The best way to run macOS Tahoe and Golden Gate on the same Mac [Video]

If you wish to try macOS Golden Gate while it is still in beta, I highly recommend installing it on partition the APFS volume instead of your main volume. Installing macOS 27 on your primary volume will replace macOS Tahoe, leaving you at the mercy of any bugs or compatibility issues that arise with the software and hardware you’re using.

Unlike iOS and iPadOS betas, macOS betas can pose significant risks due to the complexity of macOS, including support for legacy software and hardware. I’ve been burned too many times in the past by hardware and software that didn’t work properly for months until the inevitable updates came after the public release later that fall. In my opinion, it’s not worth it.

The good news is that, thanks to APFS, you can easily create a separate volume and install the macOS Golden Gate beta away from your production Tahoe volume. This allows you to fully beta test macOS while maintaining the stability and reliability of the current public release. Watch our full video walkthrough for a complete step-by-step guide, and be sure to subscribe to 9to5Mac on YouTube for more macOS tutorials.

Note: To follow this guide, your Mac must already be using an APFS-formatted primary disk.

Download the macOS Golden Gate installer via Terminal

Be careful: If you want to download macOS Golden Gate beta, you will need to go to it Settings → General → Software Updatesand select macOS 27 Golden Gate Beta of Beta updates part.

Step 1: Open it The port with Finder → Applications → Resourcesthen copy and paste the following command:
softwareupdate --list-full-installers

Step 2: When it returns a list of available installers, enter the following command to download macOS Golden Gate:
softwareupdate --fetch-full-installer --full-installer-version 27.0

You can replace the version, in the case above, 27.0, with any macOS version listed that you wish to download.

Video: How to install macOS Golden Gate on a separate APFS volume

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Create a new APFS volume

Step 3: Open it Disk Utility with Finder → Applications → Resources.

Step 4: In the left sidebar, under Internals, select Macintosh HD.

Step 5: On the top toolbar, click the + sign above Volume and Add an APFS volume to a container? the modal should appear.

Step 6: Give the volume a name, such as macOS Golden Gate, select APFS for Format, and click Add to confirm. When Disk Utility has finished creating the new APFS volume, click Done.

Note: Do not select APFS (Encrypted), otherwise you will get the error “You cannot mount to this volume because it has a disk password” when trying to select a volume using the macOS Installer. Instead, you can enable FileVault encryption after the macOS installation is complete.

Step 7: You should now see the new volume in the left sidebar. In the example for this tutorial, the volume is called macOS Golden Gate.

Install macOS Golden Gate on a new APFS volume

Step 8: Open it Install macOS Golden Gate with Finder → Applicationsand then click Go ahead, Agree again Agree.

Step 9: Click Show All Disks…select the macOS Golden Gate volume, and click Go ahead.

Step 10: On the user selection screen, select the current user of your existing macOS installation, make sure copy the account settings is open, and then click Enter.

Step 11: You have Enter the Golden Gate modal, enter your admin password to continue and click Open it.

Step 12: The installation will begin, and eventually you will be prompted to restart your Mac to complete the installation. Click Restart to complete the installation.

How to switch between two APFS volumes

When the installation is complete, it will start a new volume. To change volumes, turn on Settings → General → Boot Diskselect another volume, and click Restart to boot from that volume.

Alternatively, turn off your Mac, then press and hold the power button until the startup options appear. There you will be allowed to select another boot volume.

9to5Mac’s Take

APFS makes it ridiculously easy to scan new APFS volumes. These volumes make it very easy to test new versions of macOS, such as macOS Golden Gate, without installing them on your main installation. So, you can run macOS Tahoe on your primary volume, and macOS Golden Gate on a separate test volume, and boot between them.

Especially for new beta releases, such a strategy works because it keeps the test OS closed to your main production OS. iOS betas are generally stable, it’s common news, but installing a macOS beta on your primary volume is extremely dangerous. Thanks to APFS volumes, you can easily use both and switch between them as you like.

Are you running macOS Golden Gate beta on a separate APFS volume? Let us know your experience in the comments.