There are a few reasons why you might want to download and install old versions of macOS or Mac OS X. Perchance you are 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.

Another scenario is that you lot are a programmer and you need to be running multiple versions of macOS and Mac Os 10 so that you can exist sure that your software runs correctly on them. Either fashion, you have questions and nosotros take answers.

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

We have a carve up commodity that explains how to install old versions of macOS for when you go to that phase of the process.

If yous are looking for a way to revert to the previous version of macOS, we have a more specific commodity nigh downgrading from Monterey to Large Sur and other versions, although nosotros exercise cover the method here too. Nosotros as well have a guide to downgrading from the macOS beta.

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

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

Where tin can I download former macOS?

Earlier you can install an older version of macOS or Mac Bone X you lot volition demand to become concord of the installer for the version of macOS you want to install. Luckily it is possible to gets hold of these files - equally long every bit y'all know where to go on the Mac App Store.

We take the necessary links to the Mac App Store below. We will evidence yous a manner to get the following macOS installers:

  • macOS Big Sur
  • macOS Catalina
  • macOS Mojave
  • macOS Loftier Sierra
  • macOS Sierra
  • OS X El Capitan
  • OS X Yosemite
  • Os 10 Mavericks
  • Bone X Mount King of beasts
  • Os X Panthera leo

*Note that nosotros have discovered that the links nosotros give below will only piece of work if yous are surfing in Safari, and so we suggest you switch to Apple's browser earlier moving on. You should also shut the Mac App Store app if you have that open or the link may not work*

You won't be able to become the Mac OS Ten Snowfall Leopard download this way, only we'll look at that later. In fact, we tell you lot how to get copies of Leopard, Lion and Mountain King of beasts likewise!

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

How to download macOS Big Sur

Yous can download the installer for Large Sur from the Mac App Shop - as long as you lot know where to find it - searching the Mac App Shop will not work.

  • Click on this link which to open the Mac App Store on the Big Sur page. (Use Safari and brand sure the Mac App Store app is airtight offset or it might not piece of work).

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

  1. Click this link to open the Mac App Store on the Big Sur page.
  2. Click on Become.
  3. Software Update will open with the words "Finding Update". Eventually a bulletin "Are yous sure you want to download macOS Big Sur" will appear. Information technology might expect like an update rather than the full version, but you'll come across from the size of the download (around 6GB) that this is the complete installer for Large Sur.
  4. Once the installer has downloaded practice not click Install. If you lot install it the installer will automatically be deleted.
  5. You should be able to find the Install macOS Big 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 also download the installer for Catalina from the Mac App Store - as long as you lot know the magic link.

  • Click on this link which will open the Mac App Shop on the Catalina page. (Use Safari and brand sure the Mac App Shop 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 Store:

  1. Click this link to open the Mac App Shop 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 want to download macOS Catalina" will appear. It might expect like an update rather than the total version, merely you lot'll encounter from the size of the download (around 6GB) that this is the complete installer for Catalina. Download Catalina
  4. Once the installer has downloaded do non click Install. If you install it the installer will automatically exist deleted.
  5. Y'all should be able to notice the Install macOS Catalina app in your Applications binder, 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 too possible to access the Mojave installer via this link to the Mac App Shop. Note that as above, for this link to work yous need to be running Safari and you need to close the Mac App Store app first. If the Mac App Shop app is open up this redirect will not work.

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

Follow the steps in the section to a higher place to download information technology.

Download Mojave

How to download Loftier Sierra

Information technology is too possible to download High Sierra via this link. (Use 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 provides dmg files of these older macOS versions - yous need to download them in Safari. A deejay epitome named InstallOS.dmg will download and one time it does you demand to locate the pkg installer inside the disk image.

  • You can Sierra via this link.
  • El Capitan can exist downloaded from this link.
  • Yosemite is bachelor here.

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

We've said in a higher place that in our feel 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 are still finding that the link isn't working you could try the alternative methods below.

Another result is if the link takes you to the right folio in the Mac App Shop, but you see an Update not institute mistake message when y'all endeavor to download it. This is an result nosotros are enlightened 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 besides encounter bug if you are trying to download an older version of macOS that your Mac cannot support. Ordinarily when Apple introduces a new Mac it will not exist able to run the version of macOS that shipped earlier the one installed on that Mac. The older macOS might not support certain components in that Mac, for example.

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

Other ways to go old macOS versions

If you are running an older version of macOS - or someone you know is - you lot should be able to hands notice older versions of macOS and even Mac Bone X in the Mac App Store. How easy they are to detect volition exist determined past the version of macOS running on that Mac.

Prior to macOS Mojave'due south 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 introduced Mojave the Mac App Store inverse, and these installers tin can no longer be searched for or found in the purchased section of the shop. (Although we practice have redirect links in the section above to each of the relevant pages on the Mac App Store.)

If you 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 Store for you. We run through this method in the section beneath.

Equally above, once the installer has downloaded don't install it! If you exercise and then the installer will be deleted. You'll observe the installer in your Applications folder from which y'all can re-create on to your Mac - or create a bootable installer.

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

You may also discover updates to old version of macOS on Apple tree's website hither, yet these are just point updates, rather than the full version, so it won't exist much help if y'all are trying to become the total download.

The one thing you lot actually mustn't do is go to a torrent site and download a copy of the Os X you want. Simply considering Apple gives away its software for free, don't remember it'south fine to just pick up a re-create. Pirated copies of Apple software could have been adjusted to allow hackers access to the software and your Mac.

Download Mac OS X

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

It's worth noting that yous'll only come across quondam versions of Mac Bone 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 non exist in your Purchased section. Another reason why the version of Mac Os X might exist missing is if your automobile shipped with that version installed. We'll expect at that scenario later.

Here is how to become an older version of Mac OS 10 from the Mac App Shop (this only works if you've downloaded it in the past and it won't piece of work if you have already installed Mojave or subsequently):

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

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

You won't be able to simply install this older version of the operating organisation straight onto a Mac running a newer version of OS X or macOS. We volition explain how information technology can be installed on a Mac - including ane currently running an earlier operating system here: How to install old Mac Os X versions.

Tin can't find Mac OS X in Purchased?

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

  1. Log out of the App Shop then log in again.
  2. If it's a possibility that yous downloaded it while logged in to a dissimilar Apple tree ID (maybe a work-related i), 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 lot.

If you never downloaded the version of Mac OS X and then jump to stride 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 business relationship and then it will install on any Mac.

How to get Os Ten Lion, Mountain Lion

Prior to June 2021 you could purchase Os Ten 10.7 Lion or Mountain Lion from Apple for £19.99 each - Apple would send you lot a download lawmaking. Now Apple tree has stopped charging for the ageing operating system versions. Instead you can download the operating systems directly from the company's website.

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

  • DMG for Mac Os X 10.7 Panthera leo (4.72GB)
  • DMG for Mac OS 10 10.8 Mountain King of beasts (iv.45GB)

If it'due south Mac Bone X 10.seven Lion that yous are later, it'due south nevertheless available for £19.99 here The states or here UK. Apple will send y'all a download code to use on the Mac App Store, so you will need to be running Snow Leopard to install it.

If information technology'southward OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion that you lot can still buy information technology for £nineteen.99 here US or hither UK.

We take more information about getting the free installers for Bone X Lion and Mountain Lion from Apple in Apple offers free downloads of OS X Lion and Mountain Lion.

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

How to get OS X Snowfall 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 Shop. Since 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 trouble: without Snowfall Leopard they couldn't update.

Until 2021 Apple still sold a boxed version of Mac Bone X 10.6 Snow Leopard here for £19.99 (at its launch in 2009 it cost £25). If you purchased Snow Leopard this fashion y'all were sent a physical box containing an optical disc - so you lot volition need a CD/DVD drive to install it (which you lot will probably have if the Mac is that onetime).

Apple has now 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 now download the Panthera leo or Mount Lion update, every bit explained above.

Get Snow Leopard

How to go Os X Leopard or earlier

If the sometime version of the Os you are after predates Snow Leopard and y'all have a developer account you might exist able to get it from developer.apple.com/downloads. If yous search within the Os X category you should meet downloads for all versions of OS 10, at least from version 10.3 to x.6.

You may be able to admission the Developer section of the website, but you volition simply be able to admission certain software downloads if your Apple ID is associated with a paid Apple Programmer Programme.

If you oasis't signed upwardly as a Apple Programmer, find out what that entails hither. It costs £79 ($99) a year to bring together the Apple Developer Programme and you have to sign a non disclosure agreement.

You could also try looking on Amazon or eBay to see if anyone is selling one-time versions of the Mac operating organisation. For example there'southward a Total Install of OS X Lion available for £eight.50 on Amazon hither.

If it's Tiger you are later, then information technology will toll a little more than. 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