Recent updates to macOS Sequoia 15.4, Sonoma 14.7.5 and Ventura 13.7.5 brought firmware updates for some Macs, but not others. As I have now analysed those, and they’re reflected in the databases accessed by SilentKnight, and in my reference articles here (listed at the end), this article explains which are still being maintained by Apple.

Intel Macs without T2 chips

There are only two models of Mac without a T2 or Apple silicon chip whose firmware is still supported for updates: the iMac19,1 and 19,2, respectively the 2019 Retina 5K 27-inch and Retina 4K 21.5-inch. In this round of updates, they moved up to an EFI version of 2075.100.3.0.3, dated as recently as 3 March 2025. As they can run Sequoia, they’re expected to have continuing macOS security updates until at least the summer of 2027.

Older models of iMacs, MacBook Pros, and a single MacBook, remain with EFI firmware that was last updated in June 2024, and is unlikely ever to be updated any further. macOS support for them is expected to end when security updates for Ventura are discontinued at the end of the summer this year.

T2 Macs

For the 20 days between the release of 15.3.2 and 15.4, Intel Macs with T2 chips that were running Sequoia had a slightly more recent release of iBridge firmware. In 15.3.1, 14.7.4 and 13.7.4, that was 22.16.13051.0.0,0, but 15.3.2 brought version 22.16.13060.0.0,0. This is one of very few occasions in which T2 Macs running supported versions of macOS have had different firmware versions installed.

Thankfully, this last round of updates has rectified that, and all Macs with T2 chips should now be running 2075.101.2.0.0 (iBridge 22.16.14248.0.0,0). This is encouraging, not only for simplicity, but because it demonstrates that Apple is continuing to support not only the ‘Bridge’ Arm chip, but EFI as well. How much longer that will continue depends on whether there is Intel support in macOS 16, expected to be announced at WWDC in early June, and released in September or October this year.

At a minimum, macOS support for T2 Macs should last at least until summer 2027, and that should be extended to the following year if macOS 16 comes with Intel support.

Apple silicon Macs

All Apple silicon Macs should now be using iBoot version 11881.101.1, which was installed with these updates. The most recent MacBook Air and Mac Studio models with M4 family (or M3 Ultra) chips had their own update to 15.3.2, but 15.4 covers all current models in the single distribution, with the same firmware version.

There’s a growing number of reports of Apple silicon Macs experiencing problems updating to Sequoia 15.4, either on their internal SSD or on bootable external disks. This seems most likely in models with M1 family chips, and suggests that changes made in the installer might be responsible. As this doesn’t appear to affect 14.7.5 or 13.7.5 updates, it’s unlikely to lie in the firmware. There are several strategies you can adopt to work around this, including:

• Try updating in Safe mode. This is a longstanding function of Safe mode, described here.
• Start up in the correct paired Recovery system, and install Sequoia there. This should be attempted conservatively, without creating a fresh Data volume, but you must ensure that you have at least one complete backup ready in case anything goes wrong and the whole boot volume group has to be replaced.

Provided the Mac is already running at Full Security, there shouldn’t be any value in changing that. Performing a full Restore in DFU Mode isn’t as daunting as it might seem, but is a drastic solution requiring a recent second Mac, and full restore from your backup. If you’re getting to that stage, contact Apple Support who hopefully will now be only too familiar with these problems.

Summary

• Intel Macs without T2 chips: iMac19,1 and 19,2: EFI 2075.100.3.0.3; no change in other models.
• Intel Macs with T2 chips: 2075.101.2.0.0 (iBridge 22.16.14248.0.0,0).
• Apple silicon Macs: 11881.101.1.

Reference data

Which firmware should your Mac be using? (version 9, Sequoia)
Which firmware should your Mac be using? (version 8) – for Sonoma
Which firmware should your Mac be using? (version 7) – for Ventura

Last week’s security updates to macOS have left some confusion over version numbers, and firmware for T2 Macs. This article attempts to clarify what happened, and where supported versions of macOS are going next.

Security updates 11 March 2025

Apple released:

• macOS 15.3.2 Sequoia
• Safari for macOS 14.7.4 Sonoma
• Safari for macOS 13.7.4 Ventura.

There were no security updates for Sonoma or Ventura other than their Safari updates.

There was also a firmware update included in the 15.3.2 update, changing the version of iBridge firmware in the T2 chip of Intel Macs from 22.16.13051.0.0,0 to 22.16.13060.0.0,0. There were no firmware updates for Apple silicon Macs, nor for Intel models without T2 chips, I understand.

Sequoia

If your Mac is running macOS Sequoia and has been updated, it should now be running 15.3.2 (build 24D81). If it has a T2 chip, it should have updated its firmware to read
EFI 2069.80.3.0.0 (iBridge: 22.16.13060.0.0,0)

Safari should be version 18.3.1 (20620.2.4.11.6).

Sonoma

If your Mac is running macOS Sonoma and has been updated, it should still be running 14.7.4 (build 23H420). If it has a T2 chip, its firmware should remain at
EFI 2069.80.3.0.0 (iBridge 22.16.13051.0.0,0)

Safari should have been updated to version 18.3.1 or 18.4 (19621.1.14.11.3, 19621).

Ventura

If your Mac is running macOS Ventura and has been updated, it should still be running 13.7.4 (build 22H420). If it has a T2 chip, its firmware should remain at
EFI 2069.80.3.0.0 (iBridge 22.16.13051.0.0,0)

Safari should have been updated to version 18.3.1 or 18.4 (18621.1.14.11.3, 18621).

SilentKnight

To keep a complex situation as simple as possible, SilentKnight only considers one firmware version to be current for each model of Mac. If it tried anything more complex, I’d not be able to cope. As there are presently two different ‘current’ and supported versions of T2 firmware in use, SilentKnight goes with the older one. That way it doesn’t complain, but politely remarks for Sequoia 15.3.2:
EFI version found 2069.80.3.0.0 (iBridge: 22.16.13060.0.0,0) ;
expected 2069.80.3.0.0 (iBridge 22.16.13051.0.0,0)

Please bear with me until Apple resyncs T2 firmware across the three supported versions of macOS. I’m sure that will return with the release of 15.4, 14.7.5 and 13.7.5. If not, we can all scream together.

Sonoma 14.7.5 and Ventura 13.7.5

Many have been reporting that their Macs have been updated to 14.7.5 or 13.7.5, and some have claimed that those versions have been released by Apple. They are in fact beta-releases of the next scheduled updates to Sonoma and Ventura, and haven’t yet been generally released. If your Mac is running one of those, you might like to check it against recent beta-releases:

• 21 February 2025 betas: Sonoma 14.7.5 (23H510), Ventura 13.7.5 (22H510)
• 10 March 2025 betas: Sonoma 14.7.5 (23H520), Ventura 13.7.5 (22H520)
• 17 March 2025 betas: Sonoma 14.7.5 (23H525), Ventura 13.7.5 (22H525)

App Store full installers

If you download a full installer from the App Store or elsewhere, the current releases are:

• Sequoia 15.3.2 (build 24D81)
• Sonoma 14.7.4 (build 23H420), which will then need Safari updated
• Ventura 13.7.4 (build 22H420), which will then need Safari updated.

How has this happened?

Normally, when the current version of macOS has a security update, the two older versions that are still supported have matching security updates. That would have brought 14.7.5 and 13.7.5 along with 15.3.2. However, in this case the patch to be applied could be supplied in a Safari update for the older two. As that’s much smaller and simpler than a full macOS update, Apple opted to supply those as Safari updates alone, which can’t of course be a new version of macOS.

This is possible because Safari and some of its supporting frameworks and components aren’t part of the Signed System Volume, so updating them doesn’t require the System volume to be rebuilt, turned into a snapshot, and installed as a new Signed System Volume.

However, firmware updates can only be supplied and installed as part of a full macOS update, so it was only possible to update T2 firmware in Sequoia systems being updated the long way to 15.3.2.

I hope this dispels any remaining confusion.

I’m grateful to ExcleX for pointing out that Safari versions can vary according to when you updated.