So, you've decided to download an older version of Mac Bone X. There are many reasons that could betoken you to this radical decision. To begin with, some of your apps may non be working properly (or simply crash) on newer operating systems. As well, you may have noticed your Mac'south operation went downwards correct subsequently the last update. Finally, if you want to run a parallel copy of Mac Os X on a virtual machine, you too will need a working installation file of an older Mac OS Ten. Further downward we'll explain where to become one and what problems you may face up down the road.

A listing of all Mac OS X versions

We'll be repeatedly referring to these Apple tree OS versions below, so it's good to know the basic macOS timeline.

Cheetah 10.0 Puma 10.ane Jaguar 10.2
Panther ten.iii Tiger 10.4 Leopard x.5
Snow Leopard 10.six Lion 10.7 Mount Lion x.8
Mavericks 10.9 Yosemite ten.10 El Capitan 10.11
Sierra 10.12 High Sierra 10.thirteen Mojave ten.xiv
Catalina ten.15

Step one. Prepare your Mac for installation

Given your Mac isn't new and is filled with data, you volition probably need enough complimentary space on your Mac. This includes not just infinite for the OS itself just also space for other applications and your user data. One more argument is that the free space on your disk translates into virtual memory and so your apps take "fuel" to operate on. The chart below tells you lot how much free space is needed.

Note, that it is recommended that yous install OS on a clean bulldoze. Side by side, y'all will need enough deejay space available, for example, to create Recovery Partition. Here are some ideas to gratuitous upwards infinite on your bulldoze:

  • Uninstall large unused apps
  • Empty Trash Bin and Downloads
  • Locate the biggest files on your computer:

Get to Finder > All My Files > Arrange by size

Then you can movement your space hoggers onto an external drive or a cloud storage.

If you aren't comfy with cleaning the Mac manually, there are some nice automatic "room cleaners". Our favorite isCleanMyMac as it'southward near simple to use of all. It deletes system junk, old broken apps, and the remainder of hidden junk on your drive.

CleanMyMac X - Smart Scan complete

Download CleanMyMacfor Bone x.4 - 10.8 (gratis version)

Download CleanMyMac for Os x.ix (free version)

Download CleanMyMacfor OS 10.ten - 10.14 (complimentary version)

STEP 2. Get a copy of Mac Os X download

Normally, information technology is assumed that updating OS is a one-way road. That's why going back to a past Apple OS version is problematic. The main claiming is to download the Bone installation file itself, considering your Mac may already exist running a newer version. If you lot succeed in downloading the OS installation, your adjacent step is to create a bootable USB or DVD and then reinstall the Os on your computer.

How to download older Mac Os 10 versions via the App Shop

Mac operating system download


If yous once had purchased an former version of Mac Bone 10 from the App Store, open up it and go to the Purchased tab. There y'all'll find all the installers you tin can download. Even so, information technology doesn't always work that manner. The purchased section lists just those operating systems that you had downloaded in the past. Merely here is the path to check it:

  1. Click the App Store icon.
  2. Click Purchases in the pinnacle carte du jour.
  3. Scroll downwards to find the preferred OS X version.
  4. Click Download.

This method allows you to download Mavericks and Yosemite by logging with your Apple ID — just if you lot previously downloaded them from the Mac App Store.

Without App Store: Download Mac OS version every bit Apple Developer

If you are signed with an Apple Developer business relationship, yous can get access to products that are no longer listed on the App Store. If you badly need a lower Bone X version build, consider creating a new Programmer account among other options. The membership cost is $99/twelvemonth and provides a bunch of perks unavailable to ordinary users.

All the same, keep in mind that if yous visit developer.apple.com/downloads, you tin only notice 10.3-10.half dozen Os X operating systems there. Newer versions are not available considering starting Mac OS X Snow Leopard x.7, the App Store has become the just source of updating Apple Bone versions.

Purchase an older version of Mac operating system

Apple OS Versions

Y'all tin can purchase a boxed or email version of past Mac Bone 10 directly from Apple. Both will toll you effectually $20. For the reason of being rather antiquated, Snow Leopard and earlier Apple tree versions can merely exist installed from DVD.

Buy a boxed edition of Snowfall Leopard 10.half dozen
Get an email copy of Panthera leo 10.7
Get an email re-create of Mountain Lion ten.8

The e-mail edition comes with a special download code you tin can use for the Mac App Store. Note, that to install the Lion or Mountain Lion, your Mac needs to be running Snow Leopard and then you can install the newer Os on top of it.

How to get macOS El Capitan download

If you are wondering if you tin run El Capitan on an older Mac, rejoice as it's possible as well. Only before your Mac tin run El Capitan it has to be updated to Os X 10.half-dozen.viii. So, here are primary steps yous should take:

1. Install Snowfall Leopard from install DVD.
2. Update to 10.half dozen.8 using Software Update.
3. Download El Capitan here.

"I tin't download an old version of Mac Os X"

If you lot have a newer Mac, there is no physical option to install Mac OS versions older than your current Mac model. For instance, if your MacBook was released in 2014, don't wait information technology to run whatsoever Bone released prior of that time, because older Apple tree OS versions simply do not include hardware drivers for your Mac.

Mac os x download

But equally information technology often happens, workarounds are possible. There is nevertheless a chance to download the installation file if you have an admission to a Mac (or virtual machine) running that operating system. For example, to get an installer for Panthera leo, you may ask a friend who has Lion-operated Mac or, once once more, gear up a virtual machine running Lion. Then you will need to set an external drive to download the installation file using Bone X Utilities.

After you've completed the download, the installer should launch automatically, simply you can click Cancel and copy the file you demand. Below is the detailed instruction how to do information technology.

Pace 3. Install older OS X onto an external bulldoze

The following method allows you to download Mac Os X Lion, Mountain King of beasts, and Mavericks.

  1. Start your Mac holding downwards Command + R.
  2. Fix a clean external drive (at to the lowest degree 10 GB of storage).
  3. Within OS X Utilities, choose Reinstall OS 10.
  4. Select external drive as a source.
  5. Enter your Apple tree ID.
How to download old Mac OS X versions

At present the Os should start downloading automatically onto the external drive. Later the download is complete, your Mac will prompt you to do a restart, simply at this bespeak, you should completely shut it downwards. Now that the installation file is "captured" onto your external drive, you can reinstall the Os, this fourth dimension running the file on your Mac.

  1. Kick your Mac from your standard bulldoze.
  2. Connect the external drive.
  3. Become to external drive > Os X Install Information.

Locate InstallESD.dmg disk image file — this is the file y'all demand to reinstall Lion OS X. The same steps are valid for Mount Lion and Mavericks.

How to downgrade a Mac running later on macOS versions

If your Mac runs macOS Sierra x.12 or macOS High Sierra x.xiii, it is possible to revert information technology to the previous arrangement if you are not satisfied with the experience. You can do information technology either with Time Car or past creating a bootable USB or external drive.

Pedagogy todowngrade from macOS Sierra

Instruction todowngrade from macOS High Sierra

Instruction todowngrade from macOS Mojave

Educational activity to downgrade from macOS Catalina

Before you do it, the best advice is to back your Mac up so your almost important files stay intact. In addition to that, it makes sense to clean up your Mac from old system junk files and application leftovers. The easiest way to do it is to run CleanMyMac X on your machine (download it for free hither).

Visit your local Apple Shop to download older OS X version

If none of the options to get older OS X worked, pay a visit to nearest local Apple Shop. They should have paradigm installations going back to OS Leopard and before. Y'all can also ask their aid to create a bootable USB drive with the installation file. So here y'all are. Nosotros hope this commodity has helped you lot to download an one-time version of Mac OS X. Below are a few more links yous may find interesting.