Versions Reference

Updated 1 year ago
This page shows old instructions for MuseScore 1.
For MuseScore 4 users, see Versions Reference.

    Introduction

    If it is a table and relates to versions, and which X is supported by Y, it can go here (or for existing pages, link from here). Also allows us to track the edge cases where we are de-supporting a particular OS (permanently or potentially only temporarily) and what the reason for the de-support is.

    OS versions supported, MuseScore version and Qt version that they are built against

    • Versions that are "known to work". For versions that are officially supported by these Qt versions, see below
    • Qt Long Term Support (LTS) version in Bold
    MuseScore version Qt Version OS Note
    4.0 (dev) 5.15 Windows 10 or higher 64-bit only, macOS 10.14 or higher, Linux The ability to run MuseScore on 32-bit Windows and macOS 10.13 has been removed due to planned future upgrade of MuseScore post 4.0 to Qt 6.x. Qt 6.x drops support for these operating systems. See Github [MU4 Issue] nightly does not run on macOS 10.13 #8858. Windows 8 64-bit is not supported by Qt 5.15 (but should work). Windows 7, 8.1 64-bit are not supported by Qt 6. Report required whether or not they are working. Windows 11 not mentioned (but should work).
    3.x 5.9 Windows 7 or higher, macOS 10.10 or higher, Linux Windows 8 is not supported (but should work), Windows 11 not mentioned (but should work)
    2.x 5.4 Windows 7 or higher, macOS 10.7 or higher, Linux Last MuseScore version known to work with Windows XP and Vista, albeit unsupported
    1.x 4.8 Windows XP or higher, macOS 10.4, 10.6 or higher, Linux

    OS versions that are not supported on MuseScore

    OS Last supported MuseScore version First unsupported MuseScore version Qt Version Note
    Windows 7, 8.1, 10, 11 32-bit 3.6.2 4.0 5.9/5.15 Windows versions not supported by Qt 6.x
    macOS 10.10 - 10.13 3.6.2 4.0 5.9/5.15 macOS versions not supported by Qt 6.x
    Windows XP, Vista 2.3.2 3.0.0 5.4 Windows versions not supported by Qt 5.9/5.12
    macOS 10.7 - 10.9 2.3.2 3.0.0 5.4 macOS versions not supported by Qt 5.9/5.12, no future plans to support.
    Linux (32-bit) 2.3.2 3.0.0 5.4 32-bit Linux not supported by Qt 5.9/5.12.

    MuseScore version detail

    Qt versions and OS supported versions

    • Qt Long Term Support (LTS) in Bold

    Note: QtT 6.0 is not planned for use in development in the near future (as of December 2020) but listing its versions supported (and by implication dropped) is still useful. It is not an LTS version either, 6.2 will be though.

    Qt version OS Versions Architectures Note
    6.2 Windows 10 x86_64, arm64 no 32-bit
    6.2 macOS 10.14, 10.15, 11.0 x86_64, x86_64h, arm64 Support for Mac M1 chip
    6.2 Generic Linux Compiler: GCC 9 x86_64
    6.0 & 6.1 Windows 10 x86_64 no 32--bit
    6.0 & 6.1 macOS 10.14, 10.15, 11.0 x86_64 and x86_64h
    6.0 & 6.1 Generic Linux Compiler: GCC 9 x86_64
    5.15 Windows 7, 8.1, 10 x86 and x86_64
    5.15 macOS 10.13, 10.14, 10.15 x86_64 and x86_64h
    5.15 Generic Linux Compiler: GCC 5 or later, ICC 18.x x86_64
    5.12 Windows 7, 8.1, 10 x86 and x86_64 Qt version supported until Dec 6, 2021
    5.12 macOS 10.12, 10.13, 10.14 x86_64 and x86_64h
    5.12 Generic Linux Compiler: GCC 4.8, GCC 4.9, GCC 5, GCC 6, GCC 7 x86_64
    5.9 Windows 7, 8.1, 10 x86 and x86_64 Qt version supported until May 31, 2020
    5.9 macOS 10.10, 10.11, 10.12 x86_64 and x86_64h
    5.9 Generic Linux Compiler: GCC 4.8, GCC 4.9, GCC 5.3 x86_64 64-bit only
    5.8 Windows 7, 8.1, 10 x86 and x86_64
    5.4 Windows XP
    5.4 Windows Vista, 7, 8 32-bit and 64-bit MuseScore 32-bit only (but an unsupported 64-bit version is available)
    5.4 macOS 10.7, 10.8, 10.9, 10.10 x86_64
    4.8 Windows XP, Vista 32-bit
    4.8 macOS 10.6, 10.7 x86_64

    Macs and maximum macOS versions

    • Sample data from MacTracker.
    • Excludes Mac Pro, Mac Mini, since the maximum macOS tend to largely correspond with the same year for all Macs released in the same year. E.g. this is not an exhaustive list of all models but gives a broad indication of which model-years will be affected by a de-support decision.
    • Even though macOS 10.10 is the oldest supported on Qt 5.9, macOS 10.11 is the latest supported by this generation of Macs from 2007-2009.
    • The step up in model year and max. macOS is 2010/2011 with max. macOS 10.13. Even though Qt 5.12 supports macOS 10.12, those users would have upgraded to 10.13 already.
    • All models that are compatible with macOS 10.14 are also compatible with macOS 10.15. E.g. you will not see any models for which 10.14 is the maximum macOS version.
    Year released Type Maximum macOS version Maximum MuseScore version
    2016+ MacBook 12 4.x
    2015+ iMac 12 4.x
    2015+ MacBook Air, MacBookPro 12 4.x
    2015 MacBook 10.11 3.6.2
    2014 iMac 11 4.x
    2013 iMac 10.15 4.x
    2013 MacBook Air, MacBookPro 11.6 4.x
    2012 MacBook Air, MacBookPro, iMac 10.15 4.x
    2011 MacBook, MacBook Air, Macbook Pro, iMac 10.13 3.6.2
    2010 MacBook, MacBookPro, iMac 10.13 3.6.2
    2009 MacBook, MacBookPro, iMac 10.11 3.6.2
    2008 MacBookPro, iMac 10.11 3.6.2
    2008 MacBook 10.7 2.3.2
    2007 MacBookPro, iMac 10.11 3.6.2
    2007 MacBook 10.7 2.3.2
    2006 MacBook, MacBookPro, iMac 10.7 2.3.2

    Windows support cycle

    Year released Windows version OS vendor supported Supported until Maximum MuseScore version
    2021 11 64-bit Yes not announced 4.x
    2015 10 64-bit Yes 2025-10-14 4.x
    2015 10 32-bit Yes 2025-10-14 3.6.2
    2013 8.1 Yes 2023-01-10 3.6.2
    2012 8 No 2016-01-13 3.6.2
    2009 7 No 2020-01-14 3.6.2
    2007 Vista. No 2017-04-17 2.3.2
    2001 XP No 2014-04-08 2.3.2