Google Chrome is about to leave macOS Monterey behind, and for a chunk of older Macs, that is not great news.
Starting July 2026, Google will officially require macOS 13 Ventura or newer to receive Chrome updates. If your Mac is stuck on macOS 12 Monterey, Chrome will still open and run, but it will no longer receive feature updates or, more importantly, security patches.
For a web browser, that last part matters a lot.
Chrome updates are ending for macOS Monterey
Google has confirmed that Chrome 150 is the final version to support macOS 12 Monterey. Chrome 151, expected at the end of July 2026, will only install on Macs running macOS Ventura or newer.
This means Monterey users are effectively frozen in time. The browser will keep working, but any newly discovered security vulnerabilities will go unpatched. Over time, that turns Chrome into a liability rather than a convenience.
Google’s own recommendation is straightforward: upgrade macOS if you can. Google dropped Chrome 138 from macOS Big Sur last year in July.
Which Macs cannot upgrade to macOS Ventura
The problem is that many Macs simply cannot move past Monterey. Apple drew a fairly clear hardware line when macOS Ventura launched, and several popular models did not make the cut.
These Macs are stuck on macOS Monterey:
- iMac models older than 2017
- MacBook Air models from before 2018
- MacBook Pro models released before the 2017 refresh
- The cylindrical 2013 Mac Pro
- Mac mini models older than 2018
- The 2016 MacBook
If you own one of these machines, there is no official path to macOS Ventura, which also means no future Chrome updates.
Why this is a bigger deal than it sounds
Browsers are not just apps anymore. They are the front door to almost everything you do online, from banking and email to work tools and cloud services.
Running an outdated browser increases the risk of security exploits, broken websites, and compatibility issues. Even if Chrome works fine today, that will not hold forever.
This is especially frustrating because many of these Macs still perform perfectly well for everyday tasks. The hardware did not suddenly become unusable, but software support is slowly pulling the rug out.
What Monterey users should do now
If your Mac supports macOS Ventura or newer, upgrading should be a priority before July 2026. That is the cleanest solution.
If your Mac is permanently stuck on Monterey, continuing to use Chrome is not a great long-term idea. While Google has not named alternatives, Safari will continue to receive security updates for Monterey for a while longer, and that alone makes it a safer option.
Realistically, this is also another nudge toward upgrading hardware. Not everyone wants to hear that, but browser support is becoming one of the clearest indicators of when a computer is truly aging out.
Older Macs are not broken, but they are being left behind
Chrome dropping Monterey support is not shocking, but it is a reminder of how quickly the software world moves on. If your Mac is still on macOS 12, the clock is now ticking a little louder.
The Mac may still feel fine. The web, however, will not wait.
