So, you've decided to download an older version of Mac OS Ten. There are many reasons that could point yous to this radical determination. To begin with, some of your apps may not be working properly (or simply crash) on newer operating systems. Also, you may accept noticed your Mac's performance went downward right afterwards the last update. Finally, if you lot want to run a parallel copy of Mac OS 10 on a virtual machine, you too will demand a working installation file of an older Mac Bone X. Further down we'll explicate where to get 1 and what problems you may face up down the route.

A list of all Mac Os 10 versions

We'll exist repeatedly referring to these Apple OS versions below, and so information technology'south good to know the basic macOS timeline.

Cheetah 10.0 Puma ten.one Jaguar 10.2
Panther 10.three Tiger 10.4 Leopard 10.5
Snow Leopard 10.6 Lion x.7 Mountain Lion 10.eight
Mavericks 10.nine Yosemite x.x El Capitan 10.11
Sierra 10.12 High Sierra 10.thirteen Mojave x.14
Catalina x.15

Step one. Prepare your Mac for installation

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

Annotation, that it is recommended that y'all install Os on a clean drive. Next, y'all will need enough disk space available, for example, to create Recovery Partition. Here are some ideas to free upward space on your bulldoze:

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

Go to Finder > All My Files > Arrange past size

Then you can motion your infinite hoggers onto an external bulldoze or a cloud storage.

If you aren't comfortable with cleaning the Mac manually, at that place are some nice automatic "room cleaners". Our favorite is CleanMyMac as it's nearly simple to use of all. Information technology deletes system junk, erstwhile cleaved apps, and the rest of subconscious junk on your drive.

CleanMyMac X - Smart Scan complete

Download CleanMyMac for Os x.four - 10.8 (free version)

Download CleanMyMac for OS 10.9 (free version)

Download CleanMyMac for OS 10.10 - ten.14 (gratis version)

Footstep ii. Get a copy of Mac Bone X download

Usually, information technology is assumed that updating Bone is a one-way road. That'southward why going back to a past Apple Bone 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 yous succeed in downloading the Bone installation, your next step is to create a bootable USB or DVD and then reinstall the OS on your computer.

How to download older Mac Os Ten versions via the App Store

Mac operating system download


If you in one case had purchased an old version of Mac OS X from the App Store, open it and get to the Purchased tab. There you'll discover all the installers you lot can download. All the same, information technology doesn't always work that way. The purchased section lists only those operating systems that yous had downloaded in the by. But here is the path to cheque it:

  1. Click the App Store icon.
  2. Click Purchases in the peak card.
  3. Scroll downwards to observe the preferred Os X version.
  4. Click Download.

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

Without App Store: Download Mac Os version every bit Apple tree Programmer

If yous are signed with an Apple tree Programmer business relationship, you can 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 among other options. The membership toll is $99/yr and provides a bunch of perks unavailable to ordinary users.

Even so, proceed in heed that if you lot visit programmer.apple.com/downloads, you tin can only find 10.3-x.vi Os X operating systems there. Newer versions are not bachelor because starting Mac Bone X Snow Leopard ten.7, the App Shop has become the only source of updating Apple tree OS versions.

Purchase an older version of Mac operating system

Apple OS Versions

You can purchase a boxed or email version of past Mac Os X directly from Apple tree. Both will cost you effectually $20. For the reason of being rather antiquated, Snow Leopard and earlier Apple versions can but be installed from DVD.

Buy a boxed edition of Snowfall Leopard 10.6
Get an e-mail copy of Lion x.7
Get an email copy of Mountain Lion 10.8

The e-mail edition comes with a special download code y'all can use for the Mac App Shop. Annotation, that to install the King of beasts or Mount Panthera leo, your Mac needs to be running Snow Leopard then you lot tin can install the newer OS on top of it.

How to get macOS El Capitan download

If you lot are wondering if y'all can run El Capitan on an older Mac, rejoice every bit it'southward possible likewise. But earlier your Mac tin run El Capitan it has to be updated to OS X 10.6.eight. And so, here are master steps you should take:

1. Install Snow Leopard from install DVD.
2. Update to ten.6.8 using Software Update.
three. Download El Capitan here.

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

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

Mac os x download

But as information technology often happens, workarounds are possible. There is still a hazard to download the installation file if you have an access to a Mac (or virtual machine) running that operating system. For example, to become an installer for Lion, you may ask a friend who has Lion-operated Mac or, in one case over again, set a virtual automobile running Lion. So you will need to prepare an external drive to download the installation file using Os 10 Utilities.

After you lot've completed the download, the installer should launch automatically, only you tin click Cancel and copy the file you lot need. Below is the detailed instruction how to do information technology.

Step 3. Install older Os X onto an external bulldoze

The post-obit method allows you to download Mac OS X King of beasts, Mountain Lion, and Mavericks.

  1. Start your Mac holding down Control + R.
  2. Set a make clean external drive (at least 10 GB of storage).
  3. Within Bone 10 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 commencement downloading automatically onto the external drive. After the download is complete, your Mac will prompt you to do a restart, but at this betoken, you should completely shut it downwardly. Now that the installation file is "captured" onto your external bulldoze, you lot tin can reinstall the OS, this time running the file on your Mac.

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

Locate InstallESD.dmg disk image file — this is the file you lot need to reinstall Panthera leo Bone 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 10.12 or macOS Loftier Sierra 10.13, it is possible to revert it to the previous arrangement if you are non satisfied with the experience. You can do it either with Time Machine or by creating a bootable USB or external drive.

Teaching to downgrade from macOS Sierra

Instruction to downgrade from macOS Loftier Sierra

Instruction to downgrade from macOS Mojave

Teaching to downgrade from macOS Catalina

Before you do it, the all-time advice is to dorsum your Mac upwards then your most of import files stay intact. In addition to that, information technology makes sense to clean up your Mac from former system junk files and application leftovers. The easiest fashion to do it is to run CleanMyMac X on your machine (download it for free hither).

Visit your local Apple tree Shop to download older OS X version

If none of the options to get older Os X worked, pay a visit to nearest local Apple tree Store. They should have paradigm installations going back to Bone Leopard and earlier. You tin can besides inquire their assistance to create a bootable USB drive with the installation file. And so here you are. We hope this article has helped you to download an old version of Mac Bone X. Below are a few more links you may notice interesting.