There are a couple of reasons that you may wish to download and set up an old variation of macOS or Mac OS X. Possibly you’re counting on software application you have actually found does not work appropriately in the most recent variation. Or possibly you simply do not like the brand-new variation of macOS that you have actually set up. In any case, you have concerns and we have responses.
In this post, we will cover how to get old variations of macOS, consisting of Monterey, Big Sur, Catalina, Mojave, El Capitan, Sierra, Yosemite, and even old variations of Mac OS X. We describe how to acquire the pertinent installer files so that you can set up the software application on your Mac.
If you are trying to find a method to go back to the previous variation of macOS, we have a more particular post about downgrading And keep in mind, if you were wishing to run Catalina, Mohave, or a variation of macOS older than Huge Sur on an M1- or M2-series Mac, that’s not possible.
You likewise may wish to get the installer for a variation of macOS in order to make a bootable installer for setting up macOS on several Macs And we have a different post that discusses how to set up old variations of macOS when you get to that phase of the procedure.
Where can I download older variations of macOS?
Prior to you can set up an older variation of macOS or Mac OS X you will require to acquire the installer for the variation of macOS you wish to set up. Fortunately it is possible to get ahold of these files, as long as you understand where to go on the Mac App Shop. If you’re uncertain of your Mac’s compatability, take a look at our list of which Macs run which variations of macOS & & Mac OS X
We have the needed links to the Mac App Shop listed below. We will reveal you a method to get the following macOS installers:
- macOS Monterey (12 )
- macOS Big Sur (11 )
- macOS Catalina (10.15 )
- macOS Mojave (10.14 )
- macOS High Sierra (10.13 )
- macOS Sierra (10.12 )
- OS X 10.11 El Capitan
- OS X 10.10 Yosemite
- OS X 10.9 Mavericks
- OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion
- OS X 10.7 Lion
* Keep in mind that we have actually found that the links we offer below will just work if you are utilizing Safari, so we recommend you change to Apple’s web browser prior to proceeding. You ought to likewise close the Mac App Shop app if you have that open or the link might not work *
How to download an older variation of macOS for an M-Series Mac
Appl started transitioning far from Apple silicon with the release of macOS Big Sur in 2020, so any variation of macOS prior that that will not operate on an M1 Mac or later on.
How to download macOS Monterey
Foundry
Apple just changed Monterey with macOS 13 Ventura in October 2022, however you can still download the installer for Monterey from the Mac App Shop. Follow these actions to download macOS Monterey (or other variations of macOS listed below) from the Mac App Shop:
- Follow the Mac App Shop link through Safari to open the Mac App Shop on the Monterey page.
- Click “Get”.
- Software application Update will open with the words “Finding Update”. Ultimately a message “Are you sure you wish to download macOS Monterey” will appear. It may appear like an upgrade instead of the complete variation, however you’ll see from the size of the download (around 6GB) that this is the total installer for Monterey.
- Once the installer has actually downloaded do not click “Set up”. If you do, the installer will instantly be erased (plus it will not set up if you are currently running Ventura).
- You ought to have the ability to discover the “Install macOS Monterey” app in your Applications folder, which you can utilize to to downgrade and set up an older variation of macOS
How to download macOS Big Sur
How to download an older variation of macOS for an Intel Mac
While the above variations of macOS will deal with more recent Intel-based Macs, the following variations are particularly produced Macs with Intel chips.
How to download macOS Catalina
Keep In Mind that if you have a M1 or M2 Mac you will see a message that your Mac is not suitable with it. All variations of macOS prior to Big Sur need an Intel Mac.
- Follow the Mac App Shop link utilizing Safari to open the Catalina listing.
- Follow the guidelines in the Monterey area above.
How to download macOS Mojave
How to download High Sierra
How to download Sierra, El Capitan, or Yosemite
Apple supplies dmg files of these older macOS variations, however you require to download them in Safari. A disk image called InstallOS.dmg will download and once it does you require to find the pkg installer inside the disk image.
If the Mac App Shop links above aren’t working
We have actually stated above that in our experience normally the factor the above links do not work is if you are searching in something aside from Safari, or if you have actually currently got the Mac App Shop open. Nevertheless, if you are still discovering that the link isn’t working you might attempt the alternative techniques listed below.
Another problem is if the link takes you to the appropriate page in the Mac App Shop, however you see an Update not discovered mistake message when you attempt to download it. This is a concern we understand that others have actually come across, although we have not. Because case, we recommend you attempt to download the installer through that link utilizing an older Mac.
You might likewise experience concerns if you are attempting to download an older variation of macOS that your Mac can not support. Generally, when Apple presents a brand-new Mac it will not have the ability to run the variation of macOS that delivered prior to the one set up on that Mac. The older macOS may not support specific parts because Mac, for instance.
Other methods to age macOS variations
If you are running an older variation of macOS– or somebody you understand is– you ought to have the ability to quickly discover older variations of macOS and even Mac OS X in the Mac App Shop. How simple they are to discover will be identified by the variation of macOS working on that Mac.
Prior to macOS Mojave’s arrival in 2018, the installers for the older macOS variations might be looked for or discovered through the Acquired tab (not that anybody has actually needed to spend for a Mac OS X upgrade for many years).
Nevertheless, when Apple presented Mojave the Mac App Shop altered, and these installers can no longer be looked for or discovered in the bought area of the shop. (Although we do have reroute links in the area above to each of the pertinent pages on the Mac App Shop.)
If you take place to have access to a Mac that’s running an older variation of macOS, log into the Mac App Shop with your password and download the Mojave installer on that Mac. Additionally, ask a good friend to download a copy of the installer from the Mac App Shop for you. We go through this technique in the area listed below.
As above, when the installer has actually downloaded do not install it! If you do then the installer will be erased. You’ll discover the installer in your Applications folder from which you can copy it onto your Mac or produce a bootable installer
You might likewise discover updates to an older variation of macOS on Apple’s site Nevertheless these are simply point updates, instead of the complete variation, so it will not be much aid if you are attempting to get the complete download.
The something you truly should not do is go to a gush website and download a copy of the OS X you desire. Even if Apple hands out its software application free of charge, do not believe it’s great to simply get a copy. Pirated copies of Apple software application might have been gotten used to permit hackers access to the software application and your Mac.
How to download old Mac OS X variations
If you have access to a Mac running OS X Yosemite or older it is possible to see old variations of Mac OS X in the Mac App Shop. Yosemite, Mavericks, and Mountain Lion can all be seen here.
It deserves keeping in mind that you’ll just see old variations of Mac OS X that you have actually downloaded under Acquired– if you never ever downloaded it (or if it was never ever on the Mac App Shop), that variation will not remain in your Acquired area. Another reason that the variation of Mac OS X may be missing out on is if your maker delivered with that variation set up. We’ll take a look at that circumstance later on.
Here is how to get an older variation of Mac OS X from the Mac App Shop (this just works if you have actually downloaded it in the past and it will not work if you have actually currently set up Mojave or later on):
- Open the Mac App Shop (pick Shop > > Check in if you require to visit).
- Click Acquired.
- Scroll to discover the copy of OS X or macOS you desire.
- Click Install.
Clicking Install will not in fact set up the software application, however it will download the installer application to your Applications folder.
You will not have the ability to merely install this older variation of the os straight onto a Mac running a more recent variation of OS X or macOS. We will describe how it can be set up on a Mac– consisting of one presently running an earlier os here:
How to set up old Mac OS X variations.
If you can’t discover a variation of Mac OS X in your bought products
If you understand you have actually formerly downloaded the variation of macOS you want, however you aren’t seeing it in the Acquired area, there are a couple of things to attempt:
- Log out of the App Shop then log in once again.
- If it’s a possibility that you downloaded it while visited to a various Apple ID (maybe a job-related one), log in utilizing that ID.
- Additionally, discover somebody who has actually downloaded that variation of the Mac os and inquire to download the setup declare you.
If you never ever downloaded the variation of Mac OS X then leap to step 3 and discover a friendly individual who did. Ask to download the Mac OS X installer for you.
Fortunately the copy of OS X isn’t locked to their account so it will set up on any Mac.
How to get OS X Lion and Mountain Lion
Prior to June 2021, you might acquire OS X 10.7 Lion or Mountain Lion from Apple for $19.99/ ⤠19.99 each– Apple would send you a download code. Now Apple has actually stopped charging for the aging os variations. Rather, you can download the os straight from the business’s site.
The os can be downloaded from the following links:
Whether your Mac will in fact run these running systems is another concern we attend to here:
Which variations of macOS can my Mac run? Keep In Mind that just Macs that precede 2012 will run Lion.
How to get OS X Snow Leopard
If your Mac has a variation of macOS set up that is older than Snow Leopard you will not have access to the Mac App Shop. For a variety of years after Snow Leopard got here all variations of Mac OS X got here through the Mac App Shop, those who never ever set up Snow Leopard had an issue: without Snow Leopard, they could not upgrade.
Up until 2021 Apple still offered a boxed variation of Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard for $ 19.99/ ⤠19.99 (at its launch in 2009 it cost $25/ ⤠25). If you bought Snow Leopard by doing this you were sent out a physical box including an optical disk– so you will require a CD/DVD drive to install it (which you will most likely have if the Mac is that old).
Apple has actually now gotten rid of the capability to purchase Snow Leopard. Nevertheless, this isn’t a huge issue since those individuals who were formerly locked out of updates can now download the Lion or Mountain Lion upgrade, as discussed above.
How to get OS X Leopard or earlier
If the old variation of the OS you want precedes Snow Leopard and you have a designer account you may be able to get it from
developer.apple.com/downloads If you browse within the OS X classification you ought to see downloads for all variations of OS X, a minimum of from variation 10.3 to 10.6.
You might have the ability to access the Designer area of the site, however you will just have the ability to gain access to specific software application downloads if your Apple ID is connected with a paid Apple Designer Program. It costs $99/ ⤠79 a year to sign up with the Apple Designer Program and you need to sign a nondisclosure contract.
You might likewise attempt searching Amazon or eBay to see if anybody is offering old variations of the Mac os.
