The following is a list of operating systems released by Apple Inc. As of 2025, there are six supported software platforms: iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, tvOS, macOS and visionOS.
Prior to the introduction of the Macintosh in early 1984, Apple had several operating systems for the Apple II series, Apple SOS for the Apple III series, and Lisa OS and MacWorks XL for the Apple Lisa series; those were introduced between 1977 and 1983.
The original operating system for the Macintosh was the classic Mac OS, which was introduced in early 1984 as System Software. In 1997, System Software was renamed Mac OS.
In 1999, Mac OS X Server 1.0 was released, followed by Mac OS X 10.0, the first consumer release of the Mac OS X.
From the release of Mac OS X 10.0 until early 2007, Mac OS X was the only software platform. In early 2007, iPhone OS was introduced, increasing the number of software platforms by one, from one to two. In 2010, iPhone OS was renamed iOS. In 2011, Mac OS X was renamed OS X. In early 2015, the number of software platforms rose by one, from two to three, as watchOS was introduced. In late 2015, tvOS was introduced, increasing the number of software platforms again by one, from three to four. In 2016, OS X was renamed macOS. In 2019, iPadOS was introduced as the derived version of iOS for iPad, increasing the number of software platforms again by one, from four to five. In 2020, macOS received an increment in its version, from 10 to 11. In 2023, the number of software platforms rose again by one, from five to six, as visionOS was introduced.
Apple computers
Apple II
- Apple DOS is the first operating system for Apple computers.[1]
- Apple ProDOS
- Apple GS/OS
Apple III
- Apple SOS
Apple Lisa
- Lisa OS
- MacWorks XL
Mac
Classic Mac OS
- System 1
- System 2
- System 3
- System 4
- System Software 5 – also marketed as System 5
- System Software 6 – also marketed as System 6
- System 7 – System 7.5.1 was the first to refer to itself as Mac OS, Mac OS 7.6 was the first to be branded as "Mac OS"
- Mac OS 8
- Mac OS 9 – Mac OS 9.2.2 was the last version of Classic Mac OS
Mac OS X / OS X / macOS
macOS was initially called Mac OS X and later OS X.
Mobile devices
Newton
- Newton OS
iPod
- iPod OS
iOS
iOS was previously known as iPhone OS, despite also being available on the iPod Touch (1st, 2nd, and 3rd generations) and the original iPad.
- iPhone OS 1 – derived from "Mac OS X" (now known as "macOS")
- iPhone OS 2
Living room
Apple TV Software
There was no Apple TV Software 8; version 8 was skipped when moving to tvOS.
- Apple TV Software 1 – derived from Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger
- Apple TV Software 2 – derived from Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger
- Apple TV Software 3 – derived from Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger
- Apple TV Software 4 – derived from iOS 4 and iOS 5
- Apple TV Software 5 – derived from iOS 5 and iOS 6
- Apple TV Software 6 – derived from iOS 7
- Apple TV Software 7 – derived from iOS 8
tvOS
Table of operating systems
References
- Apple OS History Computer Hope, May 21, 2018, retrieved January 11, 2019^
- Tom Warren. Apple reveals iPadOS for iPad with a new home screen, multitasking improvements, and more The Verge, June 3, 2019, retrieved June 17, 2019^
- Justin Jaffe. Apple introduces iPadOS, giving iPads their own operating system