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There are a few reasons why you might want to download and install an old version of macOS or Mac OS X. Perhaps you’re relying on software you have discovered doesn’t work properly in the latest version. Or maybe you just don’t like the new version of macOS that you have installed. Either way, you have questions & we have answers.
In this article, we will cover how khổng lồ get old versions of macOS, including Monterey, Big Sur, Catalina, Mojave, El Capitan, Sierra, Yosemite, và even old versions of Mac OS X. We explain how to get hold of the relevant installer files so that you can install the software on your Mac.
If you are looking for a way lớn revert to lớn the previous version of macOS, we have a more specific article about downgrading. & remember, if you were hoping lớn run Catalina, Mohave, or a version of macOS older than Big Sur on an M1- or M2-series Mac, that’s not possible.
You also might want khổng lồ get the installer for a version of macOS in order lớn make a bootable installer for installing macOS on multiple Macs. Và we have a separate article that explains how to lớn install old versions of macOS when you get to that stage of the process.
Where can I tải về older versions of macOS?
Before you can install an older version of macOS or Mac OS X you will need to get hold of the installer for the version of macOS you want to install. Luckily it is possible lớn get ahold of these files, as long as you know where to go on the Mac app Store. If you’re unsure of your Mac’s compatability, check out our list of which Macs run which versions of macOS và Mac OS X.
We have the necessary links to the Mac ứng dụng Store below. We will show you a way lớn get the following macOS installers:
macOS Monterey (12)macOS Big Sur (11)macOS Catalina (10.15)macOS Mojave (10.14)macOS High Sierra (10.13)macOS Sierra (10.12)OS X 10.11 El CapitanOS X 10.10 YosemiteOS X 10.9 MavericksOS X 10.8 Mountain LionOS X 10.7 Lion*Note that we have discovered that the liên kết we give below will only work if you are using Safari, so we suggest you switch khổng lồ Apple’s browser before moving on. You should also close the Mac ứng dụng Store phầm mềm if you have that xuất hiện or the links may not work*
How to download an older version of macOS for an M-Series Mac
Appl began transitioning away from táo khuyết silicon with the release of macOS Big Sur in 2020, so any version of macOS prior that that won’t run on an M1 Mac or later.
Foundry
Apple only replaced Monterey with macOS 13 Ventura in October 2022, but you can still download the installer for Monterey from the Mac tiện ích Store. Follow these steps to download macOS Monterey (or other versions of macOS below) from the Mac ứng dụng Store:
Click “Get”.Software Update will mở cửa with the words “Finding Update”. Eventually a message “Are you sure you want to download macOS Monterey” will appear. It might look lượt thích an update rather than the full version, but you’ll see from the form size of the download (around 6GB) that this is the complete installer for Monterey. Once the installer has downloaded do not click “Install”. If you do, the installer will automatically be deleted (plus it won’t install if you are already running Ventura).How to tải về macOS Big Sur
Follow the instructions in the Monterey section above.How to download an older version of macOS for an intel Mac
While the above versions of macOS will work with newer Intel-based Macs, the following versions are specifically made for Macs with intel chips.
Note that if you have a M1 or mét vuông Mac you will see a message that your Mac is not compatible with it. All versions of macOS prior lớn Big Sur require an hãng intel Mac.
Follow the instructions in the Monterey section above.How to download macOS Mojave
Follow the instructions in the Monterey section above.
How to tải về High Sierra
Follow the instructions in the Monterey section above.How to tải về Sierra, El Capitan, or Yosemite
Apple provides dmg files of these older macOS versions, but you need to tải về them in Safari. A disk image named InstallOS.dmg will tải về and once it does you need khổng lồ locate the pkg installer inside the disk image.
If the Mac app Store links above aren’t working
We’ve said above that in our experience usually the reason the above links don’t work is if you are browsing in something other than Safari, or if you have already got the Mac ứng dụng Store open. However, if you are still finding that the liên kết isn’t working you could try the alternative methods below.
Another issue is if the links takes you khổng lồ the correct page in the Mac tiện ích Store, but you see an Update not found error message when you try to tải về it. This is an issue we are aware of that others have encountered, although we haven’t. In that case, we suggest you try to download the installer via that link using an older Mac.
You may also encounter issues if you are trying to download an older version of macOS that your Mac cannot support. Usually, when táo introduces a new Mac it will not be able to lớn run the version of macOS that shipped before the one installed on that Mac. The older macOS might not support certain components in that Mac, for example.
Other ways to get older macOS versions
If you are running an older version of macOS – or someone you know is – you should be able to easily find older versions of macOS & even Mac OS X in the Mac app Store. How easy they are to lớn find will be determined by the version of macOS running on that Mac.
Prior to lớn macOS Mojave’s arrival in 2018, the installers for the older macOS versions could be searched for or found via the Purchased tab (not that anyone has had khổng lồ pay for a Mac OS X update for years).
However, when táo introduced Mojave the Mac tiện ích Store changed, và these installers can no longer be searched for or found in the purchased section of the store. (Although we vị have redirect link in the section above to each of the relevant pages on the Mac phầm mềm Store.)
If you happen to lớn have access to a Mac that’s running an older version of macOS, log into the Mac app Store with your password and tải về the Mojave installer on that Mac. Alternatively, ask a friend to tải về a copy of the installer from the Mac tiện ích Store for you. We run through this method in the section below.
As above, once the installer has downloaded don’t install it! If you bởi vì then the installer will be deleted. You’ll find the installer in your Applications thư mục from which you can copy it onto your Mac or create a bootable installer.
You may also find updates to lớn an older version of macOS on Apple’s website. However these are just point updates, rather than the full version, so it won’t be much help if you are trying lớn get the full download.
The one thing you really mustn’t vì is go lớn a torrent site and download a copy of the OS X you want. Just because apple gives away its software for free, don’t think it’s fine to just pick up a copy. Pirated copies of táo apple software could have been adjusted khổng lồ allow hackers access to lớn the software và your Mac.
How to tải về old Mac OS X versions
If you have access to a Mac running OS X Yosemite or older it is possible to lớn see old versions of Mac OS X in the Mac ứng dụng Store. Yosemite, Mavericks, and Mountain Lion can all be seen here.
It’s worth noting that you’llonly see old versions of Mac OS X that you’ve downloaded under Purchased – if you never downloaded it (or if it was never on the Mac tiện ích Store), that version will not be in your Purchased section. Another reason why the version of Mac OS X might be missing is if your machine shipped with that version installed. We’ll look at that scenario later.
Here is how to lớn get an older version of Mac OS X from the Mac ứng dụng Store (this only works if you’ve downloaded it in the past và it won’t work if you have already installed Mojave or later):
Open the Mac app Store (choose Store > Sign In if you need lớn log in).Click Purchased.Scroll down khổng lồ find the copy of OS X or macOS you want.Click Install.Clicking Install won’t actually install the software, but it will tải về the installer application to your Applications folder.
You won’t be able to lớn simply install this older version of the operating system directly onto a Mac running a newer version of OS X or macOS. We will explain how it can be installed on a Mac – including one currently running an earlier operating system here: How lớn install old Mac OS X versions.
If you can’t find a version of Mac OS X in your purchased items
If you know you have previously downloaded the version of macOSyou are after, but you aren’t seeing it in the Purchased section, there are a few things to lớn try:
Log out of the tiện ích Store then log in again.If it’s a possibility that you downloaded it while logged in to lớn a different táo khuyết ID (perhaps a work-related one), log in using that ID.Alternatively, find someone who has downloaded that version of the Mac operating system and ask them to download the installation tệp tin for you.
If you never downloaded the version of Mac OS X then jump lớn step 3 and find a friendly person who did. Ask them to tải về the Mac OS X installer for you.
Luckily the copy of OS X isn’t locked lớn their trương mục so it will install on any Mac.
How to lớn get OS X Lion và Mountain Lion
Prior khổng lồ June 2021, you could purchase OS X 10.7 Lion or Mountain Lion from táo bị cắn dở for $19.99/£19.99 each – táo bị cắn would send you a tải về code. Now apple has stopped charging for the aging operating system versions. Instead, you can tải về the operating systems directly from the company’s website.
The operating systems can be downloaded from the following links:
Whether your Mac will actually run these operating systems is another question we address here: Which versions of macOS can my Mac run? note that only Macs that predate 2012 will run Lion.
How to lớn get OS X Snow Leopard
If your Mac has a version of macOS installed that is older than Snow Leopard you won’t have access khổng lồ the Mac app Store. For a number of years after Snow Leopard arrived all versions of Mac OS X arrived via the Mac app Store, those who never installed Snow Leopard had a problem: without Snow Leopard, they couldn’t update.
Until 2021 hãng apple still sold a boxed version of Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard for $19.99/£19.99 (at its launch in 2009 it cost $25/£25). If you purchased Snow Leopard this way you were sent a physical box containing an optical disc – so you will need a CD/DVD drive lớn install it (which you will probably have if the Mac is that old).
Apple has now removed the ability lớn buy Snow Leopard. However, this isn’t a big problem because those people who were previously locked out of updates can now download the Lion or Mountain Lion update, as explained above.
How khổng lồ get OS X Leopard or earlier
If the old version of the OS you are after predates Snow Leopard & you have a developer account you might be able khổng lồ get it from developer.apple.com/downloads. If you search within the OS X category you should see downloads for all versions of OS X, at least from version 10.3 lớn 10.6.
You may be able to lớn access the Developer section of the website, but you will only be able to lớn access certain software downloads if your táo khuyết ID is associated with a paid apple Developer Program. It costs $99/£79 a year to join the apple Developer Program and you have to lớn sign a nondisclosure agreement.
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You could also try looking on Amazon or eBay khổng lồ see if anyone is selling old versions of the Mac operating system.