Google Chrome is preparing to drop support for macOS 12 Monterey, meaning older Mac users will need to upgrade their operating system soon if they want to keep their browser secure. The change is happening when the upcoming Chrome 151 release rolls out.
This move is necessary but frustrating for users relying on older, stable Mac setups. If you are currently running macOS 12, you should know that Chrome 150 will be the final version of the browser that supports your machine. Google’s current version is around 143, and the company typically releases major updates about every four weeks.
This suggests that Chrome 150 is likely to roll out sometime around mid-2026, giving users a few months to prepare for the jump to a newer OS. The main reason for this removal is security. Google said running Chrome on an operating system that is still supported is essential for maintaining safety online. macOS 12 is now outside of Apple’s standard support window. This is why Google is moving the minimum requirement to macOS 13, which is Ventura, or newer.
If you choose to stay on macOS Monterey, Chrome will continue to function on your Mac as it did before. However, it will stop receiving critical security patches and feature updates once Chrome 151 arrives. You will also see a persistent warning infobar telling you that your browser is outdated. This is a significant trade-off because browsing the web with a known, unpatched vulnerability is extremely dangerous, and we’d recommend just switching out. It is not worth the lack of security to keep Chrome.
If your Mac hardware is capable of running macOS 13 Ventura or newer, you should update as soon as possible. This is the only way to get the latest security updates and features for Chrome. Also, if you try to install a fresh copy of Chrome 151 or later, the installer will require macOS 13 or newer just to start.
If your Mac is older and cannot officially upgrade past macOS 12, you still have other things you can do to browse the web safely. You do not want to be left using an insecure version of Chrome, so it’s time to switch browsers entirely. Fortunately, you do have a strong alternative available that is only a slight change.
Firefox currently still supports macOS Monterey. We recommend this because Firefox is known for its stronger focus on user privacy compared to Google’s services. Switching to Firefox is a solid path if you absolutely need to keep your machine running on macOS 12 for the foreseeable future. This lets you continue receiving essential security updates even if you are stuck on older hardware.
Chrome 151 will release Tuesday, Jun 30, 2026, so we suggest that you start planning your OS upgrade now before time runs out. If you want to keep your browsing experience secure and updated, you need to make sure your Mac is running macOS 13 or later before Chrome 151 arrives mid-2026.
Source: Chrome Platform Status via MacRumors
