There are a few reasons why you might desire to download and install old versions of macOS or Mac Bone X. Perhaps you are relying on software y'all have discovered doesn't work properly in the latest version. Or maybe you but don't like the new version of macOS that you have installed.

Another scenario is that you are a developer and you demand to be running multiple versions of macOS and Mac OS X and then that you can be sure that your software runs correctly on them. Either way, y'all have questions and we have answers.

In this article we will cover how to become former versions of macOS including Large Sur, Catalina, Mojave, El Capitan, Sierra, Yosemite and even onetime versions of Mac Bone X. We explain how to get hold of the relevant installer files so that you can install the software on your Mac.

We take a divide article that explains how to install old versions of macOS for when you get to that phase of the process.

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

However, if yous were hoping to run older versions of macOS on M1 Macs that'south non possible.

Y'all as well might want to become the installer for a version of macOS in order to brand a bootable installer for installing macOS on multiple Macs (we too look at that scenario separately).

Where tin I download old macOS?

Before you can install an older version of macOS or Mac OS X y'all will need to get concur of the installer for the version of macOS yous want to install. Luckily it is possible to gets concord of these files - as long as you know where to go along the Mac App Store.

We take the necessary links to the Mac App Store beneath. Nosotros will prove you a way to get the following macOS installers:

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

*Annotation that we have discovered that the links we give beneath will just work if yous are surfing in Safari, and so we suggest you switch to Apple's browser earlier moving on. You should also close the Mac App Shop app if you have that open up or the link may non work*

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

We take a list of which Macs run which versions of macOS & Mac OS X.

How to download macOS Big Sur

You tin download the installer for Big Sur from the Mac App Shop - as long as you know where to find it - searching the Mac App Store will not piece of work.

  • Click on this link which to open the Mac App Shop on the Big Sur folio. (Apply Safari and make sure the Mac App Store app is closed first or it 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 Large Sur page.
  2. Click on Get.
  3. Software Update volition open with the words "Finding Update". Eventually a message "Are you lot sure you desire to download macOS Big Sur" volition appear. It might look like an update rather than the full version, merely you'll see 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 practice not click Install. If you install it the installer will automatically be deleted.
  5. You should exist able to detect the Install macOS Large Sur app in your Applications folder, you'll need 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

You can as well download the installer for Catalina from the Mac App Store - as long as you know the magic link.

  • Click on this link which will open up the Mac App Store on the Catalina page. (Apply Safari and brand sure the Mac App Shop app is closed first).

Catalina Mac App Store

As to a higher place, 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". Somewhen a message "Are you certain you want to download macOS Catalina" will appear. It might look like an update rather than the full version, but you'll encounter from the size of the download (effectually 6GB) that this is the complete installer for Catalina. Download Catalina
  4. Once the installer has downloaded exercise non click Install. If you lot install it the installer will automatically be deleted.
  5. You lot should be able to notice the Install macOS Catalina app in your Applications binder, yous'll demand this for the next steps, which we outline hither: How to downgrade macOS, install an older version on your Mac.

How to download macOS Mojave

It is also possible to admission the Mojave installer via this link to the Mac App Store. Annotation that every bit higher up, for this link to work yous need to be running Safari and you need to close the Mac App Shop app first. If the Mac App Store app is open this redirect volition not work.

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

Follow the steps in the section above to download it.

Download Mojave

How to download High Sierra

Information technology is also possible to download Loftier Sierra via this link. (Apply Safari, shut the Mac App Shop app start).

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

How to download Sierra, El Capitan or Yosemite

Apple tree provides dmg files of these older macOS versions - you need to download them in Safari. A deejay image named InstallOS.dmg will download and once it does you demand to locate the pkg installer inside the disk image.

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

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

Another issue is if the link takes you to the correct page in the Mac App Shop, only you encounter an Update not found error message when y'all effort to download it. This is an issue we are aware of that others have encountered, although we haven't. In that case we suggest yous attempt to download the installer via that link using an older Mac.

You may too run across problems if you are trying to download an older version of macOS that your Mac cannot support. Ordinarily when Apple introduces a new Mac information technology will not exist able to run the version of macOS that shipped earlier the i installed on that Mac. The older macOS might non support certain components in that Mac, for example.

Notice out more about what version of macOS your Mac supports here: What version of macOS can my Mac run?

Other means to get sometime 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 and even Mac OS X in the Mac App Store. How like shooting fish in a barrel they are to discover will be determined by the version of macOS running on that Mac.

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

Still, when Apple introduced Mojave the Mac App Store inverse, and these installers tin can no longer be searched for or establish in the purchased section of the store. (Although we exercise accept redirect links in the section above to each of the relevant pages on the Mac App Store.)

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 enquire a friend to download a copy of the installer from the Mac App Store for yous. We run through this method in the section below.

As above, in one case the installer has downloaded don't install it! If you do and then the installer volition be deleted. You'll find the installer in your Applications binder from which you tin copy on to your Mac - or create a bootable installer.

We've heard that it may be possible to download the installer via Terminal, nonetheless nosotros were unable to get that method to work.

You lot may too find updates to sometime version of macOS on Apple'due south website here, however these are only point updates, rather than the full version, so it won't exist much help if you are trying to get the full download.

The one thing yous really mustn't do is get to a torrent site and download a re-create of the Bone X you want. Only considering Apple tree gives away its software for gratuitous, don't think it's fine to just selection up 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 have access to a Mac running OS Ten Yosemite or older it is possible to see old versions of Mac Bone X in the Mac App Store. Yosemite, Mavericks and Mountain Lion can all be seen here.

It'southward worth noting that you lot'll only come across old versions of Mac Bone X that y'all've downloaded under Purchased - if yous never downloaded information technology (or if information technology was never on the Mac App Store), that version will not be in your Purchased department. 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 go an older version of Mac OS X from the Mac App Store (this only works if you lot've downloaded it in the past and it won't work if you take already installed Mojave or afterward):

  1. Open the Mac App Store (choose Store > Sign In if y'all demand to log in).
  2. Click Purchased.
  3. Curl downward to detect the copy of OS X or macOS you want.
  4. Click Install.

Clicking Install won't really install the software, merely it will download the installer application to your Applications binder.

Y'all won't be able to simply install this older version of the operating arrangement straight onto a Mac running a newer version of Os X or macOS. We will explain how information technology can exist installed on a Mac - including one currently running an before operating system here: How to install old Mac Os X versions.

Can't find Mac Os Ten in Purchased?

If yous know you accept previously downloaded the version of macOS y'all are after, simply you aren't seeing it in the Purchased section, at that place are a few things to try:

  1. Log out of the App Store then log in again.
  2. If it's a possibility that you downloaded it while logged in to a different Apple ID (perhaps a piece of work-related i), log in using that ID.
  3. Alternatively, detect someone who has downloaded that version of the Mac operating arrangement and inquire them to download the installation file for you.

If you never downloaded the version of Mac OS X then jump to step 3 and find a friendly person who did. Ask them to download the Mac OS Ten installer for you.

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

How to get Os X King of beasts, Mountain Lion

Prior to June 2021 you could buy Os 10 10.7 King of beasts or Mountain Lion from Apple for £nineteen.99 each - Apple would ship you lot a download code. Now Apple tree has stopped charging for the ageing operating system versions. Instead you tin can download the operating systems directly from the company's website.

The operating systems can exist downloaded from the following links:

If information technology's Mac OS 10 ten.7 Lion that you are after, it's still available for £nineteen.99 here Us or here UK. Apple will send you a download lawmaking to use on the Mac App Shop, so you lot volition need to be running Snow Leopard to install it.

If it'south Bone 10 10.eight Mount Lion that you lot can even so buy it for £19.99 here US or here Great britain.

We accept more information well-nigh getting the costless installers for OS X Lion and Mountain Lion from Apple tree in Apple offers costless downloads of Bone X Panthera leo and Mount Panthera leo.

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

How to become Os X Snowfall Leopard

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

Until 2021 Apple still sold a boxed version of Mac OS Ten ten.six Snow Leopard here for £19.99 (at its launch in 2009 it toll £25). If you purchased Snowfall Leopard this way you were sent a physical box containing an optical disc - so yous will need a CD/DVD drive to install it (which yous will probably have if the Mac is that old).

Apple tree has at present removed the power to buy Snow Leopard. Notwithstanding, this isn't a big trouble considering those people who were previously locked out of updates tin now download the Lion or Mountain Panthera leo update, as explained above.

Get Snow Leopard

How to get OS X Leopard or before

If the quondam version of the OS you are afterwards predates Snow Leopard and you have a programmer account yous might be able to become it from developer.apple.com/downloads. If yous search within the Os Ten category you should come across downloads for all versions of Os X, at least from version x.3 to 10.6.

You may be able to access the Developer department of the website, simply you lot will only be able to access sure software downloads if your Apple tree ID is associated with a paid Apple Developer Program.

If you lot haven't signed up as a Apple Developer, discover out what that entails here. It costs £79 ($99) a year to join the Apple Developer Program and you have to sign a non disclosure understanding.

You could too try looking on Amazon or eBay to see if anyone is selling old versions of the Mac operating organisation. For example there's a Full Install of OS 10 Lion available for £8.50 on Amazon here.

If it'due south Tiger you are later, then it will cost a lilliputian more. There was a copy of Tiger on Amazon for £89.99 but it'southward currently unavailable.

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