In that location are a few reasons why y'all might want to download and install old versions of macOS or Mac OS X. Perhaps you are relying on software you have discovered doesn't work properly in the latest version. Or peradventure yous simply don't like the new version of macOS that you accept installed.

Another scenario is that you are a developer and you need to exist running multiple versions of macOS and Mac Bone X and then that you can exist sure that your software runs correctly on them. Either manner, yous accept questions and we have answers.

In this article we will cover how to go erstwhile versions of macOS including Big Sur, Catalina, Mojave, El Capitan, Sierra, Yosemite and even sometime versions of Mac Os 10. Nosotros explicate how to become hold of the relevant installer files so that y'all can install the software on your Mac.

We take a split up article that explains how to install old versions of macOS for when yous get to that stage of the process.

If you are looking for a way to revert to the previous version of macOS, we take a more specific article nearly downgrading from Monterey to Big Sur and other versions, although we do cover the method here likewise. We also have a guide to downgrading from the macOS beta.

However, if y'all were hoping to run older versions of macOS on M1 Macs that's non possible.

Yous likewise might want to go the installer for a version of macOS in order to make a bootable installer for installing macOS on multiple Macs (we besides look at that scenario separately).

Where tin can I download quondam macOS?

Before y'all can install an older version of macOS or Mac OS Ten you volition need to get hold of the installer for the version of macOS you desire to install. Luckily information technology is possible to gets concur of these files - equally long as you know where to become on the Mac App Store.

We have the necessary links to the Mac App Store below. We volition show you lot a way to become the following macOS installers:

  • macOS Big Sur
  • macOS Catalina
  • macOS Mojave
  • macOS Loftier Sierra
  • macOS Sierra
  • OS 10 El Capitan
  • OS 10 Yosemite
  • OS X Mavericks
  • Os X Mountain Panthera leo
  • Bone 10 Lion

*Note that we take discovered that the links we give below volition only piece of work if you are surfing in Safari, so we suggest you switch to Apple's browser before moving on. You lot should also close the Mac App Store app if you have that open up or the link may not piece of work*

You won't be able to go the Mac OS X Snowfall Leopard download this way, but we'll expect at that subsequently. In fact, we tell you how to go copies of Leopard, Lion and Mountain Lion as well!

We have a list of which Macs run which versions of macOS & Mac Os Ten.

How to download macOS Big Sur

You tin can download the installer for Big Sur from the Mac App Shop - every bit long every bit you know where to find it - searching the Mac App Store volition not work.

  • Click on this link which to open the Mac App Shop on the Big Sur folio. (Employ Safari and brand sure the Mac App Store app is closed commencement or information technology might not work).

Follow these steps to download Big Sur (or any other version of macOS) from the Mac App Store:

  1. Click this link to open up the Mac App Store on the Big Sur page.
  2. Click on Get.
  3. Software Update will open up with the words "Finding Update". Eventually a message "Are you sure you desire to download macOS Big Sur" will appear. It might wait like an update rather than the full version, only you lot'll run into from the size of the download (around 6GB) that this is the complete installer for Large Sur.
  4. In one case the installer has downloaded practise not click Install. If you install information technology the installer will automatically be deleted.
  5. You should be able to find the Install macOS Big Sur app in your Applications folder, y'all'll demand this for the next steps, which we outline here: How to downgrade macOS, install an older version on your Mac.

How to download macOS Catalina

Yous can also download the installer for Catalina from the Mac App Store - as long every bit you know the magic link.

  • Click on this link which will open the Mac App Store on the Catalina page. (Use Safari and make certain the Mac App Store app is closed first).

Catalina Mac App Store

As above, follow these steps to download Catalina (or any other version of macOS) from the Mac App Shop:

  1. Click this link to open the Mac App Store on the Catalina page.
  2. Click on Get.
  3. Software Update will open with the words "Finding Update". Eventually a message "Are you sure you lot desire to download macOS Catalina" volition appear. It might await similar an update rather than the full version, but you'll see from the size of the download (around 6GB) that this is the complete installer for Catalina. Download Catalina
  4. One time the installer has downloaded do non click Install. If you install it the installer will automatically exist deleted.
  5. You should be able to detect the Install macOS Catalina app in your Applications binder, yous'll demand this for the next steps, which we outline here: How to downgrade macOS, install an older version on your Mac.

How to download macOS Mojave

It is too possible to access the Mojave installer via this link to the Mac App Store. Notation that every bit higher up, for this link to work y'all need to exist running Safari and you need to shut the Mac App Shop app first. If the Mac App Shop app is open this redirect will not piece of work.

  • Click on this link to open the Mac App Store on the Mojave page.

Follow the steps in the section above to download it.

Download Mojave

How to download High Sierra

Information technology is as well possible to download High Sierra via this link. (Employ Safari, close the Mac App Store app kickoff).

Follow the steps in the section above to download Loftier Sierra.

How to download Sierra, El Capitan or Yosemite

Apple provides dmg files of these older macOS versions - y'all need to download them in Safari. A disk paradigm named InstallOS.dmg will download and one time it does you need to locate the pkg installer inside the disk epitome.

That Mac App Store link isn't working for me!

We've said above that in our experience unremarkably the reason the above links don't piece of work is if you are browsing in something other than Safari, or if you lot have already got the Mac App Store open up. Nevertheless, if you are still finding that the link isn't working you could try the alternative methods below.

Another issue is if the link takes you to the right folio in the Mac App Shop, but y'all see an Update non found error message when you try to download it. This is an event we are enlightened of that others have encountered, although we oasis't. In that case nosotros suggest you try to download the installer via that link using an older Mac.

Yous may also come across issues if you are trying to download an older version of macOS that your Mac cannot support. Usually when Apple introduces a new Mac it will non exist able to run the version of macOS that shipped before the i installed on that Mac. The older macOS might not support certain components in that Mac, for case.

Find out more than nearly what version of macOS your Mac supports here: What version of macOS can my Mac run?

Other means to go old macOS versions

If you lot are running an older version of macOS - or someone you lot know is - yous should exist able to easily find older versions of macOS and even Mac Bone X in the Mac App Shop. How easy they are to detect will exist determined by the version of macOS running on that Mac.

Prior to macOS Mojave's inflow in 2018 the installers for the older macOS versions could be searched for or found via the Purchased tab (not that anyone has had to pay for a Mac Os X update for years).

All the same, when Apple introduced Mojave the Mac App Store changed, and these installers can no longer be searched for or constitute in the purchased section of the store. (Although nosotros do have redirect links in the section higher up to each of the relevant pages on the Mac App Shop.)

If y'all happen to have access to a Mac that's running an older version of macOS, log into the Mac App Shop with your password and download the Mojave installer on that Mac. Alternatively ask a friend to download a copy of the installer from the Mac App Shop for you. Nosotros run through this method in the section below.

As above, once the installer has downloaded don't install it! If y'all do then the installer volition exist deleted. Y'all'll find the installer in your Applications folder from which you can re-create on to your Mac - or create a bootable installer.

We've heard that it may be possible to download the installer via Terminal, however we were unable to get that method to piece of work.

You may also notice updates to one-time version of macOS on Apple'south website hither, however these are but betoken updates, rather than the full version, and so it won't exist much assist if you lot are trying to become the total download.

The 1 matter you actually mustn't practise is go to a torrent site and download a copy of the OS X you want. Just because Apple tree gives abroad its software for free, don't think information technology's fine to just pick upwards a copy. Pirated copies of Apple tree software could have been adjusted to allow hackers access to the software and your Mac.

Download Mac Os Ten

If you lot have access to a Mac running Os 10 Yosemite or older it is possible to see onetime versions of Mac OS X in the Mac App Store. Yosemite, Mavericks and Mount Lion can all be seen hither.

It'due south worth noting that yous'll just see old versions of Mac Os X that you've downloaded nether Purchased - if you never downloaded it (or if it was never on the Mac App 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. Nosotros'll look at that scenario later.

Here is how to get an older version of Mac Bone X from the Mac App Shop (this just works if you've downloaded information technology in the past and information technology won't work if you lot take already installed Mojave or later):

  1. Open the Mac App Store (choose Shop > Sign In if you need to log in).
  2. Click Purchased.
  3. Ringlet down to find the copy of Os X or macOS yous want.
  4. Click Install.

Clicking Install won't actually install the software, but it will download the installer application to your Applications folder.

You won't exist able to simply install this older version of the operating organization direct onto a Mac running a newer version of OS X or macOS. We will explicate how it can exist installed on a Mac - including ane currently running an earlier operating system here: How to install former Mac OS X versions.

Can't find Mac OS X in Purchased?

If you know you have previously downloaded the version of macOS you are after, but yous aren't seeing information technology in the Purchased section, there are a few things to endeavour:

  1. Log out of the App Store and then log in again.
  2. If information technology'southward a possibility that yous downloaded it while logged in to a dissimilar Apple ID (perhaps a piece of work-related one), log in using that ID.
  3. Alternatively, observe someone who has downloaded that version of the Mac operating system and ask them to download the installation file for you.

If you never downloaded the version of Mac Bone X so jump to step iii and discover a friendly person who did. Ask them to download the Mac Bone Ten installer for you lot.

Luckily the copy of OS X isn't locked to their account and then information technology will install on whatsoever Mac.

How to go OS X Lion, Mountain Lion

Prior to June 2021 y'all could purchase OS X 10.7 Lion or Mountain Lion from Apple for £19.99 each - Apple would transport you lot a download lawmaking. At present Apple has stopped charging for the ageing operating system versions. Instead yous can download the operating systems straight from the company's website.

The operating systems can exist downloaded from the following links:

If it's Mac OS X x.7 Lion that you are after, it's still available for £19.99 here US or here U.k.. Apple will send you a download code to use on the Mac App Shop, then you volition demand to be running Snowfall Leopard to install it.

If it's OS Ten 10.8 Mountain Lion that yous can nevertheless buy it for £19.99 here US or here UK.

We take more information most getting the costless installers for OS 10 Lion and Mountain Lion from Apple in Apple offers gratuitous downloads of Bone X Panthera leo and Mount King of beasts.

Whether your Mac will actually run these operating systems is another question nosotros accost here: Which versions of macOS can my Mac run? Note that only Macs that predate 2012 will run Lion.

How to get Bone Ten Snow Leopard

If your Mac has a version of macOS installed that is older than Snow Leopard you won't have access to the Mac App Shop. Since for a number of years after Snowfall Leopard arrived all versions of Mac Os X arrived via the Mac App Store, those who never installed Snowfall Leopard had a problem: without Snow Leopard they couldn't update.

Until 2021 Apple tree even so sold a boxed version of Mac OS Ten 10.6 Snow Leopard hither for £19.99 (at its launch in 2009 information technology price £25). If you purchased Snowfall Leopard this way yous were sent a concrete box containing an optical disc - and then y'all will need a CD/DVD drive to install it (which you will probably take if the Mac is that old).

Apple has at present removed the ability to buy Snow Leopard. However, this isn't a big trouble because those people who were previously locked out of updates tin can now download the Lion or Mountain Lion update, equally explained to a higher place.

Get Snow Leopard

How to get OS X Leopard or earlier

If the quondam version of the OS you are later on predates Snow Leopard and you lot have a developer account you might be able to get it from programmer.apple.com/downloads. If y'all search within the Os X category you should come across downloads for all versions of OS X, at least from version ten.three to x.6.

Yous may be able to access the Developer section of the website, but yous will only be able to access certain software downloads if your Apple ID is associated with a paid Apple Programmer Plan.

If you oasis't signed upwards equally a Apple Developer, observe out what that entails here. It costs £79 ($99) a twelvemonth to join the Apple Programmer Program and you have to sign a non disclosure understanding.

You lot could as well try looking on Amazon or eBay to see if anyone is selling old versions of the Mac operating system. For instance there'south a Full Install of Os X Lion available for £8.l on Amazon here.

If information technology'southward Tiger you are after, and so it will cost a petty more. There was a copy of Tiger on Amazon for £89.99 just it'southward currently unavailable.

How to download Mac OS X Mountain Lion, Snow Leopard and older Mac software