So, 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, you lot may have noticed your Mac'southward functioning went down right after the last update. Finally, if you desire to run a parallel copy of Mac Bone X on a virtual machine, you too will need a working installation file of an older Mac Os X. Further down we'll explain where to get one and what problems you lot may face down the road.

A list of all Mac OS 10 versions

Nosotros'll exist repeatedly referring to these Apple OS versions below, so information technology's good to know the basic macOS timeline.

Chetah 10.0 Puma ten.one Jaguar 10.2
Panther 10.three Tiger x.iv Leopard 10.v
Snow Leopard ten.half dozen Lion 10.7 Mountain Panthera leo 10.8
Mavericks 10.9 Yosemite 10.x El Capitan x.11
Sierra 10.12 High Sierra 10.xiii Mojave ten.14
Catalina 10.15

Footstep i. Prepare your Mac for installation

Given your Mac isn't new and is filled with information, you will probably need enough free space on your Mac. This includes not just infinite for the Bone itself merely also space for other applications and your user data. One more statement is that the free space on your disk translates into virtual retentiveness so your apps have "fuel" to operate on. The chart below tells you how much free space is needed.

Note, that it is recommended that you install OS on a clean drive. Side by side, yous will demand enough disk space available, for example, to create Recovery Sectionalization. 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 > Arrange by size

Then you can move 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 information technology'southward most uncomplicated to use of all. Information technology deletes organization junk, quondam broken apps, and the residuum of hidden junk on your drive.

CleanMyMac X - Smart Scan complete

Download CleanMyMacfor OS 10.4 - 10.viii (free version)

Download CleanMyMac for Bone ten.nine (free version)

Download CleanMyMacfor OS 10.10 - 10.14 (gratuitous version)

Step 2. Get a copy of Mac Bone X download

Commonly, it is assumed that updating OS is a one-style road. That'southward why going back to a past Apple OS version is problematic. The chief challenge is to download the OS installation file itself, because your Mac may already exist running a newer version. If you 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 Bone 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 up it and go to the Purchased tab. There you'll observe all the installers you can download. However, information technology doesn't always work that way. The purchased section lists just those operating systems that you lot had downloaded in the past. Just here is the path to check it:

  1. Click the App Shop icon.
  2. Click Purchases in the tiptop menu.
  3. Scroll downwards to find the preferred Os 10 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 Shop: Download Mac OS version as Apple 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 lot desperately need a lower Os X version build, consider creating a new Developer account amongst other options. The membership toll is $99/year and provides a bunch of perks unavailable to ordinary users.

Yet, keep in heed that if you visit developer.apple.com/downloads, you tin only discover ten.three-ten.6 OS X operating systems in that location. Newer versions are non bachelor because starting Mac OS Ten Snow Leopard 10.7, the App Shop has become the but source of updating Apple Os versions.

Purchase an older version of Mac operating system

Apple OS Versions

You tin can buy a boxed or email version of by Mac Os X directly from Apple. Both will cost you lot around $xx. For the reason of being rather blowsy, Snow Leopard and earlier Apple versions can simply exist installed from DVD.

Buy a boxed edition of Snow Leopard 10.6
Go an email copy of Lion x.7
Get an e-mail re-create of Mountain Panthera leo 10.8

The email edition comes with a special download lawmaking you can employ for the Mac App Store. Notation, that to install the Lion or Mountain Lion, your Mac needs to be running Snow Leopard so y'all can install the newer OS on meridian of it.

How to become macOS El Capitan download

If you are wondering if you can run El Capitan on an older Mac, rejoice as information technology'due south possible too. Merely before your Mac tin can run El Capitan it has to be updated to Bone 10 10.half dozen.8. Then, here are chief steps you should accept:

i. Install Snowfall Leopard from install DVD.
2. Update to x.6.8 using Software Update.
3. Download El Capitan here.

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

If you take a newer Mac, there is no physical pick 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 whatsoever OS released prior of that time, because older Apple tree OS versions simply practice 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 chance to download the installation file if you take an access to a Mac (or virtual motorcar) running that operating arrangement. For example, to get an installer for King of beasts, you may ask a friend who has Lion-operated Mac or, in one case again, ready a virtual machine running Lion. And then you will need to set up an external drive to download the installation file using OS 10 Utilities.

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

STEP iii. Install older Os X onto an external drive

The following method allows you to download Mac OS X Lion, Mountain Lion, and Mavericks.

  1. Start your Mac holding downwardly Command + R.
  2. Prepare a clean external drive (at to the lowest degree 10 GB of storage).
  3. Within Bone X Utilities, cull Reinstall OS Ten.
  4. Select external drive equally 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 complete, your Mac will prompt you to do a restart, only at this point, you should completely close 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 drive.
  2. Connect the external drive.
  3. Go to external bulldoze > Os X Install Information.

Locate InstallESD.dmg disk image file — this is the file you need to reinstall King of beasts OS Ten. The same steps are valid for Mount 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, it is possible to revert it to the previous system if you are not satisfied with the experience. Y'all can exercise 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 you exercise information technology, the best advice is to back your Mac upwards so your most of import files stay intact. In addition to that, it makes sense to make clean up your Mac from erstwhile system junk files and awarding leftovers. The easiest fashion to practice it is to run CleanMyMac 10 on your machine (download it for free hither).

Visit your local Apple Store to download older Bone X version

If none of the options to get older OS X worked, pay a visit to nearest local Apple tree Store. They should have image installations going back to OS Leopard and earlier. You can too ask their assist to create a bootable USB bulldoze with the installation file. So hither you are. We hope this commodity has helped you to download an old version of Mac OS X. Below are a few more links y'all may detect interesting.