Then, y'all've decided to download an older version of Mac OS 10. At that place are many reasons that could point you to this radical decision. To brainstorm with, some of your apps may not be working properly (or simply crash) on newer operating systems. Also, you may take noticed your Mac's functioning went down right afterward the last update. Finally, if yous want to run a parallel re-create of Mac OS X on a virtual machine, y'all also volition demand a working installation file of an older Mac OS 10. Further downwards we'll explicate where to go one and what problems you may face downward the route.

A listing of all Mac Bone X versions

Nosotros'll be repeatedly referring to these Apple Os versions below, then it'due south good to know the basic macOS timeline.

Cheetah 10.0 Puma 10.1 Jaguar 10.two
Panther 10.three Tiger x.4 Leopard 10.5
Snow Leopard 10.six Panthera leo 10.7 Mount Lion 10.8
Mavericks ten.9 Yosemite ten.ten El Capitan 10.eleven
Sierra x.12 High Sierra 10.13 Mojave 10.14
Catalina x.xv

STEP 1. Prepare your Mac for installation

Given your Mac isn't new and is filled with data, y'all will probably need enough gratis infinite on your Mac. This includes not just space for the OS itself but also space for other applications and your user data. I more statement is that the complimentary space on your deejay translates into virtual memory then your apps have "fuel" to operate on. The chart below tells y'all how much free space is needed.

Note, that information technology is recommended that yous install Os on a clean drive. Side by side, you will need enough disk space available, for example, to create Recovery Partition. Here are some ideas to free up space on your drive:

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

Go to Finder > All My Files > Adjust past size

Then you tin move your space hoggers onto an external drive or a cloud storage.

If yous aren't comfortable with cleaning the Mac manually, there are some squeamish automated "room cleaners". Our favorite isCleanMyMac every bit information technology'due south most simple to use of all. It deletes system junk, sometime cleaved 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.nine (free version)

Download CleanMyMacfor Os x.10 - 10.14 (free version)

Footstep 2. Get a copy of Mac Bone 10 download

Ordinarily, it is causeless that updating Bone is a one-style route. That'south why going back to a by Apple OS version is problematic. The main challenge is to download the OS installation file itself, because your Mac may already be running a newer version. If y'all succeed in downloading the OS installation, your next step is to create a bootable USB or DVD and then reinstall the Bone on your reckoner.

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

Mac operating system download


If y'all once had purchased an old version of Mac Bone X from the App Store, open up it and go to the Purchased tab. There y'all'll find all the installers y'all can download. However, it doesn't always work that way. The purchased section lists merely those operating systems that y'all had downloaded in the by. Just hither is the path to check it:

  1. Click the App Store icon.
  2. Click Purchases in the summit menu.
  3. Scroll downward to find the preferred OS X version.
  4. Click Download.

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

Without App Store: Download Mac Bone version as Apple Developer

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

Nevertheless, proceed in mind that if you visit developer.apple.com/downloads, y'all can only find 10.iii-10.vi OS Ten operating systems in that location. Newer versions are not available because starting Mac Bone 10 Snowfall Leopard x.7, the App Store has become the but source of updating Apple tree OS versions.

Buy an older version of Mac operating organization

Apple OS Versions

Y'all can buy a boxed or email version of past Mac OS X directly from Apple. Both volition cost you effectually $xx. For the reason of being rather antiquated, Snow Leopard and earlier Apple versions can only be installed from DVD.

Buy a boxed edition of Snow Leopard 10.6
Get an email copy of Panthera leo 10.7
Become an e-mail copy of Mountain Lion 10.8

The email edition comes with a special download lawmaking you tin can use for the Mac App Shop. Annotation, that to install the Panthera leo or Mountain Panthera leo, your Mac needs to be running Snow Leopard so you can install the newer OS on top of information technology.

How to get macOS El Capitan download

If you are wondering if you tin run El Capitan on an older Mac, rejoice as it's possible too. But earlier your Mac can run El Capitan it has to exist updated to Bone X 10.six.8. So, here are main steps you should take:

i. Install Snow Leopard from install DVD.
2. Update to ten.half dozen.8 using Software Update.
3. Download El Capitan hither.

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

If you have a newer Mac, at that place is no concrete choice to install Mac OS versions older than your current Mac model. For case, if your MacBook was released in 2014, don't look it to run any Os released prior of that time, considering older Apple Bone versions simply do not include hardware drivers for your Mac.

Mac os x download

But as it oftentimes happens, workarounds are possible. At that place is still a take a chance to download the installation file if you have an access to a Mac (or virtual machine) running that operating system. For case, to go an installer for King of beasts, you may ask a friend who has Lion-operated Mac or, over again, fix up a virtual machine running Lion. Then you lot will demand to set 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 lot demand. Beneath is the detailed instruction how to do it.

STEP 3. Install older Bone X onto an external drive

The following method allows you to download Mac OS X King of beasts, Mount Panthera leo, and Mavericks.

  1. Kickoff your Mac property downwardly Command + R.
  2. Prepare a clean external drive (at to the lowest degree x GB of storage).
  3. Within OS X Utilities, choose Reinstall Os X.
  4. Select external bulldoze 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 drive. Subsequently the download is complete, your Mac will prompt you to practise a restart, but at this point, you lot should completely close 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. Kicking your Mac from your standard drive.
  2. Connect the external bulldoze.
  3. Go to external drive > OS Ten Install Data.

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

How to downgrade a Mac running later macOS versions

If your Mac runs macOS Sierra ten.12 or macOS Loftier Sierra 10.13, information technology is possible to revert it to the previous system if you are non satisfied with the experience. Yous can do 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 do it, the best advice is to back your Mac up and so your most important files stay intact. In addition to that, information technology makes sense to clean up your Mac from quondam organization junk files and awarding leftovers. The easiest way to practise it is to run CleanMyMac X on your machine (download it for costless hither).

Visit your local Apple Store to download older Bone Ten version

If none of the options to become older OS X worked, pay a visit to nearest local Apple tree Store. They should have image installations going back to OS Leopard and earlier. Y'all can also ask their assistance to create a bootable USB drive with the installation file. So here you are. We hope this commodity has helped you to download an old version of Mac Bone X. Below are a few more links you may notice interesting.