--- title: Apple OS X Yosemite Reviews meta\_title: 'Apple OS X Yosemite Reviews 2026: Details, Pricing, & Features | G2' meta\_description: Filter 92 reviews by the users' company size, role or industry to find out how Apple OS X Yosemite works for a business like yours. aggregate\_rating: rating\_value: 4.5 review\_count: 92 scale: '5' date\_modified: '2026-08-09' parent\_category: name: IT Infrastructure url: https://www.g2.com/categories/it-infrastructure --- # Apple OS X Yosemite Reviews & Product Details OS X Yosemite, released in October 2014, is the eleventh major version of Apple's desktop operating system for Mac computers. This update introduced a comprehensive redesign, aligning the Mac interface more closely with the aesthetics of iOS, featuring a flatter, more modern look with translucent elements and a refreshed color palette. Yosemite also emphasized enhanced integration between Mac and iOS devices, offering users a more seamless and connected experience across their Apple products. Key Features and Functionality: - Redesigned User Interface: Yosemite introduced a flatter, more modern design with translucent elements and a refreshed color palette, aligning the Mac interface more closely with iOS aesthetics. - Continuity: This suite of features enhances integration between Mac and iOS devices. Handoff allows users to start tasks on one device and continue them on another, while Instant Hotspot enables easy tethering to an iPhone's internet connection. - Phone and SMS Integration: Users can make and receive iPhone calls and send SMS messages directly from their Mac, provided both devices are connected to the same Wi-Fi network. - AirDrop Between Mac and iOS: Yosemite enables file sharing between Mac and iOS devices using AirDrop, facilitating quick and easy transfers without the need for cables or external drives. - Enhanced Spotlight Search: Spotlight received significant improvements, offering a more prominent search bar and the ability to pull in results from various sources, including Wikipedia, Maps, and news, providing a more comprehensive search experience. - Updated Native Applications: Core apps like Safari, Mail, and Messages were updated with new features and improved performance. For instance, Safari introduced a new tab view and improved sharing options, while Mail added functionalities like Mail Drop for sending large attachments. Primary Value and User Solutions: OS X Yosemite's primary value lies in its enhanced continuity and integration features, bridging the gap between Mac and iOS devices. By enabling seamless transitions between devices, users can maintain productivity without interruption, whether they're composing emails, browsing the web, or managing files. The redesigned interface offers a more intuitive and visually appealing experience, while the updated native applications and improved search capabilities streamline daily tasks. Overall, Yosemite addresses the need for a cohesive and interconnected ecosystem, enhancing user efficiency and satisfaction across Apple's hardware and software platforms. * * * Seller [Apple](https://www.g2.com/sellers/apple) Discussions [Apple OS X Yosemite Community](https://www.g2.com/products/apple-os-x-yosemite/discuss) Solution Type Best-of-Breed Show More ## Value at a Glance Averages based on real user reviews. ### Perceived Cost $$$$$ [ View More Pricing Information ](https://www.g2.com/products/apple-os-x-yosemite/pricing) ## Top-Rated Alternatives [ ![Windows 7](/assets/transparent-ad5be28fbcd25b7b08d2cebe1d957125437fb5407d75ee717965ad22c8808791.gif "Windows 7") Windows 7 4.2/5(903) ](https://www.g2.com/products/windows-7/reviews) [ ![Red Hat Enterprise Linux](/assets/transparent-ad5be28fbcd25b7b08d2cebe1d957125437fb5407d75ee717965ad22c8808791.gif "Red Hat Enterprise Linux") Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4.6/5(977) ](https://www.g2.com/products/red-hat-enterprise-linux/reviews) [ ![Ubuntu](/assets/transparent-ad5be28fbcd25b7b08d2cebe1d957125437fb5407d75ee717965ad22c8808791.gif "Ubuntu") Ubuntu 4.5/5(2,399) ](https://www.g2.com/products/ubuntu/reviews) [ View All Alternatives ](https://www.g2.com/products/apple-os-x-yosemite/competitors/alternatives) ## User Insights Average based on 92 real user reviews. Perceived Cost $$$$$ [Log in to unlock pricing and user insights](/login) ## Apple OS X Yosemite Integrations (5) What do users say about integrations? Integration information sourced from real user reviews. 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AA Aditya A. System Engineer Computer Software Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) 5/13/2026 "Clean, Stable, and User-Friendly Operating System Experience" 5/5 What do you like best about Apple OS X Yosemite? What I liked best about Apple OS X Yosemite was its clean and modern user interface along with the overall smooth user experience. The redesigned look felt more polished and intuitive compared to previous versions, and the system performance remained stable for daily tasks and productivity work. Features like better integration across Apple devices, improved notifications, and enhanced multitasking made the operating system more convenient to use. I also appreciated the simplicity and consistency of the macOS ecosystem, which helped improve workflow efficiency. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What do you dislike about Apple OS X Yosemite? One downside of Apple OS X Yosemite was that performance could occasionally feel slower on older Mac hardware, especially after extended usage or while running multiple applications simultaneously. Some compatibility issues were also noticeable with a few third-party applications during the initial transition period. While the redesigned interface looked modern, a few visual changes took time to get used to compared to earlier versions of macOS. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What problems is Apple OS X Yosemite solving and how is that benefiting you? Apple OS X Yosemite improved the overall user experience by providing a more streamlined and connected ecosystem across Apple devices. Features like improved multitasking, better notification management, and tighter integration with services such as iCloud helped simplify daily workflows and improve productivity. It also provided a stable environment for development, browsing, communication, and general day-to-day usage, which made system management and regular work more efficient. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. Show More 5/16/2026 Current UserValidated ReviewerIncentivizedSource: G2 invite ![Gabriella B.](/assets/transparent-ad5be28fbcd25b7b08d2cebe1d957125437fb5407d75ee717965ad22c8808791.gif "Gabriella B.") GB Gabriella B. Office Manager Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) 3/24/2026 "Incredibly Simple and Time-Saving, with Lifesaving Cross-Device Support" 5/5 What do you like best about Apple OS X Yosemite? It’s incredibly simple to use, and the different features save me time every single day. Since I use an iPhone, the cross-device capabilities are a real lifesaver. I use iMessage for everything and don't know what I would do without it. Yosemite can handle everything I throw at it. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What do you dislike about Apple OS X Yosemite? The only complaint I have about Yosemite is that some of the apps I use daily are not running as optimally as they were prior to this update. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What problems is Apple OS X Yosemite solving and how is that benefiting you? Yosemite literally runs our entire business. For the most part, it’s seamless and does everything we need it to do. I especially appreciate being able to schedule emails and texts so we’re only reaching out to clients at appropriate times, rather than bothering them at inconvenient hours. We struggled with our work hours not always aligning with appropriate times to reach out to people, so scheduling these things has been a game changer Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. Show More Current UserValidated ReviewerIncentivizedSource: G2 invite ![Shivansh T.](/assets/transparent-ad5be28fbcd25b7b08d2cebe1d957125437fb5407d75ee717965ad22c8808791.gif "Shivansh T.") ST Shivansh T. Customer Service Representative Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) 5/10/2026 "Yosemite Changed How I Use My Mac — Here’s Why" 5/5 What do you like best about Apple OS X Yosemite? Honestly, my favorite thing about OS X Yosemite was the design refresh. The clean, flat aesthetic—paired with those frosted-glass transparency effects—felt genuinely fresh. It made the whole interface look modern while still keeping that distinctly Mac feel. I also really liked how Continuity tied my iPhone and Mac together so seamlessly. Being able to answer calls or pick up a text right from my desktop felt like a game changer. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What do you dislike about Apple OS X Yosemite? My biggest gripe with Yosemite was its performance on older Macs—it could feel sluggish and really bog down machines that had run previous versions just fine. The translucency effects were undeniably beautiful, but they also seemed to chew through resources. I also wasn’t sold on the new font choice at first; Helvetica Neue looked great on Retina displays, yet on non-Retina screens it came across as a bit too thin and harder to read. On top of that, Wi‑Fi connectivity was a real headache for a lot of people early on, with some genuinely annoying bugs that took a while to get patched. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What problems is Apple OS X Yosemite solving and how is that benefiting you? Yosemite really solved the fragmentation problem between Apple devices for me. Before Continuity, my iPhone and Mac felt like two separate worlds — Yosemite bridged that gap beautifully. Being able to start an email on my phone and finish it on my Mac with Handoff, or take a call through my laptop without grabbing my phone, genuinely saved me time every day. It also solved the visual inconsistency between iOS and macOS. After iOS 7’s flat redesign, the old skeuomorphic Mac interface felt dated and out of place. Yosemite brought everything into one coherent design language, which made switching between devices feel much more natural. And iCloud Drive was a big one for me — finally having a proper file sync solution built right into the OS meant I stopped juggling third-party cloud storage apps for a lot of my everyday files Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. Show More Validated ReviewerSource: Organic ![Jay P.](/assets/transparent-ad5be28fbcd25b7b08d2cebe1d957125437fb5407d75ee717965ad22c8808791.gif "Jay P.") JP Jay P. ICT Technician Specialist Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) 2/22/2026 "Fresh Design, Continuity, and Smarter Spotlight Make Yosemite Shine" 4/5 What do you like best about Apple OS X Yosemite? 1. Fresh, Modern Design Yosemite introduced a flatter, cleaner interface inspired by iOS 7. Transparent sidebars Simplified icons Clean system fonts It felt lighter and more modern compared to previous versions. 2. Seamless Apple Ecosystem (Continuity) One of the biggest upgrades was Continuity, working with iOS 8: Handoff – Start an email on iPhone, finish on Mac Make and receive phone calls on your Mac Send/receive SMS from Mac This was a game-changer if you used multiple Apple devices. 3. Improved Spotlight Spotlight became much smarter: Web results Maps App Store results Quick conversions (currency, units) It started feeling like a mini search engine inside your Mac. 4. Better Safari Safari became faster and more energy-efficient, with a cleaner tab design and improved performance compared to Chrome at the time. 5. iCloud Drive iCloud Drive replaced the old iCloud document system, making file syncing across devices much more flexible. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What do you dislike about Apple OS X Yosemite? 1.Early Performance Issues 2.Overuse of Transparency 3.Reduced Skeuomorphism 4.Spotlight Changes 5.Compatibility Issues Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What problems is Apple OS X Yosemite solving and how is that benefiting you? i. Problem: Mac and iPhone Felt Disconnected, ii. Problem: Limited Cloud File Access iii. Problem: Slow & Limited System Search iv. Problem: Inconsistent Apple Design Language v. Problem: Browser Power Consumption Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. Show More Validated ReviewerSource: Organic TY Trevor Y. Tech services lead Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) 3/26/2026 "Secure and Reliable: Why OS X Yosemite Remains My Favorite" 5/5 What do you like best about Apple OS X Yosemite? Apple OS X Yosemite has always been my favorite Apple OS. I find it very secure, and it blocks malware and viruses natively without needing any additional malware protection. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What do you dislike about Apple OS X Yosemite? I dislike the fact that, for certain programs I need to use for work, I have to run Parallels and Windows just to use them. I really wish Apple would offer something natively, so I wouldn’t have to pay for an additional program. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What problems is Apple OS X Yosemite solving and how is that benefiting you? I still use it because it has programs that can’t be upgraded and don’t require a subscription to use. Back when it was in general use, the subscription model wasn’t fully in effect. I have Microsoft Word on the device, and it works flawlessly without needing to pay for a subscription, which helps cut down on company costs. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. Show More Validated ReviewerIncentivizedSource: G2 invite ![Victor S.](/assets/transparent-ad5be28fbcd25b7b08d2cebe1d957125437fb5407d75ee717965ad22c8808791.gif "Victor S.") VS Victor S. CEO Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) 4/30/2026 "Elegant UI and Fast Performance That Fits a Linux Developer Stack" 4.5/5 What do you like best about Apple OS X Yosemite? Elegant UI, fast performance, and a Unix core that fits seamlessly into my Linux developer stack. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What do you dislike about Apple OS X Yosemite? A few interaction patterns in OS X Yosemite don’t really match natural human habits. Certain system actions feel a bit counterintuitive, so I sometimes have to take extra steps to do things that should be straightforward. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What problems is Apple OS X Yosemite solving and how is that benefiting you? Yosemite gives me a clean, Unix-based environment that makes iOS app development feel fast and convenient. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. Show More Our network of Icons are G2 members who are recognized for their outstanding contributions and commitment to helping others through their expertise.G2 IconCurrent UserValidated ReviewerIncentivizedSource: G2 invite ![Prem N.](/assets/transparent-ad5be28fbcd25b7b08d2cebe1d957125437fb5407d75ee717965ad22c8808791.gif "Prem N.") PN Prem N. Software Engineer Computer Software Enterprise (\> 1000 emp.) 7/22/2026 "Smooth, Reliable Experience on macOS—even on Low-End Devices" 4.5/5 What do you like best about Apple OS X Yosemite? It’s a really smooth experience working on macOS, even on the lowest-variant device. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What do you dislike about Apple OS X Yosemite? It didn’t support older devices very well; it ran really slowly on them, and I also ran into connectivity issues. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What problems is Apple OS X Yosemite solving and how is that benefiting you? It provided a very immersive experience, and the new UI makes using my PC feel much more user-friendly. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. Show More Our network of Icons are G2 members who are recognized for their outstanding contributions and commitment to helping others through their expertise.G2 IconValidated ReviewerSource: Organic Review from User Profile ![Sekhar S.](/assets/transparent-ad5be28fbcd25b7b08d2cebe1d957125437fb5407d75ee717965ad22c8808791.gif "Sekhar S.") SS Sekhar S. UI UX Developer Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) 3/24/2026 "Simple, Smooth and Better Connected Experience" 5/5 What do you like best about Apple OS X Yosemite? I like how clean and simple OS X Yosemite feels] it’s easy to very use and looks modern the smooth performance and better integration with iPhone (like calls and messages) make it really convenient and simple. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What do you dislike about Apple OS X Yosemite? Sometimes it feels a bit slow or laggy on older Macs after the update. Also, the new design and changes can take time to get used to and may not suit everyone. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What problems is Apple OS X Yosemite solving and how is that benefiting you? It improves connectivity between Mac and iPhone, so I can handle calls, messages, and files more easily in one place. This saves time and makes my daily work smoother without switching between devices. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. Show More Validated ReviewerIncentivizedSource: G2 invite ![Nour A.](/assets/transparent-ad5be28fbcd25b7b08d2cebe1d957125437fb5407d75ee717965ad22c8808791.gif "Nour A.") NA Nour A. Software Engineer Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) 3/10/2026 "Clean, Modern Design with Seamless iPhone Integration" 4/5 What do you like best about Apple OS X Yosemite? What I like most about OS X Yosemite is its clean, modern design and improved integration with iPhone through Continuity and Handoff, which makes it easy to switch between devices and stay productive. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What do you dislike about Apple OS X Yosemite? One thing I dislike about OS X Yosemite is that it can feel slower on older Macs, and some users experienced Wi-Fi connectivity issues after upgrading. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What problems is Apple OS X Yosemite solving and how is that benefiting you? Apple OS X Yosemite improves integration between Mac and iPhone, making it easier to continue tasks across devices with features like Handoff and AirDrop. This benefits me by making my workflow smoother and allowing me to access messages, calls, and files seamlessly across my devices Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. Show More Validated ReviewerIncentivizedSource: G2 invite ![Sam A.](/assets/transparent-ad5be28fbcd25b7b08d2cebe1d957125437fb5407d75ee717965ad22c8808791.gif "Sam A.") SA Sam A. Franchise Support Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) 4/20/2026 "Clean Redesign and Seamless Handoff Between iPhone and Mac" 4/5 What do you like best about Apple OS X Yosemite? Love the clean, modern redesign and how Handoff lets me move between my iPhone and Mac effortlessly. Spotlight search is also way more useful now. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What do you dislike about Apple OS X Yosemite? There isn't much I dislike, the icons were a change but not bad. Sometimes it feels a little slower, but that could just be older hardware. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What problems is Apple OS X Yosemite solving and how is that benefiting you? Ultimately the ability to juggle multiple Apple devices makes every feel like one connected system, and having access to files across all systems with iCloud Drive helps productivity immensely. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. Show More Validated ReviewerIncentivizedSource: G2 invite ## Questions about Apple OS X Yosemite? Ask real users or explore answers from the community Get practical answers, real workflows, and honest pros and cons from the G2 community or share your insights. [ Ask about Apple OS X Yosemite ](https://www.g2.com/products/apple-os-x-yosemite/discussions/new) GU Guest User • Last activity 3 months ago What are the features of Mac OS X? 1 Upvote 2 [ Join the conversation ](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-are-the-features-of-mac-os-x) GU Guest User • Last activity over 3 years ago Can I upgrade from OS Yosemite? 0 Upvotes 2 [ Join the conversation ](https://www.g2.com/discussions/can-i-upgrade-from-os-yosemite) [ View all Discussions ](https://www.g2.com/products/apple-os-x-yosemite/discuss) ##### Pricing Pricing details for this product isn’t currently available. Visit the vendor’s website to learn more. [ View More Pricing Information ](https://www.g2.com/products/apple-os-x-yosemite/pricing) Apple OS X Yosemite Comparisons ![Product Avatar Image](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/small_square/small_square_fb03e3ee10eb2580ca8fc8a37cd589c7/apple-macos-sierra.jpeg "Product Avatar Image") macOS Sierra 4.5/5(484) [ Compare Now ](https://www.g2.com/compare/apple-os-x-yosemite-vs-apple-macos-sierra) ![Product Avatar Image](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/small_square/small_square_4ddb35298c6a7401ccc094681b628910/apple-os-x-mountain-lion.jpeg "Product Avatar Image") Apple OS X 4.2/5(221) [ Compare Now ](https://www.g2.com/compare/apple-os-x-mountain-lion-vs-apple-os-x-yosemite) ![Product Avatar Image](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/small_square/small_square_ee59f4628496af6c043b6fc02782c7d7/apple-os-x-el-capitan.jpg "Product Avatar Image") OS X El Capitan 4.4/5(265) [ Compare Now ](https://www.g2.com/compare/apple-os-x-el-capitan-vs-apple-os-x-yosemite) ##### ##### Apple OS X Yosemite Features Memory Management - Operating System RAM management Device Management - Operating System I/O management Backup and Recovery - Operating System Data backup [ View More Features ](https://www.g2.com/products/apple-os-x-yosemite/features) ## Work at Apple? 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