7 feature blue

OLED iPad Mini: Release Date, Pricing, and What to Expect

Wednesday October 29, 2025 7:13 am PDT by
Rumors are stoking excitement for the next-generation iPad mini that Apple is reportedly close to launching. So what should we expect from the successor to the iPad mini 7 that Apple released over a year ago? Read on to find out. Processor and Performance Apple is working on a next-generation version of the iPad mini (codename J510/J511) that features the A19 Pro chip, according to...
iPhone Car Key Kia

Another Vehicle Brand Gaining iPhone Car Keys Support

Tuesday October 28, 2025 5:27 am PDT by
Apple is preparing to bring support for its digital car key feature to Jetour vehicles, according to evidence uncovered on Apple's backend by MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris. Introduced in 2022, Car Keys allows an iPhone or Apple Watch to unlock a vehicle through the Wallet app. A digital version of a car key is stored in Wallet, and unlocking can be done by holding an Apple Watch or...