Then, you've decided to download an older version of Mac OS Ten. At that place are many reasons that could point yous to this radical conclusion. To begin with, some of your apps may not be working properly (or only crash) on newer operating systems. Also, you may have noticed your Mac'southward performance went down correct later the concluding update. Finally, if you desire to run a parallel copy of Mac OS X on a virtual machine, you too volition demand a working installation file of an older Mac OS X. Further downwardly we'll explain where to go 1 and what problems you lot may face up down the route.

A list of all Mac OS Ten versions

We'll exist repeatedly referring to these Apple OS versions below, then it's good to know the basic macOS timeline.

Cheetah x.0 Puma ten.i Jaguar 10.two
Panther 10.3 Tiger ten.iv Leopard 10.5
Snow Leopard 10.half-dozen Lion ten.seven Mount Lion 10.8
Mavericks 10.9 Yosemite 10.10 El Capitan 10.11
Sierra 10.12 High Sierra 10.xiii Mojave x.fourteen
Catalina ten.fifteen

Pace ane. Set your Mac for installation

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

Annotation, that information technology is recommended that you install Bone on a clean bulldoze. Next, you will demand plenty disk infinite available, for instance, to create Recovery Segmentation. Here are some ideas to complimentary up space 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 by size

And so you can motion your space hoggers onto an external drive or a cloud storage.

If you aren't comfortable with cleaning the Mac manually, there are some nice automatic "room cleaners". Our favorite isCleanMyMac as it'southward most simple to utilize of all. It deletes arrangement junk, old broken apps, and the rest of hidden junk on your drive.

CleanMyMac X - Smart Scan complete

Download CleanMyMacfor Os ten.iv - ten.8 (complimentary version)

Download CleanMyMac for Os 10.nine (free version)

Download CleanMyMacfor OS ten.ten - x.xiv (free version)

STEP 2. Get a copy of Mac Os X download

Ordinarily, it is assumed that updating Bone is a one-way road. That's why going dorsum to a past Apple Os 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 step is to create a bootable USB or DVD and so reinstall the OS on your computer.

How to download older Mac Os 10 versions via the App Shop

Mac operating system download


If you lot once had purchased an old version of Mac Bone X from the App Store, open information technology and become to the Purchased tab. In that location you'll find all the installers you can download. However, information technology doesn't always work that manner. The purchased section lists simply those operating systems that you had downloaded in the past. But here is the path to check information technology:

  1. Click the App Store icon.
  2. Click Purchases in the top carte.
  3. Curlicue downwards to find the preferred Bone X version.
  4. Click Download.

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

Without App Store: Download Mac OS version as Apple tree Developer

If yous are signed with an Apple tree Developer account, you can become access to products that are no longer listed on the App Store. If y'all badly need a lower OS 10 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.

Still, keep in heed that if you visit developer.apple.com/downloads, you can only find 10.3-ten.six OS X operating systems there. Newer versions are not available because starting Mac OS Ten Snow Leopard x.vii, the App Store has become the only source of updating Apple OS versions.

Purchase an older version of Mac operating organisation

Apple OS Versions

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

Purchase a boxed edition of Snow Leopard ten.vi
Get an email re-create of Lion 10.7
Go an electronic mail re-create of Mount Lion 10.8

The electronic mail edition comes with a special download code y'all tin can utilize for the Mac App Store. Note, that to install the Panthera leo or Mountain Panthera leo, your Mac needs to be running Snow Leopard then you can install the newer OS on top of it.

How to get macOS El Capitan download

If you are wondering if you can run El Capitan on an older Mac, rejoice equally information technology's possible too. But before your Mac tin can run El Capitan it has to be updated to OS Ten 10.half-dozen.8. And then, here are main steps you should take:

1. Install Snowfall Leopard from install DVD.
two. Update to 10.six.8 using Software Update.
iii. Download El Capitan here.

"I can't download an old version of Mac Os X"

If you have a newer Mac, there is no physical option to install Mac Bone versions older than your electric current Mac model. For instance, if your MacBook was released in 2014, don't wait it to run whatsoever Os released prior of that time, because older Apple OS versions simply do non include hardware drivers for your Mac.

Mac os x download

But equally it frequently happens, workarounds are possible. There is notwithstanding a chance to download the installation file if you take an admission to a Mac (or virtual machine) running that operating system. For example, to get an installer for Panthera leo, y'all may ask a friend who has King of beasts-operated Mac or, once once again, set up a virtual machine running Lion. And then y'all will need to prepare an external bulldoze to download the installation file using OS X Utilities.

Subsequently you've completed the download, the installer should launch automatically, but y'all can click Abolish and copy the file you need. Below is the detailed didactics how to practise information technology.

STEP three. Install older OS X onto an external drive

The following method allows you to download Mac OS Ten Lion, Mountain Lion, and Mavericks.

  1. Get-go your Mac property down Command + R.
  2. Prepare a clean external drive (at least 10 GB of storage).
  3. Within OS Ten Utilities, cull Reinstall OS X.
  4. Select external drive as a source.
  5. Enter your Apple ID.
How to download old Mac OS X versions

At present the OS should start downloading automatically onto the external drive. After the download is complete, your Mac volition prompt you to practice a restart, but at this signal, you should completely close it down. Now that the installation file is "captured" onto your external drive, you can reinstall the Bone, this time running the file on your Mac.

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

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

How to downgrade a Mac running afterward macOS versions

If your Mac runs macOS Sierra ten.12 or macOS High Sierra 10.xiii, information technology is possible to revert it to the previous system if you are not satisfied with the experience. You lot can practise information technology either with Time Machine or past creating a bootable USB or external drive.

Instruction todowngrade from macOS Sierra

Instruction todowngrade from macOS Loftier Sierra

Instruction todowngrade from macOS Mojave

Instruction to downgrade from macOS Catalina

Before y'all do information technology, the best advice is to back your Mac upward so your most important files stay intact. In addition to that, it makes sense to clean upwardly your Mac from erstwhile organisation junk files and application leftovers. The easiest way to exercise it is to run CleanMyMac X on your machine (download information technology for gratuitous hither).

Visit your local Apple Store to download older OS 10 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 dorsum to OS Leopard and earlier. You lot can too inquire their assist to create a bootable USB drive with the installation file. So here y'all are. We hope this article has helped you to download an old version of Mac OS 10. Below are a few more links you may observe interesting.