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

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

In this commodity nosotros will cover how to get old versions of macOS including Big Sur, Catalina, Mojave, El Capitan, Sierra, Yosemite and even old versions of Mac Bone Ten. Nosotros explicate how to get hold of the relevant installer files then that you can install the software on your Mac.

Nosotros take a divide commodity that explains how to install old versions of macOS for when you get to that stage of the procedure.

If yous are looking for a way to revert to the previous version of macOS, nosotros have a more specific article nigh downgrading from Monterey to Big Sur and other versions, although we do cover the method here besides. Nosotros besides have a guide to downgrading from the macOS beta.

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

You besides might want to go the installer for a version of macOS in order to brand a bootable installer for installing macOS on multiple Macs (we also expect at that scenario separately).

Where tin can I download old macOS?

Before you tin install an older version of macOS or Mac OS 10 you lot will need to become hold of the installer for the version of macOS you want to install. Luckily it is possible to gets hold of these files - as long as you know where to go on the Mac App Store.

We have the necessary links to the Mac App Store below. Nosotros will show you a way to become the post-obit macOS installers:

  • macOS Big Sur
  • macOS Catalina
  • macOS Mojave
  • macOS High Sierra
  • macOS Sierra
  • Bone 10 El Capitan
  • OS 10 Yosemite
  • OS Ten Mavericks
  • OS X Mountain Lion
  • Bone X Lion

*Annotation that we take discovered that the links nosotros give below will only piece of work if you are surfing in Safari, and then nosotros propose you lot switch to Apple's browser before moving on. Yous should also shut the Mac App Store app if you have that open up or the link may not work*

You won't be able to get the Mac Os Ten Snow Leopard download this way, only we'll look at that afterward. In fact, we tell you how to get copies of Leopard, Lion and Mountain Lion besides!

We have a list of which Macs run which versions of macOS & Mac Bone X.

How to download macOS Big Sur

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

  • Click on this link which to open up the Mac App Store on the Big Sur page. (Use Safari and make sure the Mac App Shop app is airtight first or information technology might not work).

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

  1. Click this link to open the Mac App Store on the Big Sur page.
  2. Click on Get.
  3. Software Update will open with the words "Finding Update". Eventually a message "Are you sure you want to download macOS Big Sur" will appear. It might wait like an update rather than the total version, but you lot'll see from the size of the download (around 6GB) that this is the complete installer for Big Sur.
  4. One time the installer has downloaded do not click Install. If you install it the installer will automatically be deleted.
  5. You should exist able to find the Install macOS Big Sur app in your Applications binder, you'll need this for the side by side steps, which we outline hither: How to downgrade macOS, install an older version on your Mac.

How to download macOS Catalina

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

  • Click on this link which will open the Mac App Store on the Catalina page. (Utilize Safari and make certain the Mac App Store app is airtight commencement).

Catalina Mac App Store

Equally in 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". Eventually a message "Are you lot sure yous want to download macOS Catalina" will appear. It might look like 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. Once the installer has downloaded practise non click Install. If you install it the installer will automatically be deleted.
  5. Yous should be able to find the Install macOS Catalina app in your Applications folder, yous'll need this for the side by side steps, which we outline here: How to downgrade macOS, install an older version on your Mac.

How to download macOS Mojave

It is besides possible to admission the Mojave installer via this link to the Mac App Store. Note that as in a higher place, for this link to work you need to exist running Safari and y'all 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 Store on the Mojave folio.

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. (Employ Safari, close the Mac App Store app starting time).

Follow the steps in the section above to download High 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 disk paradigm named InstallOS.dmg will download and one time it does you need to locate the pkg installer inside the disk prototype.

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

We've said above that in our feel ordinarily the reason the in a higher place links don't work is if you lot are browsing in something other than Safari, or if y'all have already got the Mac App Shop open. However, if you are withal finding that the link isn't working you lot could try the alternative methods below.

Another event is if the link takes y'all to the right folio in the Mac App Store, but you encounter an Update not found error message when y'all effort to download it. This is an result we are aware of that others have encountered, although we haven't. In that case nosotros advise you lot attempt to download the installer via that link using an older Mac.

You may too come across issues if you lot are trying to download an older version of macOS that your Mac cannot back up. Usually when Apple introduces a new Mac it volition not exist able to run the version of macOS that shipped before the 1 installed on that Mac. The older macOS might not back up certain components in that Mac, for case.

Discover out more nearly what version of macOS your Mac supports here: What version of macOS tin my Mac run?

Other ways to get former macOS versions

If you are running an older version of macOS - or someone you know is - you should exist able to hands discover older versions of macOS and even Mac OS X in the Mac App Shop. How easy they are to find will be adamant by the version of macOS running on that Mac.

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

However, when Apple tree introduced Mojave the Mac App Store changed, and these installers can no longer exist searched for or found in the purchased department of the store. (Although we do accept redirect links in the section to a higher place to each of the relevant pages on the Mac App Store.)

If yous happen to accept access to a Mac that'south running an older version of macOS, log into the Mac App Store with your countersign and download the Mojave installer on that Mac. Alternatively enquire a friend to download a re-create of the installer from the Mac App Store for you. We run through this method in the department beneath.

Every bit above, once the installer has downloaded don't install it! If you exercise then the installer will be deleted. You lot'll find the installer in your Applications binder from which you tin copy on to your Mac - or create a bootable installer.

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

You lot may likewise notice updates to old version of macOS on Apple's website here, yet these are just point updates, rather than the full version, then it won't be much help if you are trying to get the full download.

The one affair y'all actually mustn't do is go to a torrent site and download a copy of the Bone 10 you lot desire. Just because Apple gives abroad its software for free, don't call back it's fine to but pick upwards a copy. Pirated copies of Apple software could have been adapted to allow hackers admission to the software and your Mac.

Download Mac Bone Ten

If you have access to a Mac running OS Ten Yosemite or older it is possible to see sometime versions of Mac Bone X in the Mac App Store. Yosemite, Mavericks and Mountain Panthera leo can all be seen hither.

It's worth noting that y'all'll only see one-time versions of Mac OS Ten that y'all've downloaded under Purchased - if you never downloaded it (or if it was never on the Mac App Store), that version will non be in your Purchased section. Another reason why the version of Mac Os X might be missing is if your motorcar shipped with that version installed. Nosotros'll look at that scenario subsequently.

Hither is how to get an older version of Mac OS X from the Mac App Store (this just works if you've downloaded it in the past and it won't piece of work if you take already installed Mojave or later):

  1. Open up the Mac App Store (choose Store > Sign In if you demand to log in).
  2. Click Purchased.
  3. Curlicue down to find the copy of Bone 10 or macOS you want.
  4. Click Install.

Clicking Install won't really 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 organisation direct onto a Mac running a newer version of Os X or macOS. We volition explain how it can exist installed on a Mac - including one currently running an earlier operating system here: How to install onetime Mac OS X versions.

Can't find Mac Bone 10 in Purchased?

If y'all know you have previously downloaded the version of macOS y'all are after, only you aren't seeing it in the Purchased section, there are a few things to try:

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

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

Luckily the copy of Bone 10 isn't locked to their account and so it will install on any Mac.

How to get OS Ten King of beasts, Mountain Lion

Prior to June 2021 you could purchase OS Ten 10.7 Lion or Mountain Lion from Apple tree for £19.99 each - Apple would send you a download code. Now Apple has stopped charging for the ageing operating organisation versions. Instead you lot tin can download the operating systems direct from the visitor'southward website.

The operating systems can be downloaded from the post-obit links:

If information technology'southward Mac Bone 10 ten.7 King of beasts that y'all are after, it's yet available for £nineteen.99 here Usa or hither UK. Apple tree will send you a download code to use on the Mac App Store, so you will need to be running Snow Leopard to install it.

If it'southward OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion that y'all can still purchase it for £xix.99 here US or here UK.

We accept more than data almost getting the complimentary installers for OS X Lion and Mountain Lion from Apple in Apple offers costless downloads of OS 10 Lion and Mountain Panthera leo.

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

How to get OS X Snow Leopard

If your Mac has a version of macOS installed that is older than Snowfall Leopard yous won't have access to the Mac App Store. Since for a number of years subsequently Snowfall 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 yet sold a boxed version of Mac OS 10 10.6 Snow Leopard here for £nineteen.99 (at its launch in 2009 it price £25). If you purchased Snow Leopard this mode you were sent a physical box containing an optical disc - so you volition need a CD/DVD bulldoze to install it (which you will probably accept if the Mac is that old).

Apple has now removed the ability to buy Snow Leopard. Even so, this isn't a large problem because those people who were previously locked out of updates tin now download the Lion or Mountain Lion update, equally explained to a higher place.

Get Snow Leopard

How to go OS X Leopard or earlier

If the onetime version of the OS you are after predates Snow Leopard and you take a developer account yous might be able to get it from programmer.apple.com/downloads. If you lot search within the OS X category you should come across downloads for all versions of OS X, at to the lowest degree from version 10.3 to 10.vi.

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

If you haven't signed up as a Apple Developer, notice out what that entails here. It costs £79 ($99) a year to join the Apple tree Developer Programme and you accept to sign a non disclosure agreement.

You could also effort 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 Bone X Lion available for £viii.50 on Amazon here.

If it's Tiger you are after, and then it will cost a little more. There was a copy of Tiger on Amazon for £89.99 just it's currently unavailable.

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