So, you've decided to download an older version of Mac Bone X. At that place are many reasons that could betoken y'all 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 lot may have noticed your Mac'south functioning went down right subsequently the last update. Finally, if you desire to run a parallel copy of Mac OS X on a virtual machine, you too will demand a working installation file of an older Mac OS X. Further downwardly we'll explain where to get one and what bug y'all may face up down the road.

A list of all Mac OS X versions

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

Chetah x.0 Puma x.one Jaguar 10.two
Panther ten.3 Tiger 10.4 Leopard x.5
Snow Leopard 10.half dozen King of beasts 10.7 Mountain Lion 10.eight
Mavericks 10.9 Yosemite 10.10 El Capitan 10.11
Sierra 10.12 Loftier Sierra 10.thirteen Mojave ten.fourteen
Catalina 10.15

STEP 1. Prepare your Mac for installation

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

Note, that it is recommended that you install OS on a clean drive. Next, you will need enough deejay space available, for example, to create Recovery Division. Here are some ideas to free upwardly infinite on your bulldoze:

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

Go to Finder > All My Files > Arrange past size

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

If you aren't comfortable with cleaning the Mac manually, there are some nice automatic "room cleaners". Our favorite isCleanMyMac as information technology'southward most simple to utilise of all. It deletes system junk, quondam broken apps, and the rest of hidden junk on your drive.

CleanMyMac X - Smart Scan complete

Download CleanMyMacfor OS ten.4 - 10.8 (costless version)

Download CleanMyMac for Bone 10.9 (free version)

Download CleanMyMacfor OS x.10 - 10.fourteen (costless version)

STEP 2. Get a copy of Mac Bone 10 download

Normally, it is assumed that updating Bone is a one-way route. That's why going back to a past Apple Bone 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 you succeed in downloading the Os installation, your next step is to create a bootable USB or DVD and then reinstall the Os on your computer.

How to download older Mac OS 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 Store, open information technology and become to the Purchased tab. There yous'll find all the installers you tin download. However, it doesn't always work that way. The purchased section lists only those operating systems that y'all had downloaded in the past. But here is the path to cheque it:

  1. Click the App Store icon.
  2. Click Purchases in the height menu.
  3. Scroll downwardly to find the preferred OS X version.
  4. Click Download.

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

Without App Store: Download Mac Bone version as Apple Programmer

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

Nevertheless, go along in mind that if you lot visit programmer.apple.com/downloads, yous can but find 10.iii-10.vi Bone X operating systems there. Newer versions are non available considering starting Mac Os X Snow Leopard 10.7, the App Store has get the only source of updating Apple tree Bone versions.

Purchase an older version of Mac operating system

Apple OS Versions

You tin can purchase a boxed or e-mail version of past Mac Bone Ten directly from Apple tree. Both will cost you lot around $20. For the reason of being rather antiquated, Snowfall Leopard and earlier Apple versions tin can only exist installed from DVD.

Purchase a boxed edition of Snow Leopard ten.6
Get an email copy of Lion ten.7
Go an email copy of Mountain Lion 10.8

The electronic mail edition comes with a special download code yous can apply for the Mac App Store. Note, that to install the Lion or Mount King of beasts, your Mac needs to exist running Snow Leopard so you can install the newer Bone on tiptop of it.

How to get macOS El Capitan download

If you lot are wondering if you can run El Capitan on an older Mac, rejoice every bit information technology's possible as well. But earlier your Mac can run El Capitan it has to be updated to Os X 10.six.8. So, hither are main steps y'all should have:

ane. Install Snow Leopard from install DVD.
2. Update to ten.6.8 using Software Update.
3. Download El Capitan here.

"I can't download an one-time version of Mac OS X"

If you accept 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 any Bone released prior of that fourth dimension, considering older Apple Bone versions merely do not include hardware drivers for your Mac.

Mac os x download

But equally information technology often happens, workarounds are possible. There is even so a chance to download the installation file if y'all have an access to a Mac (or virtual machine) running that operating organization. For example, to get an installer for Panthera leo, you may ask a friend who has Lion-operated Mac or, one time once again, set upwardly a virtual machine running Lion. Then you will demand to gear up an external drive to download the installation file using OS X Utilities.

Later you've completed the download, the installer should launch automatically, just y'all tin click Cancel and copy the file you need. Below is the detailed educational activity how to do it.

Pace three. Install older Bone X onto an external drive

The following method allows you to download Mac Os 10 King of beasts, Mountain Lion, and Mavericks.

  1. Commencement your Mac holding downward Command + R.
  2. Prepare a clean external drive (at least 10 GB of storage).
  3. Within 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 Bone should start downloading automatically onto the external drive. Subsequently the download is complete, your Mac volition prompt you lot to practise a restart, just at this point, you should completely close it down. Now that the installation file is "captured" onto your external drive, yous 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 Data.

Locate InstallESD.dmg deejay epitome file — this is the file you need to reinstall Lion Os 10. The aforementioned steps are valid for Mount Lion and Mavericks.

How to downgrade a Mac running after macOS versions

If your Mac runs macOS Sierra 10.12 or macOS High Sierra x.13, it is possible to revert it to the previous system if you are not satisfied with the experience. You tin can do it either with Time Auto or by 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 practice it, the best advice is to back your Mac upwardly so your most of import files stay intact. In addition to that, information technology makes sense to clean up your Mac from old system junk files and application leftovers. The easiest way to practice it is to run CleanMyMac 10 on your machine (download it for free here).

Visit your local Apple Store to download older OS X version

If none of the options to get older Bone Ten worked, pay a visit to nearest local Apple Store. They should have paradigm installations going dorsum to OS Leopard and before. Yous can also ask their help to create a bootable USB bulldoze with the installation file. So hither you are. Nosotros hope this commodity has helped you to download an old version of Mac OS 10. Below are a few more links you may observe interesting.