So, y'all've decided to download an older version of Mac OS X. There are many reasons that could point y'all 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 may have noticed your Mac'southward functioning went down correct after the last update. Finally, if you lot desire to run a parallel copy of Mac OS Ten on a virtual machine, you as well will need a working installation file of an older Mac OS X. Further downwards we'll explain where to go one and what problems y'all may face down the road.

A list of all Mac OS 10 versions

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

Chetah x.0 Puma 10.1 Jaguar 10.2
Panther ten.three Tiger 10.4 Leopard 10.five
Snow Leopard x.six Panthera leo 10.7 Mountain Lion ten.viii
Mavericks 10.9 Yosemite 10.10 El Capitan ten.11
Sierra x.12 High Sierra ten.thirteen Mojave 10.fourteen
Catalina 10.15

STEP one. Gear up your Mac for installation

Given your Mac isn't new and is filled with data, you will probably need enough free space on your Mac. This includes non just space for the Os itself only likewise infinite for other applications and your user data. Ane more than argument is that the gratuitous space on your deejay translates into virtual memory 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 install Bone on a clean drive. Next, you will need enough disk infinite available, for instance, to create Recovery Partition. Hither are some ideas to free upward 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

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

If you aren't comfortable with cleaning the Mac manually, there are some overnice automated "room cleaners". Our favorite isCleanMyMac as it'south most simple to use of all. Information technology deletes arrangement junk, old cleaved apps, and the balance of subconscious junk on your drive.

CleanMyMac X - Smart Scan complete

Download CleanMyMacfor Bone 10.4 - ten.viii (complimentary version)

Download CleanMyMac for OS x.nine (free version)

Download CleanMyMacfor Bone 10.10 - 10.14 (free version)

STEP ii. Get a copy of Mac OS Ten download

Ordinarily, information technology is causeless that updating OS is a one-way road. That's why going back to a past Apple OS version is problematic. The chief challenge is to download the Bone installation file itself, considering your Mac may already be running a newer version. If you succeed in downloading the Os installation, your side by side pace is to create a bootable USB or DVD and then reinstall the OS on your computer.

How to download older Mac OS 10 versions via the App Store

Mac operating system download


If yous in one case had purchased an sometime version of Mac Os X from the App Store, open it and go to the Purchased tab. At that place y'all'll find all the installers yous can download. However, it doesn't ever piece of work that way. The purchased department lists only those operating systems that yous had downloaded in the past. But here is the path to bank check it:

  1. Click the App Store icon.
  2. Click Purchases in the pinnacle bill of fare.
  3. Scroll down to notice the preferred Os X version.
  4. Click Download.

This method allows y'all 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 equally Apple Programmer

If you are signed with an Apple Programmer account, you can get admission to products that are no longer listed on the App Shop. If you badly demand a lower Bone Ten version build, consider creating a new Developer account amid other options. The membership cost is $99/year and provides a bunch of perks unavailable to ordinary users.

Nevertheless, proceed in listen that if y'all visit developer.apple.com/downloads, y'all tin but find 10.3-10.six OS X operating systems there. Newer versions are not available because starting Mac OS 10 Snow Leopard 10.vii, the App Store has become the only source of updating Apple OS versions.

Buy an older version of Mac operating organization

Apple OS Versions

Y'all can buy a boxed or electronic mail version of past Mac Bone Ten directly from Apple. Both will price you around $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 x.6
Get an email copy of Lion 10.seven
Get an electronic mail re-create of Mountain Lion 10.8

The electronic mail edition comes with a special download code you can employ for the Mac App Shop. Notation, that to install the King of beasts or Mountain Panthera leo, your Mac needs to be running Snowfall Leopard so you tin install the newer Os on peak 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 equally information technology's possible too. But before your Mac can run El Capitan it has to be updated to OS X ten.6.8. And so, here are main steps you should accept:

1. Install Snow Leopard from install DVD.
2. Update to 10.vi.eight using Software Update.
3. Download El Capitan here.

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

If you have a newer Mac, there is no physical selection 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 Os released prior of that fourth dimension, because older Apple Bone versions simply practise non include hardware drivers for your Mac.

Mac os x download

But as it often happens, workarounds are possible. There is even so a chance to download the installation file if you lot accept an access to a Mac (or virtual machine) running that operating system. For example, to become an installer for Lion, you may ask a friend who has Lion-operated Mac or, once more, set up a virtual car running Lion. Then yous will need to prepare an external bulldoze to download the installation file using Os X Utilities.

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

Step three. Install older OS X onto an external bulldoze

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

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

At present the Bone should first downloading automatically onto the external drive. Later the download is complete, your Mac volition prompt you to do a restart, merely at this indicate, you lot should completely shut it down. Now 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. Become to external drive > Os X Install Data.

Locate InstallESD.dmg disk image file — this is the file yous need to reinstall King of beasts Bone 10. 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, it is possible to revert it to the previous organization if you lot are non satisfied with the experience. You can do it either with Fourth dimension Machine or past creating a bootable USB or external drive.

Teaching todowngrade from macOS Sierra

Instruction todowngrade from macOS Loftier Sierra

Educational activity todowngrade from macOS Mojave

Instruction to downgrade from macOS Catalina

Earlier you do it, the best advice is to dorsum your Mac up so your about of import files stay intact. In improver to that, it makes sense to clean upwards your Mac from old system junk files and application leftovers. The easiest way to do it is to run CleanMyMac X 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 Os X worked, pay a visit to nearest local Apple Store. They should have prototype installations going back to OS Leopard and earlier. You can as well ask their help to create a bootable USB drive with the installation file. So hither you are. We hope this article has helped you lot to download an quondam version of Mac OS X. Beneath are a few more than links you lot may detect interesting.