So, you lot've decided to download an older version of Mac Bone X. There are many reasons that could point you to this radical decision. To begin with, some of your apps may non be working properly (or simply crash) on newer operating systems. Also, you lot may have noticed your Mac'south performance went down right after the last update. Finally, if you lot want to run a parallel copy of Mac OS X on a virtual machine, you too volition need a working installation file of an older Mac Os 10. Further downwards we'll explain where to become 1 and what problems y'all may face up downwardly the road.

A list of all Mac OS X versions

We'll be repeatedly referring to these Apple tree Os versions below, then information technology'south good to know the bones macOS timeline.

Cheetah 10.0 Puma 10.ane Jaguar 10.2
Panther x.3 Tiger 10.iv Leopard 10.5
Snowfall Leopard x.6 King of beasts 10.7 Mount Lion x.viii
Mavericks 10.9 Yosemite 10.x El Capitan 10.11
Sierra 10.12 High Sierra ten.13 Mojave x.fourteen
Catalina x.15

Stride 1. Prepare your Mac for installation

Given your Mac isn't new and is filled with data, you will probably need enough free space on your Mac. This includes not simply infinite for the OS itself only also space for other applications and your user information. One more than statement is that the gratis space on your disk translates into virtual memory so your apps have "fuel" to operate on. The chart beneath tells you how much free space is needed.

Note, that it is recommended that you lot install Os on a clean drive. Next, you lot will demand enough disk space available, for example, to create Recovery Sectionalization. Hither are some ideas to complimentary up space on your drive:

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

Go to Finder > All My Files > Arrange past size

And then you tin can motility your space hoggers onto an external drive or a cloud storage.

If yous aren't comfortable with cleaning the Mac manually, at that place are some nice automatic "room cleaners". Our favorite isCleanMyMac every bit it'due south nigh unproblematic to apply of all. It deletes organization junk, old broken apps, and the rest of subconscious junk on your drive.

CleanMyMac X - Smart Scan complete

Download CleanMyMacfor OS 10.4 - ten.8 (free version)

Download CleanMyMac for OS 10.9 (gratuitous version)

Download CleanMyMacfor OS 10.10 - 10.fourteen (free version)

STEP 2. Get a re-create of Mac OS X download

Normally, information technology is assumed that updating Bone is a one-style road. That's why going back to a past Apple OS version is problematic. The principal 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 stride is to create a bootable USB or DVD and then reinstall the Bone on your estimator.

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 OS X from the App Store, open information technology and become to the Purchased tab. At that place you'll find all the installers yous tin can download. However, it doesn't always piece of work that manner. The purchased section lists only those operating systems that you lot had downloaded in the past. But here is the path to cheque information technology:

  1. Click the App Store icon.
  2. Click Purchases in the top carte.
  3. Scroll downwards 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 yous previously downloaded them from the Mac App Store.

Without App Shop: Download Mac Bone version as Apple Developer

If yous are signed with an Apple Programmer account, y'all tin can go access to products that are no longer listed on the App Store. If you badly demand a lower Bone X version build, consider creating a new Programmer account among other options. The membership cost is $99/yr and provides a agglomeration of perks unavailable to ordinary users.

Nevertheless, keep in mind that if you visit developer.apple.com/downloads, you lot can simply find x.three-ten.6 OS X operating systems in that location. Newer versions are not available considering starting Mac OS X Snowfall Leopard 10.7, the App Shop has get the merely source of updating Apple OS versions.

Purchase an older version of Mac operating system

Apple OS Versions

You can purchase a boxed or electronic mail version of by Mac OS X directly from Apple. Both will cost you around $twenty. For the reason of being rather antiquated, Snowfall Leopard and earlier Apple versions tin only be installed from DVD.

Buy a boxed edition of Snow Leopard 10.6
Become an email copy of Lion 10.7
Get an email re-create of Mount Lion 10.8

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

How to go macOS El Capitan download

If you are wondering if you can run El Capitan on an older Mac, rejoice equally it's possible too. Just earlier your Mac can run El Capitan it has to be updated to Os X 10.6.8. So, here are main steps you should take:

1. Install Snowfall Leopard from install DVD.
two. Update to 10.6.8 using Software Update.
iii. Download El Capitan here.

"I can't download an former version of Mac Bone X"

If you have a newer Mac, in that location is no concrete pick to install Mac OS versions older than your current Mac model. For instance, if your MacBook was released in 2014, don't look information technology to run any OS released prior of that time, because older Apple OS versions but practice non include hardware drivers for your Mac.

Mac os x download

But as it often happens, workarounds are possible. At that place 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 example, to go an installer for Lion, you may enquire a friend who has Lion-operated Mac or, over again, gear up a virtual machine running King of beasts. Then you will need to set up an external drive to download the installation file using OS X Utilities.

After you've completed the download, the installer should launch automatically, but yous tin can click Cancel and copy the file you lot need. Below is the detailed pedagogy how to exercise it.

Footstep three. Install older Os X onto an external drive

The post-obit method allows yous to download Mac Os X Lion, Mount Lion, and Mavericks.

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

Now the OS should start downloading automatically onto the external bulldoze. After the download is complete, your Mac will prompt you lot to exercise a restart, but at this signal, you should completely close information technology down. Now that the installation file is "captured" onto your external drive, yous tin reinstall the Os, this fourth dimension running the file on your Mac.

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

Locate InstallESD.dmg deejay image file — this is the file yous need to reinstall Lion Os Ten. The aforementioned steps are valid for Mountain Lion and Mavericks.

How to downgrade a Mac running later macOS versions

If your Mac runs macOS Sierra ten.12 or macOS High Sierra 10.13, information technology is possible to revert information technology to the previous system if yous are not satisfied with the experience. You lot can do it either with Time Machine or by creating a bootable USB or external drive.

Education todowngrade from macOS Sierra

Instruction todowngrade from macOS Loftier Sierra

Instruction todowngrade from macOS Mojave

Didactics to downgrade from macOS Catalina

Before you do it, the best communication is to back your Mac up and so your most important files stay intact. In addition to that, it makes sense to make clean up your Mac from old system junk files and awarding leftovers. The easiest way to do information technology is to run CleanMyMac X on your automobile (download it for gratis here).

Visit your local Apple tree Store to download older Bone Ten version

If none of the options to go older Bone 10 worked, pay a visit to nearest local Apple Store. They should have image installations going dorsum to Bone Leopard and earlier. You lot tin can as well ask their aid to create a bootable USB drive with the installation file. So here you are. We promise this commodity has helped you to download an sometime version of Mac OS X. Below are a few more than links you may notice interesting.