And then, you've decided to download an older version of Mac Os X. There are many reasons that could point you to this radical decision. To begin with, some of your apps may not be working properly (or simply crash) on newer operating systems. Also, yous may have noticed your Mac'south operation went down correct after the last update. Finally, if you want to run a parallel copy of Mac Bone X on a virtual auto, you too will need a working installation file of an older Mac Os X. Further down we'll explicate where to become 1 and what problems y'all may face down the route.

A list of all Mac Bone 10 versions

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

Cheetah 10.0 Puma x.1 Jaguar ten.ii
Panther 10.three Tiger 10.4 Leopard 10.5
Snow Leopard x.half dozen Panthera leo 10.7 Mountain Lion x.viii
Mavericks 10.nine Yosemite x.ten El Capitan x.11
Sierra x.12 High Sierra 10.13 Mojave ten.14
Catalina ten.fifteen

Stride 1. Prepare your Mac for installation

Given your Mac isn't new and is filled with data, yous will probably need enough free space on your Mac. This includes not just space for the Os itself only as well space for other applications and your user data. Ane more argument is that the free space on your disk translates into virtual retentivity then your apps take "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 volition need plenty disk space available, for case, to create Recovery Partition. Here are some ideas to gratis upwards infinite on your bulldoze:

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

Get to Finder > All My Files > Arrange by size

And so yous can motility your infinite hoggers onto an external drive or a deject storage.

If you aren't comfortable with cleaning the Mac manually, there are some nice automated "room cleaners". Our favorite isCleanMyMac as it's most simple to apply of all. Information technology deletes system junk, old broken apps, and the residue of hidden junk on your bulldoze.

CleanMyMac X - Smart Scan complete

Download CleanMyMacfor OS x.4 - 10.8 (free version)

Download CleanMyMac for Os 10.nine (complimentary version)

Download CleanMyMacfor Bone 10.10 - x.14 (complimentary version)

STEP two. Become a copy of Mac Os 10 download

Usually, information technology is assumed that updating OS is a one-way route. That'south why going back to a past Apple OS version is problematic. The main claiming is to download the OS installation file itself, because your Mac may already be running a newer version. If you succeed in downloading the Os installation, your next stride is to create a bootable USB or DVD and then reinstall the OS on your computer.

How to download older Mac OS Ten 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 find all the installers you can download. However, it doesn't always work that way. The purchased section lists but those operating systems that you had downloaded in the past. Merely hither is the path to check information technology:

  1. Click the App Store icon.
  2. Click Purchases in the top menu.
  3. Ringlet 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 — but if you previously downloaded them from the Mac App Store.

Without App Store: Download Mac OS version equally Apple tree Developer

If y'all are signed with an Apple tree Developer business relationship, you can get access to products that are no longer listed on the App Store. If you desperately demand a lower OS X version build, consider creating a new Developer account among other options. The membership cost is $99/year and provides a agglomeration of perks unavailable to ordinary users.

Even so, proceed in mind that if y'all visit developer.apple.com/downloads, you can only detect 10.three-10.half dozen Bone X operating systems at that place. Newer versions are not available because starting Mac Os X Snow Leopard 10.7, the App Store has get the only source of updating Apple Os versions.

Buy an older version of Mac operating system

Apple OS Versions

You can buy a boxed or email version of past Mac OS X directly from Apple. Both volition cost you effectually $20. For the reason of being rather antiquated, Snow Leopard and before Apple versions tin can only be installed from DVD.

Buy a boxed edition of Snow Leopard 10.half-dozen
Become an email copy of Lion ten.seven
Go an email re-create of Mountain Lion 10.8

The email edition comes with a special download code you can utilize for the Mac App Shop. Note, that to install the Lion or Mountain Lion, your Mac needs to be running Snow Leopard and so yous can install the newer OS on summit of it.

How to get macOS El Capitan download

If you are wondering if you can run El Capitan on an older Mac, rejoice equally it'due south possible too. Only before your Mac tin run El Capitan it has to be updated to OS X 10.half-dozen.8. So, here are chief steps you lot should take:

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

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

If yous have a newer Mac, there is no concrete option to install Mac Os versions older than your electric current Mac model. For instance, if your MacBook was released in 2014, don't expect it to run whatever Os 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 as information technology oftentimes happens, workarounds are possible. At that place is all the same a take chances to download the installation file if you accept an access to a Mac (or virtual machine) running that operating organization. For example, to go an installer for Panthera leo, yous may enquire a friend who has King of beasts-operated Mac or, once once again, prepare a virtual machine running Lion. Then you will need to prepare an external drive to download the installation file using OS X Utilities.

Afterwards you've completed the download, the installer should launch automatically, simply yous tin click Cancel and copy the file you lot need. Below is the detailed instruction how to do information technology.

Stride iii. Install older OS X onto an external drive

The following method allows yous to download Mac OS X Lion, Mount Lion, and Mavericks.

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

Now the OS should kickoff downloading automatically onto the external drive. Subsequently the download is complete, your Mac will prompt you to do a restart, merely at this point, you should completely close it down. At present that the installation file is "captured" onto your external drive, you tin can reinstall the OS, 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 need to reinstall Lion OS Ten. The same steps are valid for Mount Panthera leo and Mavericks.

How to downgrade a Mac running afterwards macOS versions

If your Mac runs macOS Sierra 10.12 or macOS High Sierra 10.13, it is possible to revert it to the previous system if you are not satisfied with the experience. You can do it either with Time Machine or by creating a bootable USB or external drive.

Instruction todowngrade from macOS Sierra

Instruction todowngrade from macOS High Sierra

Instruction todowngrade from macOS Mojave

Teaching to downgrade from macOS Catalina

Before yous do information technology, the all-time advice is to back your Mac up so your near important files stay intact. In addition to that, it makes sense to clean up your Mac from one-time system junk files and application leftovers. The easiest way to practice it is to run CleanMyMac Ten on your machine (download it for free hither).

Visit your local Apple Store to download older Os Ten version

If none of the options to get older Os X worked, pay a visit to nearest local Apple Store. They should take image installations going dorsum to Os Leopard and earlier. You tin can also ask their assistance to create a bootable USB drive with the installation file. So hither you are. Nosotros hope this article has helped you to download an old version of Mac OS X. Below are a few more than links you lot may detect interesting.