Then, you've decided to download an older version of Mac Bone 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. Too, you may accept noticed your Mac's operation went downwards right after the terminal update. Finally, if you want to run a parallel re-create of Mac Bone X on a virtual machine, you as well will need a working installation file of an older Mac Bone X. Farther down we'll explain where to get one and what problems y'all may face down the road.

A list of all Mac Os X versions

Nosotros'll exist repeatedly referring to these Apple Bone versions below, so information technology'due south good to know the basic macOS timeline.

Cheetah 10.0 Puma x.1 Jaguar x.ii
Panther ten.iii Tiger ten.4 Leopard 10.five
Snowfall Leopard 10.vi Panthera leo ten.seven Mount Panthera leo 10.8
Mavericks x.9 Yosemite x.10 El Capitan x.xi
Sierra ten.12 High Sierra ten.xiii Mojave 10.14
Catalina 10.15

STEP one. Prepare your Mac for installation

Given your Mac isn't new and is filled with data, you will probably demand plenty gratuitous infinite on your Mac. This includes non just space for the Os itself but too space for other applications and your user data. One more than argument is that the free space on your disk translates into virtual memory so your apps have "fuel" to operate on. The nautical chart below tells you lot how much costless space is needed.

Note, that it is recommended that you install Bone on a clean bulldoze. Next, you volition need plenty disk infinite available, for example, to create Recovery Partition. Here are some ideas to free up infinite on your bulldoze:

  • Uninstall big unused apps
  • Empty Trash Bin and Downloads
  • Locate the biggest files on your calculator:

Go to Finder > All My Files > Arrange by size

So y'all 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 nice automatic "room cleaners". Our favorite isCleanMyMac equally it'southward most simple to employ of all. It deletes system junk, old broken apps, and the residual of subconscious junk on your drive.

CleanMyMac X - Smart Scan complete

Download CleanMyMacfor Bone 10.four - ten.viii (gratuitous version)

Download CleanMyMac for OS 10.9 (free version)

Download CleanMyMacfor OS 10.ten - x.xiv (complimentary version)

STEP 2. Get a copy of Mac Os 10 download

Commonly, it is assumed that updating OS is a ane-way road. That's why going back to a past Apple tree Os version is problematic. The main challenge is to download the Bone installation file itself, because your Mac may already exist running a newer version. If y'all succeed in downloading the Bone installation, your next stride is to create a bootable USB or DVD and then reinstall the OS on your computer.

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

Mac operating system download


If you once had purchased an old version of Mac Bone X from the App Store, open it and go to the Purchased tab. In that location you lot'll find all the installers you can download. Withal, it doesn't ever piece of work that way. The purchased section lists only those operating systems that you had downloaded in the by. But here is the path to cheque it:

  1. Click the App Store icon.
  2. Click Purchases in the top carte du jour.
  3. Coil down to observe the preferred OS Ten version.
  4. Click Download.

This method allows y'all to download Mavericks and Yosemite past logging with your Apple ID — only if you lot previously downloaded them from the Mac App Store.

Without App Store: Download Mac OS version as Apple Developer

If y'all 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 desperately demand a lower OS X 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.

Nevertheless, keep in mind that if you visit developer.apple.com/downloads, you tin only discover x.3-10.6 Bone X operating systems there. Newer versions are not available because starting Mac Bone X Snow Leopard ten.vii, the App Store has go the only source of updating Apple OS versions.

Buy an older version of Mac operating system

Apple OS Versions

You can purchase a boxed or email version of past Mac Bone 10 straight from Apple. Both will price you effectually $twenty. For the reason of being rather blowsy, Snow Leopard and earlier Apple versions can merely be installed from DVD.

Buy a boxed edition of Snowfall Leopard 10.half-dozen
Get an electronic mail copy of Lion 10.seven
Get an e-mail copy of Mountain King of beasts 10.8

The electronic mail edition comes with a special download code you can apply for the Mac App Shop. Notation, that to install the King of beasts or Mount Lion, your Mac needs to exist running Snow Leopard so you can install the newer Os on top of it.

How to get macOS El Capitan download

If you are wondering if yous tin run El Capitan on an older Mac, rejoice as it'southward possible too. But before your Mac tin run El Capitan information technology has to be updated to OS X 10.half dozen.8. So, here are main steps you should take:

1. Install Snowfall Leopard from install DVD.
2. Update to ten.6.8 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, at that place 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 information technology to run any OS released prior of that time, because older Apple OS versions just do non include hardware drivers for your Mac.

Mac os x download

But as information technology often happens, workarounds are possible. At that place is still a adventure to download the installation file if you take an access 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 once again, set up a virtual machine running Panthera leo. Then y'all volition need to prepare an external drive to download the installation file using OS X Utilities.

After you've completed the download, the installer should launch automatically, but you can click Cancel and copy the file you demand. Below is the detailed instruction how to do it.

Footstep 3. Install older OS X onto an external bulldoze

The post-obit method allows you to download Mac OS X Panthera leo, Mountain Lion, and Mavericks.

  1. Get-go your Mac holding down Command + R.
  2. Prepare a clean external bulldoze (at least 10 GB of storage).
  3. Within OS X Utilities, choose Reinstall OS 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 start downloading automatically onto the external bulldoze. After the download is complete, your Mac will prompt y'all to practice a restart, merely at this point, you should completely shut it down. Now that the installation file is "captured" onto your external bulldoze, you can reinstall the Bone, this fourth dimension running the file on your Mac.

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

Locate InstallESD.dmg disk paradigm file — this is the file you need to reinstall King of beasts OS X. The same steps are valid for Mount Lion and Mavericks.

How to downgrade a Mac running later macOS versions

If your Mac runs macOS Sierra ten.12 or macOS High Sierra ten.13, it is possible to revert information technology to the previous organization if yous are not satisfied with the experience. You tin practice it either with Time Machine 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 exercise it, the best advice is to back your Mac up then your well-nigh important files stay intact. In addition to that, it makes sense to clean upwardly your Mac from old system junk files and application leftovers. The easiest way to exercise information technology is to run CleanMyMac X on your machine (download it for free here).

Visit your local Apple Store to download older OS 10 version

If none of the options to become older Bone X worked, pay a visit to nearest local Apple Shop. They should accept paradigm installations going dorsum to Bone Leopard and earlier. You can also ask their assistance to create a bootable USB drive with the installation file. And then here you are. We hope this article has helped you to download an old version of Mac OS X. Below are a few more than links you may detect interesting.