And so, you've decided to download an older version of Mac OS X. There are many reasons that could signal you to this radical decision. To brainstorm with, some of your apps may not be working properly (or simply crash) on newer operating systems. Also, you may have noticed your Mac'southward functioning went downwards correct after the last update. Finally, if you want to run a parallel copy of Mac Bone X on a virtual car, you also will demand a working installation file of an older Mac OS X. Further down nosotros'll explain where to go 1 and what problems yous may confront down the road.

A list of all Mac OS Ten versions

We'll be repeatedly referring to these Apple Os versions below, so information technology's skillful to know the bones macOS timeline.

Chetah 10.0 Puma 10.1 Jaguar ten.ii
Panther 10.3 Tiger 10.iv Leopard ten.5
Snow Leopard 10.6 Lion 10.vii Mountain Panthera leo 10.8
Mavericks 10.9 Yosemite 10.10 El Capitan 10.11
Sierra 10.12 Loftier Sierra 10.xiii Mojave 10.fourteen
Catalina 10.fifteen

STEP i. Prepare your Mac for installation

Given your Mac isn't new and is filled with information, you will probably need plenty free space on your Mac. This includes non just infinite for the Os itself only also space for other applications and your user data. One more argument is that the free space on your disk translates into virtual memory then your apps have "fuel" to operate on. The chart below tells you how much free infinite is needed.

Annotation, that information technology is recommended that you install Os on a clean drive. Next, you will need enough disk space available, for example, to create Recovery Partition. Here are some ideas to free up space on your drive:

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

Become to Finder > All My Files > Adapt by size

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

If yous aren't comfortable with cleaning the Mac manually, there are some overnice automated "room cleaners". Our favorite isCleanMyMac as information technology'due south most simple to employ of all. It deletes system junk, onetime broken apps, and the rest of hidden junk on your drive.

CleanMyMac X - Smart Scan complete

Download CleanMyMacfor OS x.4 - x.eight (free version)

Download CleanMyMac for Bone ten.9 (free version)

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

STEP ii. Become a re-create of Mac OS Ten download

Unremarkably, it is causeless that updating OS is a ane-way road. That'south why going dorsum to a past Apple Bone version is problematic. The principal claiming is to download the OS installation file itself, because your Mac may already be running a newer version. If you lot succeed in downloading the Bone installation, your next step is to create a bootable USB or DVD and so reinstall the Os on your calculator.

How to download older Mac Bone X versions via the App Store

Mac operating system download


If you once had purchased an old version of Mac OS X from the App Shop, open it and go to the Purchased tab. There you'll observe all the installers you tin can download. Nonetheless, it doesn't e'er work that way. The purchased section lists only those operating systems that y'all had downloaded in the past. But hither is the path to check information technology:

  1. Click the App Store icon.
  2. Click Purchases in the acme menu.
  3. Scroll downwardly to notice 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 previously downloaded them from the Mac App Store.

Without App Store: Download Mac OS version as Apple tree Programmer

If you are signed with an Apple Developer account, yous can get admission to products that are no longer listed on the App Store. If yous desperately need a lower OS Ten 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.

Nevertheless, proceed in heed that if you visit developer.apple.com/downloads, yous tin only detect 10.three-10.6 Bone X operating systems in that location. Newer versions are not available because starting Mac Bone X Snow Leopard 10.vii, the App Shop has get the only source of updating Apple tree Bone versions.

Buy an older version of Mac operating organisation

Apple OS Versions

Yous can buy a boxed or email version of past Mac OS 10 directly from Apple tree. Both volition cost y'all around $20. For the reason of being rather blowsy, Snow Leopard and earlier Apple versions can just be installed from DVD.

Buy a boxed edition of Snow Leopard 10.6
Get an email copy of Lion 10.7
Get an electronic mail copy of Mountain Lion 10.8

The email edition comes with a special download code y'all tin use for the Mac App Store. Note, that to install the King of beasts or Mountain Lion, your Mac needs to be running Snow Leopard then you can install the newer Os on top of it.

How to get macOS El Capitan download

If you lot are wondering if y'all tin can run El Capitan on an older Mac, rejoice every bit it's possible too. But before your Mac tin run El Capitan it has to be updated to Bone X 10.6.8. And then, hither are chief steps yous should take:

1. Install Snowfall Leopard from install DVD.
2. Update to 10.6.8 using Software Update.
three. Download El Capitan here.

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

If yous have a newer Mac, in that location 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 look it to run any Os released prior of that time, because older Apple Bone versions simply practice not include hardware drivers for your Mac.

Mac os x download

Simply as information technology often happens, workarounds are possible. There is all the same a chance to download the installation file if you accept an admission to a Mac (or virtual automobile) running that operating system. For example, to get an installer for Lion, yous may inquire a friend who has Lion-operated Mac or, once again, set up a virtual machine running Panthera leo. And then y'all will need to set up an external drive to download the installation file using OS X Utilities.

Afterward you lot've completed the download, the installer should launch automatically, merely you lot can click Abolish and re-create the file you demand. Below is the detailed instruction how to exercise it.

Footstep 3. Install older Bone Ten onto an external drive

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

  1. Showtime your Mac belongings downwardly Command + R.
  2. Prepare a clean external bulldoze (at to the lowest degree 10 GB of storage).
  3. Inside Os X Utilities, choose Reinstall Bone X.
  4. Select external drive as a source.
  5. Enter your Apple ID.
How to download old Mac OS X versions

Now the Os should start downloading automatically onto the external drive. After the download is consummate, your Mac will prompt yous to do a restart, but at this indicate, you should completely shut it down. Now that the installation file is "captured" onto your external bulldoze, you can reinstall the OS, this time running the file on your Mac.

  1. Kick your Mac from your standard bulldoze.
  2. Connect the external drive.
  3. Become to external drive > Bone 10 Install Data.

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

How to downgrade a Mac running subsequently macOS versions

If your Mac runs macOS Sierra 10.12 or macOS High Sierra ten.13, it is possible to revert information technology to the previous system if you are not satisfied with the experience. You lot can practise it either with Time Auto or past creating a bootable USB or external drive.

Instruction todowngrade from macOS Sierra

Education todowngrade from macOS High Sierra

Education todowngrade from macOS Mojave

Didactics to downgrade from macOS Catalina

Earlier y'all do it, the all-time advice is to back your Mac up so your well-nigh of import files stay intact. In addition to that, it makes sense to make clean up your Mac from quondam arrangement junk files and application leftovers. The easiest style to do it is to run CleanMyMac 10 on your machine (download it for free here).

Visit your local Apple tree Store to download older Os X version

If none of the options to go older Os X worked, pay a visit to nearest local Apple Store. They should have image installations going dorsum to Os Leopard and earlier. You lot can as well ask their assistance to create a bootable USB bulldoze with the installation file. So here y'all are. Nosotros promise this article has helped you to download an old version of Mac Bone Ten. Below are a few more links you may notice interesting.