And then, you've decided to download an older version of Mac OS X. There are many reasons that could point yous to this radical decision. To begin with, some of your apps may not exist working properly (or but crash) on newer operating systems. Also, yous may have noticed your Mac'due south performance went downward right later on the last update. Finally, if you desire to run a parallel copy of Mac OS X on a virtual machine, you lot besides volition need a working installation file of an older Mac Bone Ten. Further downwardly we'll explain where to get ane and what problems y'all may face down the route.

A list of all Mac OS X versions

We'll be repeatedly referring to these Apple tree OS versions below, so information technology's practiced to know the basic macOS timeline.

Cheetah 10.0 Puma ten.one Jaguar 10.2
Panther ten.3 Tiger 10.4 Leopard 10.5
Snowfall Leopard ten.half dozen King of beasts 10.vii Mountain Lion ten.8
Mavericks 10.9 Yosemite 10.ten El Capitan 10.11
Sierra x.12 High Sierra 10.13 Mojave x.14
Catalina x.15

STEP 1. Set up your Mac for installation

Given your Mac isn't new and is filled with data, you volition probably demand enough free infinite on your Mac. This includes not just infinite for the OS itself merely likewise space for other applications and your user data. 1 more statement is that the free space on your deejay translates into virtual memory so your apps have "fuel" to operate on. The nautical chart below tells you how much gratis space is needed.

Note, that it is recommended that you install Bone on a clean drive. Next, you will demand plenty disk space available, for example, to create Recovery Partition. Hither 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 figurer:

Get to Finder > All My Files > Adapt by size

Then you can movement your infinite hoggers onto an external bulldoze or a cloud storage.

If you aren't comfy with cleaning the Mac manually, there are some dainty automatic "room cleaners". Our favorite isCleanMyMac every bit it'due south most simple to apply of all. It deletes system junk, one-time cleaved apps, and the residue of subconscious junk on your drive.

CleanMyMac X - Smart Scan complete

Download CleanMyMacfor OS 10.4 - ten.eight (free version)

Download CleanMyMac for Bone 10.ix (complimentary version)

Download CleanMyMacfor Os 10.10 - ten.14 (free version)

Step 2. Get a copy of Mac Os X download

Normally, it is assumed that updating OS is a one-fashion route. That's why going back to a past Apple Bone version is problematic. The main challenge is to download the OS installation file itself, because your Mac may already exist running a newer version. If you succeed in downloading the OS installation, your next pace is to create a bootable USB or DVD and then reinstall the Os on your computer.

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

Mac operating system download


If you once had purchased an quondam version of Mac OS X from the App Store, open information technology and go to the Purchased tab. There you lot'll find all the installers yous can download. Nonetheless, it doesn't ever work that manner. The purchased section lists only 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 top card.
  3. Scroll down to find 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 y'all previously downloaded them from the Mac App Store.

Without App Store: Download Mac Bone version as Apple Developer

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

Nevertheless, keep in mind that if you visit developer.apple tree.com/downloads, y'all can merely find ten.iii-10.6 OS X operating systems there. Newer versions are not available because starting Mac Os X Snow Leopard ten.7, the App Shop has become the just source of updating Apple OS versions.

Purchase an older version of Mac operating system

Apple OS Versions

Y'all can purchase a boxed or electronic mail version of by Mac Os 10 directly from Apple. Both will cost you around $xx. For the reason of being rather antiquated, Snow Leopard and earlier Apple tree versions can only be installed from DVD.

Buy a boxed edition of Snowfall Leopard x.6
Get an email re-create of King of beasts x.vii
Become an e-mail copy of Mountain Lion 10.8

The email edition comes with a special download code you can employ for the Mac App Store. Notation, that to install the Lion or Mountain Lion, your Mac needs to be running Snowfall Leopard and so yous can install the newer OS on top of it.

How to go macOS El Capitan download

If y'all are wondering if you tin can run El Capitan on an older Mac, rejoice as it's possible too. Merely before your Mac can run El Capitan it has to exist updated to OS X 10.6.8. And so, here are main steps you should take:

1. Install Snow Leopard from install DVD.
2. Update to x.6.eight using Software Update.
3. Download El Capitan hither.

"I can't download an old version of Mac OS 10"

If you lot take a newer Mac, there is no concrete selection to install Mac Bone versions older than your electric current Mac model. For instance, if your MacBook was released in 2014, don't expect it to run any OS released prior of that time, because older Apple tree Os versions just practice not include hardware drivers for your Mac.

Mac os x download

Merely as it oft happens, workarounds are possible. There is still a chance to download the installation file if you have an access to a Mac (or virtual car) running that operating system. For instance, to become an installer for King of beasts, you may ask a friend who has Lion-operated Mac or, over again, gear up a virtual machine running Lion. Then you will need to gear up an external bulldoze to download the installation file using OS Ten Utilities.

After you've completed the download, the installer should launch automatically, but you can click Cancel and re-create the file yous need. Below is the detailed instruction how to do it.

STEP 3. Install older OS X onto an external drive

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

  1. Kickoff your Mac holding down Control + R.
  2. Prepare a make clean external drive (at least 10 GB of storage).
  3. Within Bone X Utilities, choose Reinstall Bone X.
  4. Select external drive as a source.
  5. Enter your Apple tree ID.
How to download old Mac OS X versions

Now the OS should beginning downloading automatically onto the external drive. After the download is complete, your Mac will prompt you lot to do a restart, just at this betoken, you should completely shut it down. Now that the installation file is "captured" onto your external drive, you can reinstall the OS, this time running the file on your Mac.

  1. Boot your Mac from your standard drive.
  2. Connect the external bulldoze.
  3. Go to external drive > Bone X Install Data.

Locate InstallESD.dmg disk image file — this is the file you lot demand to reinstall Lion OS X. The same steps are valid for Mount Panthera leo and Mavericks.

How to downgrade a Mac running later macOS versions

If your Mac runs macOS Sierra 10.12 or macOS High Sierra 10.xiii, it is possible to revert information technology to the previous system if you are non satisfied with the experience. You can practise it either with Time Automobile or by creating a bootable USB or external drive.

Instruction todowngrade from macOS Sierra

Instruction todowngrade from macOS High Sierra

Instruction todowngrade from macOS Mojave

Instruction to downgrade from macOS Catalina

Before you practise it, the best communication is to back your Mac up and then your most important files stay intact. In addition to that, it makes sense to make clean upwards your Mac from old organisation junk files and application leftovers. The easiest way to do it is to run CleanMyMac X on your automobile (download information technology 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 accept prototype installations going back to OS Leopard and earlier. You lot tin can also enquire their assist to create a bootable USB bulldoze with the installation file. So here you are. Nosotros promise this article has helped you to download an old version of Mac Bone X. Below are a few more than links you lot may observe interesting.