So, you've decided to download an older version of Mac Os Ten. There are many reasons that could point you to this radical decision. To brainstorm with, some of your apps may not be working properly (or simply crash) on newer operating systems. Too, you may have noticed your Mac's functioning went downwardly right after the terminal update. Finally, if yous want to run a parallel copy of Mac OS X on a virtual machine, yous too volition need a working installation file of an older Mac Bone X. Further down we'll explain where to become one and what problems you may face up down the road.

A list of all Mac Os Ten versions

We'll be repeatedly referring to these Apple OS versions beneath, then information technology'southward skillful to know the bones macOS timeline.

Chetah 10.0 Puma 10.ane Jaguar 10.2
Panther 10.3 Tiger 10.four Leopard 10.5
Snow Leopard x.6 Lion 10.vii Mount Lion 10.8
Mavericks 10.9 Yosemite x.10 El Capitan 10.11
Sierra 10.12 High Sierra x.13 Mojave 10.14
Catalina ten.15

STEP 1. Fix your Mac for installation

Given your Mac isn't new and is filled with data, you volition probably demand plenty free space on your Mac. This includes not just infinite for the OS itself but also space for other applications and your user data. One more argument is that the free infinite on your disk translates into virtual retention and then your apps accept "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, you will need enough deejay infinite available, for example, to create Recovery Segmentation. 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:

Go to Finder > All My Files > Suit by size

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

If yous aren't comfy with cleaning the Mac manually, there are some nice automated "room cleaners". Our favorite isCleanMyMac equally it'southward most elementary to use of all. It deletes system junk, old broken apps, and the rest of hidden junk on your bulldoze.

CleanMyMac X - Smart Scan complete

Download CleanMyMacfor Bone x.iv - 10.8 (complimentary version)

Download CleanMyMac for OS x.9 (gratuitous version)

Download CleanMyMacfor OS 10.x - 10.14 (gratuitous version)

Footstep two. Get a copy of Mac Os X download

Normally, information technology is assumed that updating Os is a one-way route. That'southward why going dorsum to a past Apple tree Os version is problematic. The main challenge is to download the Bone installation file itself, considering your Mac may already exist running a newer version. If y'all succeed in downloading the OS installation, your next pace is to create a bootable USB or DVD and so reinstall the Bone on your figurer.

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 Store, open it and go to the Purchased tab. There you'll notice all the installers you can download. However, information technology doesn't e'er work that way. The purchased department lists only those operating systems that y'all had downloaded in the past. But hither is the path to check it:

  1. Click the App Store icon.
  2. Click Purchases in the top carte du jour.
  3. Scroll downward 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 — only if you previously downloaded them from the Mac App Shop.

Without App Store: Download Mac OS version equally Apple Programmer

If you lot are signed with an Apple tree Developer account, yous can get access to products that are no longer listed on the App Store. If you desperately demand a lower Os Ten version build, consider creating a new Developer account amongst other options. The membership price is $99/year and provides a bunch of perks unavailable to ordinary users.

Nevertheless, keep in mind that if you visit developer.apple tree.com/downloads, you can only detect 10.iii-10.vi OS X operating systems there. Newer versions are non available considering starting Mac OS Ten Snow Leopard 10.7, the App Store has become the merely source of updating Apple Bone versions.

Purchase an older version of Mac operating system

Apple OS Versions

Y'all 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 beingness rather antiquated, Snow Leopard and earlier Apple tree versions tin merely be installed from DVD.

Buy a boxed edition of Snow Leopard ten.6
Get an email copy of Lion 10.7
Become an email copy of Mountain Lion 10.8

The electronic mail 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 then you can install the newer Os 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. Simply before your Mac can run El Capitan it has to be updated to Bone X ten.half-dozen.eight. So, here are main steps you should accept:

1. Install Snow Leopard from install DVD.
2. Update to 10.six.viii using Software Update.
iii. Download El Capitan here.

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

If you lot accept a newer Mac, at that place is no concrete option to install Mac OS versions older than your 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 Os versions but do not include hardware drivers for your Mac.

Mac os x download

But as it often happens, workarounds are possible. At that place is still a take 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 King of beasts, you may enquire a friend who has Lion-operated Mac or, once once again, set upwards a virtual machine running Panthera leo. Then you will need to prepare an external drive to download the installation file using OS Ten Utilities.

After you've completed the download, the installer should launch automatically, only you can click Cancel and copy the file y'all need. Beneath is the detailed instruction how to do it.

Step 3. Install older OS X onto an external drive

The post-obit method allows you to download Mac OS X Lion, Mountain King of beasts, and Mavericks.

  1. Start your Mac property downwards Command + R.
  2. Set a clean external drive (at least 10 GB of storage).
  3. Within OS X Utilities, choose Reinstall Os 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 offset downloading automatically onto the external drive. After the download is complete, your Mac will prompt yous to exercise a restart, but at this indicate, you should completely close information technology 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 bulldoze.
  3. Go to external drive > Os X Install Information.

Locate InstallESD.dmg disk image file — this is the file you need to reinstall Lion Os X. The same steps are valid for Mountain Lion and Mavericks.

How to downgrade a Mac running later macOS versions

If your Mac runs macOS Sierra 10.12 or macOS High Sierra 10.13, information technology is possible to revert it to the previous arrangement if y'all are non satisfied with the feel. You tin exercise it either with Fourth dimension Auto or past creating a bootable USB or external drive.

Instruction todowngrade from macOS Sierra

Instruction todowngrade from macOS High Sierra

Educational activity todowngrade from macOS Mojave

Instruction to downgrade from macOS Catalina

Before you do information technology, the best communication is to back your Mac up so your most important files stay intact. In addition to that, information technology makes sense to clean up your Mac from former system junk files and awarding leftovers. The easiest way to do information technology is to run CleanMyMac 10 on your machine (download it for gratuitous hither).

Visit your local Apple Store to download older Bone X version

If none of the options to get older Bone Ten worked, pay a visit to nearest local Apple Store. They should have image installations going back to Os Leopard and earlier. You can as well ask their aid to create a bootable USB drive with the installation file. And so here you are. We hope this commodity has helped y'all to download an old version of Mac Bone X. Below are a few more links yous may find interesting.