So, y'all've decided to download an older version of Mac OS X. There are many reasons that could point you to this radical determination. To begin with, some of your apps may non exist working properly (or simply crash) on newer operating systems. Likewise, yous may accept noticed your Mac's performance went downwardly right after the last update. Finally, if you lot want to run a parallel copy of Mac OS X on a virtual automobile, yous also will demand a working installation file of an older Mac OS X. Further down we'll explain where to go i and what problems you may face down the road.

A list of all Mac Os 10 versions

We'll be repeatedly referring to these Apple Os versions below, so information technology'due south skilful to know the bones macOS timeline.

Cheetah 10.0 Puma 10.one Jaguar 10.2
Panther 10.3 Tiger 10.4 Leopard x.5
Snow Leopard 10.half dozen Lion 10.7 Mountain King of beasts 10.8
Mavericks 10.ix Yosemite x.x El Capitan 10.11
Sierra ten.12 High Sierra 10.thirteen Mojave 10.14
Catalina 10.15

Step 1. Prepare your Mac for installation

Given your Mac isn't new and is filled with data, yous will probably need enough free space on your Mac. This includes not merely infinite for the OS itself but also infinite for other applications and your user data. I more argument is that the gratis space on your disk translates into virtual retentiveness so your apps have "fuel" to operate on. The chart below tells y'all how much gratuitous space is needed.

Annotation, that information technology is recommended that you install Bone on a clean bulldoze. Next, you will need plenty disk space 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:

Get to Finder > All My Files > Arrange by size

Then y'all can motion 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 every bit it's virtually simple to use of all. It deletes system junk, one-time broken apps, and the balance of hidden junk on your drive.

CleanMyMac X - Smart Scan complete

Download CleanMyMacfor OS 10.four - 10.8 (complimentary version)

Download CleanMyMac for Os ten.nine (free version)

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

STEP 2. Get a re-create of Mac Bone 10 download

Normally, it is causeless that updating Bone is a ane-way route. That'south why going back to a past Apple OS version is problematic. The master challenge is to download the Os installation file itself, considering your Mac may already be 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 Bone on your computer.

How to download older Mac Bone X versions via the App Shop

Mac operating system download


If you once had purchased an erstwhile version of Mac OS Ten from the App Shop, open it and go to the Purchased tab. At that place y'all'll find all the installers you can download. However, information technology doesn't always piece of work that way. The purchased section lists just those operating systems that you had downloaded in the by. But here is the path to check it:

  1. Click the App Store icon.
  2. Click Purchases in the summit bill of fare.
  3. Whorl down to observe 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 yous previously downloaded them from the Mac App Store.

Without App Store: Download Mac OS version every bit Apple tree 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 badly need a lower Bone Ten version build, consider creating a new Developer account among other options. The membership cost is $99/year and provides a bunch of perks unavailable to ordinary users.

Still, continue in listen that if you visit developer.apple.com/downloads, y'all can only detect 10.iii-10.6 Os 10 operating systems in that location. Newer versions are not bachelor because starting Mac OS X Snow Leopard ten.seven, the App Shop has go the only source of updating Apple Bone versions.

Purchase an older version of Mac operating system

Apple OS Versions

Y'all can purchase a boxed or e-mail version of by Mac OS X directly from Apple tree. Both will cost you around $twenty. For the reason of being rather antiquated, Snowfall Leopard and before Apple versions can only be installed from DVD.

Purchase a boxed edition of Snow Leopard x.6
Become an email copy of Lion x.7
Go an email copy of Mountain Lion ten.viii

The email edition comes with a special download lawmaking yous can use for the Mac App Shop. Note, that to install the Panthera leo or Mountain Panthera leo, your Mac needs to be running Snow Leopard and then you tin install the newer OS on tiptop of information technology.

How to get macOS El Capitan download

If you are wondering if you tin can run El Capitan on an older Mac, rejoice every bit information technology's possible also. But before your Mac can run El Capitan it has to be updated to Bone Ten 10.vi.8. So, here are main steps you should accept:

1. Install Snow Leopard from install DVD.
2. Update to 10.half-dozen.8 using Software Update.
3. Download El Capitan hither.

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

If yous have a newer Mac, at that place is no physical option to install Mac OS versions older than your current Mac model. For instance, if your MacBook was released in 2014, don't await it to run whatever OS released prior of that time, because older Apple tree OS versions simply do not include hardware drivers for your Mac.

Mac os x download

Only as information technology frequently happens, workarounds are possible. There is still a chance to download the installation file if you take an admission to a Mac (or virtual machine) running that operating system. For example, to get an installer for Lion, you may ask a friend who has Lion-operated Mac or, once again, prepare up a virtual car running Panthera leo. And then yous 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, simply you can click Abolish and copy the file yous need. Below is the detailed teaching how to do it.

STEP 3. Install older Bone X onto an external drive

The following method allows you lot to download Mac Bone X Lion, Mountain Panthera leo, and Mavericks.

  1. Starting time your Mac holding down Command + R.
  2. Prepare a make clean external bulldoze (at to the lowest degree 10 GB of storage).
  3. Within Bone 10 Utilities, choose Reinstall OS 10.
  4. Select external drive equally a source.
  5. Enter your Apple tree 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 volition prompt y'all to do a restart, but at this betoken, you should completely close it down. Now that the installation file is "captured" onto your external drive, you can reinstall the OS, this fourth dimension running the file on your Mac.

  1. Kick your Mac from your standard drive.
  2. Connect the external drive.
  3. Get to external drive > Bone 10 Install Information.

Locate InstallESD.dmg disk paradigm file — this is the file you lot demand to reinstall King of beasts OS Ten. The same steps are valid for Mountain King of beasts and Mavericks.

How to downgrade a Mac running subsequently macOS versions

If your Mac runs macOS Sierra ten.12 or macOS High Sierra x.13, it is possible to revert information technology to the previous system if you are not satisfied with the feel. You tin can practice it either with Time Machine or by creating a bootable USB or external drive.

Instruction todowngrade from macOS Sierra

Didactics todowngrade from macOS High Sierra

Instruction todowngrade from macOS Mojave

Instruction to downgrade from macOS Catalina

Earlier you exercise it, the best communication is to dorsum your Mac up so your about of import files stay intact. In improver to that, information technology makes sense to clean upward your Mac from former system junk files and application leftovers. The easiest way to do information technology is to run CleanMyMac 10 on your machine (download it for complimentary here).

Visit your local Apple Store to download older OS 10 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 Bone Leopard and earlier. You lot can also ask their assistance to create a bootable USB drive with the installation file. And then here you are. We promise this article has helped you to download an one-time version of Mac OS 10. Below are a few more links you lot may find interesting.