Apple Releases Fourth OS X 10.11.4 El Capitan Beta to Public Beta Testers

OS X El Capitan LogoApple today seeded the fourth beta of an upcoming OS X 10.11.4 update to public beta testers, just a day after releasing the fourth OS X 10.11.4 beta to developers and just over a month after releasing OS X 10.11.3.

The fourth beta is available through the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store for those who are enrolled in Apple's beta testing program. Those wishing to join the program can sign up on Apple's beta testing website.

OS X 10.11.4 focuses primarily on under-the-hood bug fixes, security enhancements, and performance optimizations, but there have been a few outward-facing changes. In the Notes app, OS X 10.11.4 offers both password protected notes and an import function for importing Evernote notes. The OS X 10.11.4 update also includes Live Photos support in the Messages app.

Apple is likely to release OS X 10.11.4 in the spring, alongside iOS 9.3, watchOS 2.2, and tvOS 9.2.

Related Forum: OS X El Capitan

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro Dark Blue and Orange

iPhone 17 Release Date, Pre-Orders, and What to Expect

Thursday August 28, 2025 4:08 am PDT by
An iPhone 17 announcement is a dead cert for September 2025 – Apple has already sent out invites for an "Awe dropping" event on Tuesday, September 9 at the Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California. The timing follows Apple's trend of introducing new iPhone models annually in the fall. At the event, Apple is expected to unveil its new-generation iPhone 17, an all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17...
iPhone 17 Pro Iridescent Feature 2

iPhone 17 Pro Clear Case Leak Reveals Three Key Changes

Sunday August 31, 2025 1:26 pm PDT by
Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 17 series on Tuesday, September 9, and last-minute rumors about the devices continue to surface. The latest info comes from a leaker known as Majin Bu, who has shared alleged images of Apple's Clear Case for the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, or at least replicas. Image Credit: @MajinBuOfficial The images show three alleged changes compared to Apple's iP...
iphone 16 pro ghost hand

iPhone 17 Pro: 5 Reasons Not to Upgrade This Year

Monday September 1, 2025 4:35 am PDT by
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 series this month, and the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to get a new design for the rear casing and the camera area. But more significant changes to the lineup are not expected until next year, when the iPhone 18 models arrive. If you're thinking of trading in your iPhone for this year's latest, consider the following features rumored to be coming to...
xiaomi apple ad india

Apple and Samsung Push Back Against Xiaomi's Bold India Ads

Friday August 29, 2025 4:54 am PDT by
Apple and Samsung have reportedly issued cease-and-desist notices to Xiaomi in India for an ad campaign that directly compares the rivals' devices to Xiaomi's products. The two companies have threatened the Chinese vendor with legal action, calling the ads "disparaging." Ads have appeared in local print media and on social media that take pot shots at the competitors' premium offerings. One...
iOS 18 on iPhone Arrow Down

Apple Preparing iOS 18.7 for iPhones as iOS 26 Release Date Nears

Sunday August 31, 2025 4:35 pm PDT by
Apple is preparing to release iOS 18.7 for compatible iPhone models, according to evidence of the update in the MacRumors visitor logs. We expect iOS 18.7 to be released in September, alongside iOS 26. The update will likely include fixes for security vulnerabilities, but little else. iOS 18.7 will be one of the final updates ever released for the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR,...

Top Rated Comments

AppleDroid Avatar
124 months ago
I have held off upgrading to El Capitan and currently am still using Yosemite on a MBPro. Anyone using El Capitan on MBPro with:

Photoshop CS4
Illustrator CS4
Excel 2008
Time to update your software honestly, CS4 is 8 years old.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Guy Clark Avatar
124 months ago
Its FAST Its VERY FAST on my mid 2011 iMac. Admittedly I have 32GB RAM installed but running off the default 5400RPM Internal HDD 10.11.4 Public Beta 4 performance is incredible. Lets just hope this remains in the final release which cannot be too far away now.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dogslobber Avatar
124 months ago
Does anybody remember the time that OS X Beta builds would get 100s of comments? Nowadays it seems that OS X is dwarfed by even the iWatch OS.
[doublepost=1456272947][/doublepost]
El Crapstain
LOL You get a like for just that alone :-D
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
J InTech82 Avatar
124 months ago
I'm just curious, has anyone noticed if iTunes has been updated? When John Gruber interviewed Eddy Cue and Craig Federighi, they mentioned there would be a new version of iTunes shipping with the new version OS X. I'm sure they would not want to let the cat out of the bag so I doubt it's apart of the public beta builds.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SlainGamer Avatar
124 months ago
I have held off upgrading to El Capitan and currently am still using Yosemite on a MBPro. Anyone using El Capitan on MBPro with:

Photoshop CS4
Illustrator CS4
Excel 2008

Those are my primary applications that I worry about compatibility with when upgrading. I don't want to upgrade to Adobe and Microsoft's subscription based versions of the programs - the ones I own do the work I need just fine.

The other more minor things I use are:
MenuMeters - not supported officially in El Capitan but I have read of a work around 1.9
DejaVu
Fantastical 1.3.9
CarbonCopyCloner
GraphicConverter
Panorama360
Acrobat Pro 9 Pro
OmniOutliner 3.10.5
Fetch 5.7.5

I would be interested in reports of compatibility.
I have been using the beta releases and can say that all the applications are working fine!
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cain2003 Avatar
124 months ago
I have held off upgrading to El Capitan and currently am still using Yosemite on a MBPro. Anyone using El Capitan on MBPro with:

Photoshop CS4
Illustrator CS4
Excel 2008

Those are my primary applications that I worry about compatibility with when upgrading. I don't want to upgrade to Adobe and Microsoft's subscription based versions of the programs - the ones I own do the work I need just fine.

The other more minor things I use are:
MenuMeters - not supported officially in El Capitan but I have read of a work around 1.9
DejaVu
Fantastical 1.3.9
CarbonCopyCloner
GraphicConverter
Panorama360
Acrobat Pro 9 Pro
OmniOutliner 3.10.5
Fetch 5.7.5

I would be interested in reports of compatibility.
Im having zero issues with any MS office software or with Acrobat at this point. Office 2015 was a big pile of disaster for me initially but it works great now. I just kept both 2008 and 2015 loaded. 2015 works much better IMHO, more inline with the Windows version so you're not stuck when a feature that exist in the WinOffice doesn't of Mac:Office now. Wish I could help out on more of those but I haven't used Photoshop or illustrator in years now. Im pretty sure my buddy, who's a professional photographer, has updated to el cap on at least his MBPr. I know he's still running Yosemite on the iMac though. But he uses the whole adobe suite on both without issues as far as I know.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)