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. Besides, you may have noticed your Mac's performance went down right after the concluding update. Finally, if y'all want to run a parallel re-create of Mac Bone X on a virtual machine, you lot too will demand a working installation file of an older Mac Os Ten. Further down we'll explain where to become one and what issues you lot may face down the road.

A list of all Mac Os X versions

We'll be repeatedly referring to these Apple Bone versions beneath, so it's expert to know the basic macOS timeline.

Cheetah 10.0 Puma 10.1 Jaguar 10.ii
Panther 10.three Tiger ten.4 Leopard 10.5
Snow Leopard 10.half-dozen Lion 10.seven Mount Lion 10.eight
Mavericks 10.9 Yosemite x.ten El Capitan 10.11
Sierra ten.12 High Sierra 10.thirteen Mojave 10.fourteen
Catalina 10.fifteen

STEP 1. 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 not just space for the Os itself but also infinite for other applications and your user data. 1 more than argument 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 costless space is needed.

Note, that it is recommended that you lot install OS on a clean bulldoze. Next, you will need plenty disk infinite available, for example, to create Recovery Partitioning. Here are some ideas to gratis upward space on your drive:

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

Go to Finder > All My Files > Arrange past size

So you tin can move your space hoggers onto an external bulldoze or a cloud storage.

If you lot aren't comfortable with cleaning the Mac manually, there are some overnice automatic "room cleaners". Our favorite isCleanMyMac as it's nearly simple to utilize of all. It deletes system junk, old cleaved apps, and the residual of hidden junk on your drive.

CleanMyMac X - Smart Scan complete

Download CleanMyMacfor Os 10.4 - ten.8 (free version)

Download CleanMyMac for OS 10.nine (free version)

Download CleanMyMacfor OS 10.ten - 10.14 (costless version)

STEP 2. Get a copy of Mac OS X download

Normally, it is assumed that updating Os is a one-mode road. That'south why going back to a past Apple tree OS version is problematic. The primary challenge 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 OS installation, your next step is to create a bootable USB or DVD and so reinstall the Os on your estimator.

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

Mac operating system download


If you once had purchased an one-time version of Mac Bone Ten from the App Store, open information technology and go to the Purchased tab. There yous'll find all the installers you lot tin download. Even so, it doesn't ever work that way. The purchased section lists merely those operating systems that you had downloaded in the past. But here is the path to cheque it:

  1. Click the App Store icon.
  2. Click Purchases in the top menu.
  3. Curl downwardly to find the preferred Bone X version.
  4. Click Download.

This method allows you to download Mavericks and Yosemite by logging with your Apple tree ID — simply if you previously downloaded them from the Mac App Store.

Without App Store: Download Mac Os version as Apple tree Developer

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

Nevertheless, go along in mind that if yous visit developer.apple.com/downloads, y'all can only observe 10.three-x.6 OS Ten operating systems there. Newer versions are not bachelor because starting Mac OS X Snow Leopard 10.vii, the App Store has become the only source of updating Apple tree OS versions.

Purchase an older version of Mac operating system

Apple OS Versions

You can buy a boxed or e-mail version of past Mac Os Ten direct from Apple. Both will cost you effectually $20. For the reason of being rather antiquated, Snow Leopard and earlier Apple versions can only be installed from DVD.

Buy a boxed edition of Snowfall Leopard 10.6
Get an email copy of Panthera leo 10.seven
Go an email copy of Mountain Lion 10.8

The email edition comes with a special download lawmaking you can utilize for the Mac App Store. Note, that to install the Lion or Mountain King of beasts, your Mac needs to be running Snow Leopard so you can install the newer Os on top of it.

How to get macOS El Capitan download

If y'all are wondering if you tin can run El Capitan on an older Mac, rejoice as it's possible too. Just before your Mac tin can run El Capitan it has to exist updated to OS Ten 10.6.8. So, hither are main steps you should take:

1. Install Snow Leopard from install DVD.
two. Update to 10.vi.viii using Software Update.
3. Download El Capitan hither.

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

If you lot have a newer Mac, there is no physical choice to install Mac OS versions older than your electric current Mac model. For example, if your MacBook was released in 2014, don't expect it to run whatever OS released prior of that time, considering older Apple OS versions only do not include hardware drivers for your Mac.

Mac os x download

Simply as information technology oftentimes happens, workarounds are possible. In that location is still a chance to download the installation file if y'all have an access to a Mac (or virtual machine) running that operating system. For example, to get an installer for Lion, y'all may ask a friend who has Lion-operated Mac or, in one case over again, prepare a virtual machine running Lion. Then you volition need to fix an external drive to download the installation file using Os X Utilities.

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

Pace 3. Install older Bone 10 onto an external drive

The following method allows you to download Mac OS X King of beasts, Mount Lion, and Mavericks.

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

At present the OS should first downloading automatically onto the external drive. After the download is complete, your Mac will prompt you to do a restart, but at this betoken, you should completely shut it down. At present that the installation file is "captured" onto your external bulldoze, you tin reinstall the OS, this time running the file on your Mac.

  1. Kicking your Mac from your standard drive.
  2. Connect the external drive.
  3. Become to external bulldoze > Os X Install Data.

Locate InstallESD.dmg deejay image file — this is the file you lot demand to reinstall Lion OS X. The aforementioned steps are valid for Mountain Panthera leo and Mavericks.

How to downgrade a Mac running afterward 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 arrangement if yous are not satisfied with the experience. Y'all can do it either with Fourth dimension Machine or by creating a bootable USB or external drive.

Didactics todowngrade from macOS Sierra

Pedagogy todowngrade from macOS Loftier Sierra

Instruction todowngrade from macOS Mojave

Instruction to downgrade from macOS Catalina

Before you exercise information technology, the all-time advice is to dorsum your Mac upward and so your most important files stay intact. In addition to that, it makes sense to make clean up your Mac from old arrangement junk files and application leftovers. The easiest way to do it is to run CleanMyMac X on your machine (download it for gratis here).

Visit your local Apple Shop to download older OS 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 dorsum to Bone Leopard and before. You tin also enquire their aid to create a bootable USB drive with the installation file. And so hither yous are. We hope this article has helped you to download an old version of Mac OS X. Beneath are a few more than links you may observe interesting.