So, you've decided to download an older version of Mac Os X. There are many reasons that could indicate you lot to this radical decision. To begin with, some of your apps may not exist working properly (or simply crash) on newer operating systems. Also, yous may have noticed your Mac's operation went downwardly right after the terminal update. Finally, if you lot want to run a parallel re-create of Mac Bone Ten on a virtual machine, y'all too volition demand a working installation file of an older Mac Bone Ten. Further down we'll explain where to get one and what bug you may face up down the road.

A list of all Mac OS X versions

Nosotros'll be repeatedly referring to these Apple tree Bone versions beneath, and then it's skilful to know the bones macOS timeline.

Cheetah 10.0 Puma ten.i Jaguar 10.2
Panther 10.iii Tiger 10.4 Leopard ten.5
Snow Leopard 10.vi Panthera leo 10.7 Mountain Lion ten.8
Mavericks ten.9 Yosemite ten.10 El Capitan 10.11
Sierra x.12 High Sierra 10.thirteen Mojave 10.14
Catalina 10.15

STEP 1. Prepare your Mac for installation

Given your Mac isn't new and is filled with data, you volition probably need enough free infinite on your Mac. This includes not just space for the Os itself but as well space for other applications and your user information. 1 more statement is that the free space on your disk translates into virtual memory so your apps have "fuel" to operate on. The nautical chart below tells you how much free space is needed.

Note, that it is recommended that you install OS on a clean drive. Next, yous will need enough disk space bachelor, for example, to create Recovery Partition. Hither are some ideas to free up space on your drive:

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

Become to Finder > All My Files > Conform by size

And then you can motility your space hoggers onto an external drive or a cloud storage.

If you aren't comfortable with cleaning the Mac manually, in that location are some nice automatic "room cleaners". Our favorite isCleanMyMac as it'due south well-nigh simple to use of all. It deletes arrangement junk, one-time broken apps, and the residue of hidden junk on your drive.

CleanMyMac X - Smart Scan complete

Download CleanMyMacfor Bone 10.four - ten.8 (free version)

Download CleanMyMac for OS x.9 (gratuitous version)

Download CleanMyMacfor OS 10.10 - ten.14 (free version)

Pace ii. Get a copy of Mac Bone X download

Normally, it is assumed that updating Bone is a i-way road. That's why going dorsum to a by Apple OS version is problematic. The main claiming is to download the Bone installation file itself, because your Mac may already exist running a newer version. If you lot succeed in downloading the OS installation, your next step is to create a bootable USB or DVD so reinstall the OS on your computer.

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

Mac operating system download


If you one time had purchased an old version of Mac Bone X from the App Store, open it and get to the Purchased tab. At that place you'll find all the installers you can download. Nonetheless, information technology doesn't e'er piece of work that style. The purchased section lists just those operating systems that you had downloaded in the past. But here is the path to check information technology:

  1. Click the App Shop icon.
  2. Click Purchases in the summit bill of fare.
  3. Scroll down to find the preferred OS X version.
  4. Click Download.

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

Without App Shop: Download Mac OS version as Apple Programmer

If you lot are signed with an Apple Developer account, you lot can get access to products that are no longer listed on the App Store. If you badly need a lower OS 10 version build, consider creating a new Developer account amidst other options. The membership cost is $99/yr and provides a bunch of perks unavailable to ordinary users.

Nonetheless, keep in mind that if yous visit developer.apple.com/downloads, y'all tin only find 10.three-x.6 Os X operating systems there. Newer versions are not available considering starting Mac Bone X Snow Leopard 10.seven, the App Store has become the merely source of updating Apple Os versions.

Buy an older version of Mac operating system

Apple OS Versions

You can purchase a boxed or e-mail version of past Mac Os X directly from Apple. Both will cost you around $xx. For the reason of beingness rather antiquated, Snow Leopard and earlier Apple versions can only be installed from DVD.

Purchase a boxed edition of Snow Leopard ten.6
Become an email copy of Lion 10.7
Get an email re-create of Mountain King of beasts x.8

The email edition comes with a special download code you lot can use for the Mac App Store. Note, that to install the Panthera leo or Mountain Panthera leo, your Mac needs to exist running Snow Leopard then you can install the newer Bone on top of information technology.

How to get macOS El Capitan download

If you are wondering if you can run El Capitan on an older Mac, rejoice as it's possible too. But before your Mac can run El Capitan it has to be updated to Bone X 10.half dozen.8. And so, here are main steps you should take:

one. Install Snow Leopard from install DVD.
two. Update to 10.6.8 using Software Update.
3. Download El Capitan here.

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

If you lot take a newer Mac, there is no physical selection to install Mac OS versions older than your current Mac model. For case, if your MacBook was released in 2014, don't expect it to run whatsoever Bone released prior of that time, because older Apple OS versions simply exercise not include hardware drivers for your Mac.

Mac os x download

But every bit it often happens, workarounds are possible. There is still a risk to download the installation file if you have an access to a Mac (or virtual machine) running that operating system. For example, to go an installer for Lion, you lot may enquire a friend who has Lion-operated Mac or, over again, fix up a virtual machine running Lion. Then you will need to ready an external drive to download the installation file using Os X Utilities.

Afterwards you've completed the download, the installer should launch automatically, but you can click Cancel and copy the file you demand. Below is the detailed pedagogy how to do it.

STEP 3. Install older Bone X onto an external bulldoze

The following method allows you lot to download Mac Bone Ten Panthera leo, Mount Lion, and Mavericks.

  1. Start your Mac holding down Command + R.
  2. Set a clean external drive (at least ten GB of storage).
  3. Within Os X Utilities, choose Reinstall OS 10.
  4. Select external bulldoze as a source.
  5. Enter your Apple ID.
How to download old Mac OS X versions

At present the Bone should start downloading automatically onto the external bulldoze. After the download is complete, your Mac will prompt you to practice a restart, but at this signal, you should completely shut it down. Now that the installation file is "captured" onto your external drive, you can reinstall the Bone, this time running the file on your Mac.

  1. Boot your Mac from your standard drive.
  2. Connect the external drive.
  3. Go to external drive > OS X Install Data.

Locate InstallESD.dmg disk image file — this is the file you lot demand to reinstall King of beasts Os Ten. The same steps are valid for Mount King of beasts and Mavericks.

How to downgrade a Mac running later macOS versions

If your Mac runs macOS Sierra x.12 or macOS High Sierra 10.13, it is possible to revert it to the previous organisation if you are not satisfied with the experience. You lot tin do it either with Time Machine or past creating a bootable USB or external drive.

Instruction todowngrade from macOS Sierra

Instruction todowngrade from macOS High Sierra

Instruction todowngrade from macOS Mojave

Instruction to downgrade from macOS Catalina

Before y'all do it, the best advice is to back your Mac up so your near important files stay intact. In addition to that, information technology makes sense to make clean up your Mac from old system junk files and awarding leftovers. The easiest way to do it is to run CleanMyMac Ten on your machine (download it for free hither).

Visit your local Apple Shop to download older Bone X version

If none of the options to get older Bone X worked, pay a visit to nearest local Apple Store. They should have epitome installations going back to OS Leopard and earlier. Yous tin can also enquire their help to create a bootable USB drive with the installation file. Then here you are. We hope this article has helped you lot to download an old version of Mac OS Ten. Beneath are a few more links you may discover interesting.