So, you've decided to download an older version of Mac Os X. There are many reasons that could point yous to this radical conclusion. To begin with, some of your apps may non be working properly (or simply crash) on newer operating systems. Also, y'all may have noticed your Mac's performance went down correct after the terminal update. Finally, if you want to run a parallel copy of Mac Bone X on a virtual machine, you lot too volition need a working installation file of an older Mac OS Ten. Farther down nosotros'll explain where to go one and what problems you may face downwards the route.

A list of all Mac Bone 10 versions

We'll be repeatedly referring to these Apple Bone versions below, so it's adept to know the bones macOS timeline.

Cheetah 10.0 Puma ten.ane Jaguar x.2
Panther 10.three Tiger x.4 Leopard x.5
Snow Leopard 10.half dozen King of beasts ten.vii Mount Lion x.8
Mavericks ten.9 Yosemite ten.10 El Capitan x.eleven
Sierra 10.12 High Sierra 10.13 Mojave 10.14
Catalina 10.xv

Pace 1. Set your Mac for installation

Given your Mac isn't new and is filled with information, y'all will probably need plenty free space on your Mac. This includes not just space for the Os itself but also space for other applications and your user data. One more than argument is that the free space on your disk translates into virtual memory and then your apps have "fuel" to operate on. The chart beneath tells you how much gratuitous space is needed.

Note, that information technology is recommended that you install Bone on a clean bulldoze. Next, you volition demand plenty deejay space available, for instance, to create Recovery Partition. Here are some ideas to free up infinite on your drive:

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

Get to Finder > All My Files > Accommodate past size

Then you can move your space hoggers onto an external bulldoze or a cloud storage.

If you aren't comfortable with cleaning the Mac manually, at that place are some prissy automatic "room cleaners". Our favorite isCleanMyMac equally it's about elementary to use of all. It deletes system junk, old cleaved apps, and the rest of hidden junk on your bulldoze.

CleanMyMac X - Smart Scan complete

Download CleanMyMacfor OS 10.four - 10.8 (complimentary version)

Download CleanMyMac for Os ten.9 (complimentary version)

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

Step 2. Get a copy of Mac OS X download

Unremarkably, it is assumed that updating OS is a one-way road. That's why going back to a past Apple OS version is problematic. The master claiming 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 side by side step 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 in one case had purchased an old version of Mac OS Ten from the App Store, open it and go to the Purchased tab. There y'all'll find all the installers you can download. However, it doesn't always piece of work that way. 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 menu.
  3. Gyre downwards to find the preferred OS 10 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 Os version every bit Apple Programmer

If yous are signed with an Apple Developer account, you tin get access to products that are no longer listed on the App Store. If yous desperately need a lower Os X version build, consider creating a new Developer business relationship amidst other options. The membership price 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, y'all can simply notice 10.three-10.half-dozen OS X operating systems there. Newer versions are not available because starting Mac Bone X Snowfall Leopard x.seven, the App Store has become the only source of updating Apple Os versions.

Buy an older version of Mac operating organisation

Apple OS Versions

You can purchase a boxed or email version of past Mac OS X directly from Apple tree. Both volition cost you around $20. 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 x.6
Become an electronic mail copy of Panthera leo 10.7
Get an email copy of Mount Panthera leo 10.8

The email edition comes with a special download code you tin can use for the Mac App Store. Note, that to install the Lion or Mount Panthera leo, your Mac needs to be running Snow Leopard so you can install the newer Bone on elevation of information technology.

How to become macOS El Capitan download

If y'all are wondering if you can run El Capitan on an older Mac, rejoice every bit it'south possible too. Simply before your Mac tin can run El Capitan information technology has to exist updated to OS X 10.half dozen.8. So, here are master steps you should take:

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

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

If y'all have a newer Mac, there is no physical option to install Mac Os versions older than your current Mac model. For instance, if your MacBook was released in 2014, don't wait information technology to run whatever Bone released prior of that fourth dimension, considering older Apple tree Os versions simply do not include hardware drivers for your Mac.

Mac os x download

Only as it oftentimes happens, workarounds are possible. There is still a adventure to download the installation file if y'all have an access to a Mac (or virtual machine) running that operating arrangement. For example, to become an installer for Lion, you may ask a friend who has King of beasts-operated Mac or, once again, set up a virtual machine running Lion. So yous will demand to prepare an external drive to download the installation file using OS X Utilities.

Subsequently you've completed the download, the installer should launch automatically, merely yous tin click Cancel and copy the file you need. Below is the detailed instruction how to exercise it.

Step 3. Install older OS X onto an external drive

The following method allows you to download Mac Os 10 Panthera leo, Mountain King of beasts, and Mavericks.

  1. Start your Mac property down Command + R.
  2. Ready a clean external drive (at least 10 GB of storage).
  3. Inside Bone Ten 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 OS should start downloading automatically onto the external drive. After the download is complete, your Mac will prompt y'all to do a restart, just at this betoken, yous should completely shut it downwardly. Now that the installation file is "captured" onto your external drive, you can reinstall the OS, this fourth dimension running the file on your Mac.

  1. Boot your Mac from your standard bulldoze.
  2. Connect the external drive.
  3. Go to external bulldoze > OS 10 Install Data.

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

How to downgrade a Mac running subsequently macOS versions

If your Mac runs macOS Sierra 10.12 or macOS High Sierra 10.13, information technology is possible to revert it to the previous arrangement if you lot are not satisfied with the feel. Y'all tin can practice information technology either with Time Machine or by creating a bootable USB or external drive.

Teaching todowngrade from macOS Sierra

Instruction todowngrade from macOS High Sierra

Educational activity todowngrade from macOS Mojave

Instruction to downgrade from macOS Catalina

Earlier you practise information technology, the best advice is to back your Mac up so your most important files stay intact. In addition to that, information technology makes sense to make clean upwards your Mac from old arrangement junk files and application leftovers. The easiest way to do it is to run CleanMyMac X on your machine (download it for free here).

Visit your local Apple Store to download older OS Ten version

If none of the options to get older Os X worked, pay a visit to nearest local Apple tree Shop. They should have image installations going dorsum to Os Leopard and before. You tin as well ask their assistance to create a bootable USB drive with the installation file. So here yous are. We hope this article has helped you to download an old version of Mac OS 10. Below are a few more than links you may find interesting.