With the update to version 2.65 and 2.66 of the popular high-end music management software Roon, some users have felt locked out since April 27, 2026. Those running Apple Macintosh platforms with older operating systems are faced with server software that simply won’t start after the update. The reason is new minimum requirements for the server operating system that macOS 11 Big Sur and all derivatives of macOS 10.x, such as Catalina, cannot meet.
Similar issues have been reported with even newer versions of Roon, starting with version 2.71, which were released in August 2026. According to Roonlabs, issues on macOS 12 Monterey and macOS 13 Ventura have been fixed with an update called Build 1683.
Our guide below explains exactly who is affected and what Mac users who want to continue running Roon Server on their computers can do.
Which macOS versions are affected?
To find out if you are affected as a Roon-on-Mac user, take a look at your operating system: click the Apple icon in the top left, then “About This Mac” and “Advanced.” The following macOS versions will be locked out from running Roon Server as of April 27, 2026:
- macOS 11 Big Sur
- macOS 10.x all versions (such as Catalina or older)
If you are running such an old operating system on the Mac that also hosts the Roon Server, you need to take action. The cause is the increased system requirements—though older hardware may further limit a necessary macOS upgrade.
According to initial, as yet unconfirmed user reports, starting with Roon version 2.71 (as of August 2026), MacOS 12 Monterey and MacOS 13 Ventura also encountered problems, but these have been fixed by Roonlabs, and simply require updating roon server software to the latest version.
If you already have macOS 14 (Sonoma) or higher installed, you can ignore the following guide.
Who can upgrade to a compatible macOS?
If you’re running Roon on a Mac built around 2018 or later, you may be able to resolve the issue by upgrading the operating system. According to reports, Roon Server runs flawlessly on macOS 14 (Sonoma, introduced in 2022) and later. MacOS 12 Monterey and MacOS 13 Ventura should also work in most of cases, but this is not guaranteed for the future. The OS upgrade is recommended for the following Apple hardware::
- Fully supported for all Macs from approx. 2020 onwards with Apple Silicon processors (M1 or higher), such as Mac Mini G5 or MacBook Pro 13″
- MacBook Pro 13″ & 16″ with Intel processors from approx. 2018
- MacBook with Intel processors from 2018
- iMac with Intel CPU from approx. 2019
- Mac Mini with Intel processors from 2018
If the upgrade to a newer macOS cannot be initiated within the system, Apple specialists recommend the OCLP app, though we have not tested it ourselves.
Note: macOS 12 Monterey is the last operating system that runs perfectly on all Intel-based Macs and fully utilizes their performance. However, rumors suggest that support for macOS 12 Monterey will be discontinued soon (April 2026), which could lead to security vulnerabilities. Owners of a Mac with Intel Inside should start thinking about how they can continue to upgrade the operating system.
Alternative: Keep the old Roon version 2.64 if an upgrade is impossible
If your Apple hardware is either too old or not powerful enough to run a more modern macOS (such as macOS 14 Sonoma), you can avoid the current update to continue using Roon Server. To do this, automatic updates must be deactivated, and any future update offered after Roon 2.64 B1646 must be declined.
If you have already accidentally updated the Roon Server software and it no longer starts, you can download an older version. After uninstalling the current Roon, you can download the older 2.64 from Roon Labs as a .DMG file:
Download link for Roon 2.64 pre-update as a .DMG application for Mac
The option to run Roon Server in a Docker container, which is popular with Linux computers such as NAS servers and NUCs, is currently not available for macOS.
Useful links for users running Roon Server on Mac
Here is the link to the Roon forum with further information on the update and a description of the DMG version for older operating systems (such as macOS 13 Ventura or older)
Roon forum with link to macOS Roon Server pre-2.65 version
This guide will be permanently updated, last update was August 06th, 2026.
More on Roon on STEREO GUIDE:
- Finding the Best NAS Server for Roon
- Roon no longer works: Update 2.65 cripples many Macs, Qnap, Synology, and high-end servers
- Review: QNAP HS-264 – silent NAS server for Roon and 4K video
