How to Upgrade to Lion (Mac OS X)

Upgrading to OS X Lion from Snow Leopard is pretty straightforward. First, you need to get yourself a valid license of Lion installation disc or USB drive. (retail: $29.99) These steps will show you how to do a simple in-place upgrade, which means installing Lion on top of your current Snow Leopard OS X operating system.

Step 1: Make Sure Your Mac Is Ready for OS X Lion

The basic requirements for running Lion are very modest: 2GB of RAM (system memory), 4GB of free hard drive space, and an Intel processor that is at least a Core 2 duo, i3, i5, i7, or Xeon. You'll also need a recent version of Snow Leopard (OS X 10.6.6 or higher). Most Macs from the last couple of years will meet these minimum requirements.

Step 2: Do an OS X System Update and Update Your Apps

Next, update Snow Leopard to the latest version by going to the Apple icon again and choosing "Software Update"; follow the prompts to update your system, if necessary.

Step 3: Back Up Your Computer

Now's the time to back up your computer. Use the Time Machine application which is built-in to your Mac.

Step 4: Download OS X Lion or insert the installation disc

Press the install button. You'll need to enter your administrator account password to continue the installation. Sit back and wait again as the installer works its magic. This should only take minutes! Finally, click the "Restart" button. Once it has restarted, you'll be ready to enjoy Lion's new features, like Mission Control for viewing all your windows at once.