You can definitely upgrade your mid-2014 iMac to the latest system, Catalina. Apple has officially made Catalina compatible with iMacs released in mid-2012 or later, which includes the mid-2014 model.
To check if your applications will be compatible with Catalina, I recommend downloading and running the free GO64 app. This app will scan your system and provide you with a list of applications that are 32-bit and will not be compatible with Catalina. It will also inform you which apps need to be updated, upgraded, or replaced with alternatives that are compatible with Catalina.
I personally found GO64 to be a very useful tool when I upgraded my own iMac to Catalina. It quickly identified all the 32-bit applications on my system and provided me with recommendations on how to proceed. It gave me peace of mind knowing which apps I needed to update or replace before upgrading to Catalina.
After running GO64 and identifying the incompatible apps, you have a few options. If the app is still actively supported by its developer, you can check their website or the app store to see if an update is available. In many cases, developers have released updated versions of their apps to make them compatible with Catalina.
If the app is no longer supported or there is no update available, you may need to find an alternative that is compatible with Catalina. The GO64 app provides recommendations for alternative apps that you can consider as replacements. It’s important to note that the alternative apps may not have the exact same features or interface as the original app, so you may need to adjust to the new software.
It’s worth mentioning that upgrading to Catalina may come with some changes and considerations. Catalina introduces a number of new features and improvements, but it also removes support for older 32-bit apps. Additionally, some older hardware peripherals or drivers may not be compatible with Catalina. Therefore, it’s always a good idea to do some research and make sure that your essential software and hardware will be compatible before proceeding with the upgrade.
The mid-2014 iMac is compatible with the latest system, Catalina. However, it’s important to run the GO64 app to check for any incompatible applications and make the necessary updates or replacements before upgrading to Catalina.