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

Another scenario is that you are a developer and you need to be running multiple versions of macOS and Mac Os X and so that you lot can exist sure that your software runs correctly on them. Either mode, you lot take questions and we have answers.

In this article we will encompass how to go former versions of macOS including Big Sur, Catalina, Mojave, El Capitan, Sierra, Yosemite and even old versions of Mac OS 10. We explain how to go concur of the relevant installer files so that you can install the software on your Mac.

We have a separate article that explains how to install quondam versions of macOS for when y'all go to that stage of the process.

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

Yet, if you were hoping to run older versions of macOS on M1 Macs that's not possible.

Y'all also might want to get the installer for a version of macOS in club to make a bootable installer for installing macOS on multiple Macs (nosotros besides expect at that scenario separately).

Where tin can I download old macOS?

Earlier yous tin install an older version of macOS or Mac Os 10 you will need to get hold of the installer for the version of macOS you desire to install. Luckily it is possible to gets hold of these files - as long equally you know where to proceed the Mac App Store.

We have the necessary links to the Mac App Shop below. We will evidence you a way to become the following macOS installers:

  • macOS Big Sur
  • macOS Catalina
  • macOS Mojave
  • macOS High Sierra
  • macOS Sierra
  • Os X El Capitan
  • Bone X Yosemite
  • OS Ten Mavericks
  • OS X Mountain Lion
  • OS X Lion

*Annotation that we have discovered that the links we requite below volition but piece of work if you lot are surfing in Safari, so we suggest you lot switch to Apple'southward browser before moving on. You should also close the Mac App Store app if yous have that open or the link may non piece of work*

Y'all won't be able to become the Mac OS X Snow Leopard download this way, simply we'll wait at that afterward. In fact, nosotros tell y'all how to get copies of Leopard, Lion and Mount King of beasts too!

Nosotros take a list of which Macs run which versions of macOS & Mac Bone 10.

How to download macOS Large Sur

You lot can download the installer for Large Sur from the Mac App Store - as long equally you know where to find it - searching the Mac App Store will non work.

  • Click on this link which to open the Mac App Store on the Large Sur page. (Utilise Safari and make sure the Mac App Store app is closed showtime or it might not work).

Follow these steps to download Big Sur (or whatever 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". Somewhen a message "Are you sure you lot want to download macOS Big Sur" will appear. It might look like an update rather than the total version, but 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 exercise not click Install. If you install it the installer volition automatically exist deleted.
  5. Yous should be able to discover the Install macOS Large Sur app in your Applications binder, you'll demand this for the next steps, which nosotros outline here: How to downgrade macOS, install an older version on your Mac.

How to download macOS Catalina

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

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

Catalina Mac App Store

Equally above, follow these steps to download Catalina (or whatsoever other version of macOS) from the Mac App Store:

  1. Click this link to open the Mac App Store on the Catalina page.
  2. Click on Get.
  3. Software Update volition open with the words "Finding Update". Somewhen a bulletin "Are you lot certain you lot want to download macOS Catalina" will appear. It might wait like an update rather than the full version, but you'll encounter from the size of the download (around 6GB) that this is the complete installer for Catalina. Download Catalina
  4. In one case the installer has downloaded do not click Install. If yous install it the installer will automatically be deleted.
  5. Y'all should be able to observe the Install macOS Catalina app in your Applications folder, you'll need this for the adjacent steps, which we outline here: How to downgrade macOS, install an older version on your Mac.

How to download macOS Mojave

It is also possible to access the Mojave installer via this link to the Mac App Store. Note that every bit in a higher place, for this link to piece of work yous need to be running Safari and you need to shut the Mac App Shop app first. If the Mac App Store app is open this redirect will not work.

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

Follow the steps in the department in a higher place to download it.

Download Mojave

How to download High Sierra

It is besides possible to download Loftier Sierra via this link. (Use Safari, close the Mac App Shop app beginning).

Follow the steps in the section to a higher place to download Loftier Sierra.

How to download Sierra, El Capitan or Yosemite

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

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

Nosotros've said higher up that in our experience usually the reason the higher up links don't work is if you are browsing in something other than Safari, or if you accept already got the Mac App Store open. However, if you lot are even so finding that the link isn't working you could try the alternative methods below.

Another upshot is if the link takes y'all to the right page in the Mac App Store, but you see an Update non found error message when you try to download it. This is an result we are aware of that others have encountered, although we haven't. In that case we suggest you endeavour to download the installer via that link using an older Mac.

You may as well encounter issues if you lot are trying to download an older version of macOS that your Mac cannot support. Usually when Apple introduces a new Mac it will non be able to 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.

Find out more near what version of macOS your Mac supports hither: What version of macOS tin my Mac run?

Other ways to get old 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 easy they are to find will exist 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 be searched for or found via the Purchased tab (not that anyone has had to pay for a Mac OS X update for years).

Yet, when Apple tree introduced Mojave the Mac App Store inverse, and these installers can no longer be searched for or found in the purchased section of the shop. (Although we do have redirect links in the section to a higher place to each of the relevant pages on the Mac App Shop.)

If you happen to take access to a Mac that's running an older version of macOS, log into the Mac App Store 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 Store for you. We run through this method in the section below.

Every bit higher up, once the installer has downloaded don't install it! If you lot do so the installer volition be deleted. You'll find the installer in your Applications binder from which you can copy on to your Mac - or create a bootable installer.

Nosotros've heard that information technology may be possible to download the installer via Terminal, however nosotros were unable to get that method to piece of work.

You may also detect updates to erstwhile version of macOS on Apple's website here, yet these are simply point updates, rather than the full version, so information technology won't be much help if you lot are trying to get the full download.

The one thing yous really mustn't practise is get to a torrent site and download a copy of the Os X you want. Merely because Apple gives away its software for complimentary, don't recollect information technology's fine to merely pick up a copy. Pirated copies of Apple tree software could take been adjusted to allow hackers access to the software and your Mac.

Download Mac Os X

If you take access to a Mac running Os X Yosemite or older it is possible to see old versions of Mac Os X in the Mac App Store. Yosemite, Mavericks and Mountain Lion tin can all be seen here.

It'due south worth noting that you'll only see old versions of Mac OS X that you've downloaded nether Purchased - if y'all never downloaded it (or if it was never on the Mac App Store), that version volition not be in your Purchased section. Another reason why the version of Mac OS 10 might be missing is if your car shipped with that version installed. We'll expect at that scenario afterward.

Here is how to get an older version of Mac Os 10 from the Mac App Store (this but works if you've downloaded it in the past and it won't work if you have already installed Mojave or later on):

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

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

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

Tin't find Mac Os X in Purchased?

If you know you take previously downloaded the version of macOS you are afterward, but yous aren't seeing information technology in the Purchased department, in that location are a few things to attempt:

  1. Log out of the App Store and so log in over again.
  2. If it's a possibility that you downloaded it while logged in to a different Apple ID (peradventure a work-related one), log in using that ID.
  3. Alternatively, find someone who has downloaded that version of the Mac operating system and ask them to download the installation file for y'all.

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 Bone X installer for you.

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

How to get Os X King of beasts, Mountain Panthera leo

Prior to June 2021 you lot could purchase Os X 10.seven Lion or Mount Panthera leo from Apple for £19.99 each - Apple would send you a download code. Now Apple has stopped charging for the ageing operating arrangement versions. Instead you can download the operating systems directly from the company'southward website.

The operating systems tin be downloaded from the following links:

If it's Mac OS X 10.7 Lion that y'all are afterwards, it's still bachelor for £19.99 here US or here UK. Apple will send you a download code to use on the Mac App Store, so you will need to exist running Snowfall Leopard to install it.

If it'due south Os Ten 10.eight Mount Lion that you lot tin still purchase it for £19.99 here US or hither United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland.

We have more data about getting the complimentary installers for OS X Panthera leo and Mountain King of beasts from Apple in Apple offers free downloads of Os 10 Lion and Mountain King of beasts.

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

How to go Bone X Snow Leopard

If your Mac has a version of macOS installed that is older than Snowfall Leopard you won't accept access to the Mac App Store. Since for a number of years after 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 Snowfall Leopard they couldn't update.

Until 2021 Apple still sold a boxed version of Mac OS 10 10.6 Snow Leopard here for £xix.99 (at its launch in 2009 it cost £25). If you purchased Snow Leopard this style you were sent a concrete box containing an optical disc - so you will need a CD/DVD drive to install it (which you volition probably have if the Mac is that old).

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

Get Snow Leopard

How to get Bone X Leopard or earlier

If the old version of the Bone you are after predates Snow Leopard and yous have a developer account you might be able to get information technology from developer.apple.com/downloads. If you search inside the OS X category you should see downloads for all versions of Bone X, at least from version ten.3 to 10.six.

You may be able to access the Developer department of the website, only you will only exist able to access certain software downloads if your Apple ID is associated with a paid Apple Developer Plan.

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

Yous could also try looking on Amazon or eBay to see if anyone is selling onetime versions of the Mac operating system. For case there's a Full Install of OS 10 Panthera leo available for £eight.l on Amazon here.

If it's Tiger you are after, so information technology will price a petty more. There was a re-create of Tiger on Amazon for £89.99 merely information technology'southward currently unavailable.

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