So, yous've decided to download an older version of Mac OS 10. 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. As well, you may have noticed your Mac'due south performance went down right after the last update. Finally, if you lot want to run a parallel re-create of Mac OS X on a virtual automobile, you too volition need a working installation file of an older Mac Bone X. Further downward nosotros'll explicate where to become i and what bug yous may face down the road.

A list of all Mac Os X versions

We'll be repeatedly referring to these Apple tree OS versions below, so it'southward good to know the basic macOS timeline.

Chetah 10.0 Puma 10.1 Jaguar 10.2
Panther x.three Tiger 10.4 Leopard 10.5
Snow Leopard x.6 Lion 10.7 Mountain Lion 10.eight
Mavericks 10.9 Yosemite x.10 El Capitan 10.xi
Sierra 10.12 High Sierra 10.13 Mojave ten.14
Catalina ten.fifteen

STEP 1. Set up your Mac for installation

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

Annotation, that it is recommended that you install OS on a make clean drive. Adjacent, you lot will need enough disk space available, for example, to create Recovery Sectionalisation. Hither are some ideas to gratis up 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 can move your space hoggers onto an external bulldoze or a cloud storage.

If yous aren't comfortable with cleaning the Mac manually, there are some squeamish automated "room cleaners". Our favorite isCleanMyMac as it'south near simple to use of all. It deletes system junk, old broken apps, and the residue of hidden junk on your drive.

CleanMyMac X - Smart Scan complete

Download CleanMyMacfor Bone 10.iv - ten.8 (free version)

Download CleanMyMac for Bone 10.9 (costless version)

Download CleanMyMacfor Bone x.x - 10.14 (gratuitous version)

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

Normally, it is causeless that updating Bone is a i-way road. That'south why going back to a past Apple tree Os version is problematic. The main claiming is to download the Bone installation file itself, because your Mac may already exist running a newer version. If you succeed in downloading the Bone installation, your next step is to create a bootable USB or DVD and then reinstall the Os on your estimator.

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

Mac operating system download


If yous once had purchased an old version of Mac Os X from the App Store, open it and become to the Purchased tab. There you'll find all the installers yous tin download. However, information technology doesn't always work that way. The purchased section lists but those operating systems that yous had downloaded in the past. Only here is the path to check it:

  1. Click the App Shop icon.
  2. Click Purchases in the summit menu.
  3. Ringlet downwardly to find the preferred Bone 10 version.
  4. Click Download.

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

Without App Store: Download Mac Bone version as Apple Developer

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

Nevertheless, go on in mind that if you visit developer.apple tree.com/downloads, yous can only find 10.3-ten.6 OS X operating systems in that location. Newer versions are not available because starting Mac Bone X Snow Leopard 10.7, the App Shop has get the only source of updating Apple tree OS versions.

Purchase an older version of Mac operating system

Apple OS Versions

Yous can purchase a boxed or e-mail version of by Mac Bone 10 directly from Apple. Both will toll you around $20. For the reason of being rather antiquated, Snow Leopard and earlier Apple versions tin can but be installed from DVD.

Buy a boxed edition of Snowfall Leopard 10.6
Get an electronic mail copy of Panthera leo ten.7
Get an email copy of Mount Panthera leo x.8

The email edition comes with a special download code yous can utilize for the Mac App Store. Notation, that to install the Lion or Mountain Lion, your Mac needs to be running Snow Leopard so you can install the newer Os on acme of information technology.

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'south possible too. But before your Mac tin can run El Capitan it has to exist updated to OS X x.six.8. So, here are main steps you lot should take:

1. Install Snow Leopard from install DVD.
2. Update to 10.6.viii using Software Update.
iii. Download El Capitan here.

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

If you have a newer Mac, there is no physical selection to install Mac OS versions older than your electric current Mac model. For instance, if your MacBook was released in 2014, don't expect information technology to run whatever OS released prior of that time, because older Apple OS versions just practise not include hardware drivers for your Mac.

Mac os x download

But as it frequently happens, workarounds are possible. There is notwithstanding a chance to download the installation file if you have an access to a Mac (or virtual machine) running that operating system. For case, to get an installer for Panthera leo, you lot may ask a friend who has Lion-operated Mac or, one time again, set up a virtual machine running Lion. So y'all will need to prepare an external drive to download the installation file using Bone X Utilities.

Later you've completed the download, the installer should launch automatically, merely you can click Cancel and copy the file y'all need. Beneath is the detailed instruction how to practice it.

STEP iii. Install older OS X onto an external drive

The following method allows y'all to download Mac Os X Lion, Mountain Lion, and Mavericks.

  1. Start your Mac holding downwardly Control + R.
  2. Set a clean external drive (at least ten GB of storage).
  3. Within Bone 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 starting time downloading automatically onto the external drive. After the download is complete, your Mac will prompt yous to do a restart, simply at this signal, you should completely shut it down. Now that the installation file is "captured" onto your external drive, yous can reinstall the Bone, this time running the file on your Mac.

  1. Kick your Mac from your standard drive.
  2. Connect the external drive.
  3. Become to external bulldoze > Bone X Install Information.

Locate InstallESD.dmg disk prototype file — this is the file you lot need to reinstall King of beasts OS X. 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 ten.13, it is possible to revert it to the previous organization if you are not satisfied with the experience. You can do information technology either with Time Automobile or by creating a bootable USB or external drive.

Instruction todowngrade from macOS Sierra

Pedagogy todowngrade from macOS High Sierra

Didactics todowngrade from macOS Mojave

Instruction to downgrade from macOS Catalina

Before you do it, the all-time communication is to back your Mac up so your most important files stay intact. In addition to that, it makes sense to clean up your Mac from onetime system junk files and application leftovers. The easiest way to exercise it is to run CleanMyMac 10 on your machine (download it for complimentary 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 image installations going back to OS Leopard and earlier. You can also inquire their assist to create a bootable USB drive with the installation file. So hither you are. We hope this commodity has helped you to download an old version of Mac Os Ten. Below are a few more links yous may find interesting.