So, you've decided to download an older version of Mac OS 10. There are many reasons that could signal y'all to this radical decision. To begin with, some of your apps may not exist working properly (or simply crash) on newer operating systems. As well, you may have noticed your Mac's performance went down correct later on the final update. Finally, if you want to run a parallel re-create of Mac Bone X on a virtual machine, you too volition demand a working installation file of an older Mac Os 10. Further downward we'll explicate where to get one and what problems you may face downwards the route.

A list of all Mac Bone X versions

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

Cheetah 10.0 Puma 10.ane Jaguar ten.ii
Panther ten.3 Tiger 10.four Leopard 10.five
Snow Leopard x.6 Lion 10.vii Mountain King of beasts 10.viii
Mavericks ten.9 Yosemite ten.10 El Capitan x.11
Sierra 10.12 High Sierra ten.13 Mojave 10.14
Catalina ten.15

Pace 1. Prepare your Mac for installation

Given your Mac isn't new and is filled with data, yous will probably demand plenty free space on your Mac. This includes non just space for the Bone itself merely also infinite for other applications and your user data. 1 more statement is that the free infinite on your disk translates into virtual retention then your apps have "fuel" to operate on. The chart below tells you lot how much free space is needed.

Note, that it is recommended that yous install OS on a make clean drive. Next, you will need enough disk space available, for example, to create Recovery Partition. Hither are some ideas to gratis up infinite on your drive:

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

Go to Finder > All My Files > Suit by size

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

If you lot aren't comfortable with cleaning the Mac manually, at that place are some nice automatic "room cleaners". Our favorite isCleanMyMac as it'southward most elementary to use of all. It deletes organization junk, old broken apps, and the remainder of hidden junk on your drive.

CleanMyMac X - Smart Scan complete

Download CleanMyMacfor OS 10.4 - 10.8 (gratis version)

Download CleanMyMac for Os 10.9 (free version)

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

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

Usually, information technology is assumed that updating OS is a one-way road. That's why going back to a past Apple OS version is problematic. The main claiming is to download the Os installation file itself, because your Mac may already be running a newer version. If you succeed in downloading the Bone installation, your next stride is to create a bootable USB or DVD and and so reinstall the Os on your reckoner.

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 it and go to the Purchased tab. There you'll find all the installers you tin download. Nonetheless, it doesn't always work that way. The purchased section lists only those operating systems that you had downloaded in the past. Just hither is the path to check it:

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

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

Without App Store: Download Mac Os version as Apple Developer

If you are signed with an Apple tree Developer account, yous tin can get admission to products that are no longer listed on the App Store. If you desperately need a lower OS X version build, consider creating a new Developer account among other options. The membership price is $99/twelvemonth and provides a bunch of perks unavailable to ordinary users.

Nonetheless, keep in mind that if yous visit programmer.apple.com/downloads, you tin only find x.3-10.6 OS X operating systems in that location. Newer versions are not available considering starting Mac OS X Snow Leopard x.7, the App Store has get the only source of updating Apple Os versions.

Buy an older version of Mac operating arrangement

Apple OS Versions

You tin can purchase a boxed or electronic mail version of past Mac Bone 10 directly from Apple. Both will cost you lot around $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 Lion 10.7
Get an email copy of Mountain Lion 10.8

The email edition comes with a special download code y'all tin use for the Mac App Shop. Note, that to install the Lion or Mountain Lion, your Mac needs to be running Snow Leopard so you can install the newer Os on tiptop of it.

How to become macOS El Capitan download

If you are wondering if you lot can run El Capitan on an older Mac, rejoice as it's possible too. Merely before your Mac can run El Capitan it has to be updated to OS Ten 10.half-dozen.viii. So, here are main steps you should take:

1. Install Snow Leopard from install DVD.
2. Update to 10.6.8 using Software Update.
3. Download El Capitan here.

"I can't download an former version of Mac Bone 10"

If you take a newer Mac, there is no concrete option to install Mac Os versions older than your current Mac model. For instance, if your MacBook was released in 2014, don't expect information technology to run whatsoever Bone released prior of that time, because older Apple Os versions only do not include hardware drivers for your Mac.

Mac os x download

But as it often happens, workarounds are possible. In that location is still a chance to download the installation file if y'all accept an admission to a Mac (or virtual machine) running that operating system. For example, to get an installer for Panthera leo, yous may ask a friend who has Lion-operated Mac or, one time over again, ready a virtual machine running Panthera leo. Then you will demand to fix an external drive to download the installation file using Os X Utilities.

Afterwards you lot've completed the download, the installer should launch automatically, merely you tin click Cancel and re-create the file you need. Beneath is the detailed instruction how to practise it.

STEP 3. Install older OS 10 onto an external drive

The post-obit method allows you lot to download Mac OS X Panthera leo, Mountain Lion, and Mavericks.

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

Now the Bone should start downloading automatically onto the external drive. Later on the download is complete, your Mac will prompt y'all to do a restart, just at this point, you should completely shut it down. Now that the installation file is "captured" onto your external bulldoze, you 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 drive > OS Ten Install Data.

Locate InstallESD.dmg disk paradigm file — this is the file you need to reinstall Panthera leo Os X. The same 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 ten.xiii, it is possible to revert it to the previous organization if you are not satisfied with the experience. You lot can do it either with Time Machine or by creating a bootable USB or external bulldoze.

Instruction todowngrade from macOS Sierra

Instruction todowngrade from macOS High Sierra

Instruction todowngrade from macOS Mojave

Instruction to downgrade from macOS Catalina

Before yous practise it, the all-time advice is to back your Mac up so your almost important files stay intact. In addition to that, it makes sense to make clean up your Mac from old system junk files and application leftovers. The easiest way to do it is to run CleanMyMac X on your machine (download information technology for gratuitous hither).

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

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