There are a few reasons why you lot might want to download and install old versions of macOS or Mac OS X. Mayhap you lot are relying on software yous take discovered doesn't work properly in the latest version. Or mayhap yous but don't like the new version of macOS that you have installed.

Some other scenario is that you are a developer and you need to be running multiple versions of macOS and Mac Os X so 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 volition cover how to get old versions of macOS including Large Sur, Catalina, Mojave, El Capitan, Sierra, Yosemite and even old versions of Mac OS X. We explain how to get concur of the relevant installer files so that you can install the software on your Mac.

Nosotros take a divide article that explains how to install old versions of macOS for when yous 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 well-nigh downgrading from Monterey to Large Sur and other versions, although we do comprehend 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.

Yous also might want to become the installer for a version of macOS in lodge to make a bootable installer for installing macOS on multiple Macs (nosotros also look at that scenario separately).

Where tin I download old macOS?

Before you tin can install an older version of macOS or Mac OS Ten you will need to get 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 as you know where to go along the Mac App Store.

We have the necessary links to the Mac App Store below. We volition evidence you a mode to become the following macOS installers:

  • macOS Big Sur
  • macOS Catalina
  • macOS Mojave
  • macOS High Sierra
  • macOS Sierra
  • OS X El Capitan
  • OS X Yosemite
  • Os X Mavericks
  • OS X Mountain King of beasts
  • Os X Panthera leo

*Note that we have discovered that the links nosotros requite below will only piece of work if y'all are surfing in Safari, so we suggest y'all switch to Apple's browser earlier moving on. You lot should also close the Mac App Store app if you take that open or the link may non work*

Yous won't be able to go the Mac OS X Snow Leopard download this way, but we'll look at that afterwards. In fact, we tell you how to get copies of Leopard, Lion and Mount Lion too!

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

How to download macOS Big Sur

Y'all can download the installer for Big Sur from the Mac App Shop - as long as you know where to notice it - searching the Mac App Shop volition not work.

  • Click on this link which to open the Mac App Store on the Big Sur page. (Use Safari and make certain the Mac App Store app is closed commencement or it might not piece of 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 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 message "Are you sure you want to download macOS Big Sur" volition announced. It might look 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 Large Sur.
  4. Once the installer has downloaded practice not click Install. If yous install it the installer will automatically exist deleted.
  5. Y'all should exist able to detect the Install macOS Big Sur app in your Applications folder, you lot'll need this for the next steps, which we outline hither: How to downgrade macOS, install an older version on your Mac.

How to download macOS Catalina

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

  • Click on this link which volition 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

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

  1. Click this link to open up the Mac App Store on the Catalina page.
  2. Click on Get.
  3. Software Update will open up with the words "Finding Update". Eventually a message "Are y'all sure you want to download macOS Catalina" will appear. It might await like an update rather than the total version, but you'll see from the size of the download (effectually 6GB) that this is the complete installer for Catalina. Download Catalina
  4. Once the installer has downloaded do not click Install. If you lot install it the installer will automatically be deleted.
  5. You lot should be able to find the Install macOS Catalina app in your Applications folder, 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 besides possible to admission the Mojave installer via this link to the Mac App Shop. Annotation that as to a higher place, for this link to piece of work you need to be running Safari and yous need to close the Mac App Store app get-go. If the Mac App Shop 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 above to download it.

Download Mojave

How to download High Sierra

Information technology is also possible to download Loftier Sierra via this link. (Use Safari, close the Mac App Shop app first).

Follow the steps in the department above 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 disk image named InstallOS.dmg will download and once it does you need to locate the pkg installer inside the deejay image.

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

We've said higher up that in our feel usually the reason the to a higher place links don't work is if you are browsing in something other than Safari, or if y'all accept already got the Mac App Shop open. All the same, if yous are nonetheless finding that the link isn't working yous could endeavour the alternative methods below.

Some other consequence is if the link takes y'all to the correct page in the Mac App Store, only you lot see an Update not found error message when you lot try to download it. This is an upshot we are aware of that others accept encountered, although nosotros haven't. In that case we suggest you try to download the installer via that link using an older Mac.

You may also encounter issues if y'all are trying to download an older version of macOS that your Mac cannot support. Usually when Apple tree introduces a new Mac it will non exist able to run the version of macOS that shipped earlier the one installed on that Mac. The older macOS might not support sure components in that Mac, for example.

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

Other ways to get quondam macOS versions

If y'all are running an older version of macOS - or someone you know is - you should be able to easily discover older versions of macOS and even Mac Bone X in the Mac App Store. How easy they are to discover will be determined past 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 (non that anyone has had to pay for a Mac OS 10 update for years).

Yet, when Apple introduced Mojave the Mac App Store inverse, and these installers can no longer be searched for or found in the purchased section of the store. (Although we do take redirect links in the department above to each of the relevant pages on the Mac App Store.)

If yous happen to accept 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.

As above, in one case the installer has downloaded don't install it! If you do then the installer will 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.

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

You may besides discover updates to old version of macOS on Apple'south website here, still these are just betoken updates, rather than the full version, so it won't be much help if yous are trying to become the total download.

The one matter y'all really mustn't practise is go to a torrent site and download a copy of the OS X y'all want. Only because Apple gives away its software for gratuitous, don't think it's fine to just choice up a re-create. Pirated copies of Apple software could have been adapted to let hackers access to the software and your Mac.

Download Mac OS Ten

If you have admission to a Mac running Os X Yosemite or older information technology is possible to see old versions of Mac Os 10 in the Mac App Store. Yosemite, Mavericks and Mountain Lion can all be seen here.

It's worth noting that you'll only encounter erstwhile versions of Mac Os X that you've downloaded under Purchased - if you never downloaded it (or if it was never on the Mac App Store), that version volition non 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. We'll look at that scenario afterwards.

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

  1. Open the Mac App Store (choose Store > Sign In if y'all need to log in).
  2. Click Purchased.
  3. Scroll downwards to observe the re-create of Os X or macOS you want.
  4. Click Install.

Clicking Install won't actually install the software, simply it will download the installer awarding to your Applications binder.

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

Can't find Mac Os X in Purchased?

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

  1. Log out of the App Store then log in once more.
  2. If it'due south a possibility that you lot downloaded it while logged in to a different Apple ID (perhaps a piece of work-related one), log in using that ID.
  3. Alternatively, detect someone who has downloaded that version of the Mac operating system and enquire them to download the installation file for you.

If you never downloaded the version of Mac OS 10 then spring 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 OS X isn't locked to their account so it volition install on whatever Mac.

How to go OS X Panthera leo, Mount Lion

Prior to June 2021 you could purchase OS Ten x.7 Lion or Mountain Lion from Apple for £nineteen.99 each - Apple would send you a download lawmaking. At present Apple tree has stopped charging for the ageing operating organisation versions. Instead you can download the operating systems directly from the company's website.

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

If information technology's Mac OS X ten.7 Lion that you are after, it'southward still available for £19.99 here US or here UK. Apple tree will ship you lot a download code to apply on the Mac App Shop, so you will need to be running Snow Leopard to install it.

If it'southward OS Ten 10.8 Mountain Lion that yous can still purchase it for £nineteen.99 hither United states or here UK.

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

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

How to get OS X Snow Leopard

If your Mac has a version of macOS installed that is older than Snow Leopard you lot won't have admission to the Mac App Store. Since for a number of years after Snow Leopard arrived all versions of Mac OS 10 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 X 10.6 Snow Leopard here for £19.99 (at its launch in 2009 information technology price £25). If you purchased Snowfall Leopard this manner y'all were sent a physical box containing an optical disc - and so you will need a CD/DVD drive to install it (which you volition probably take if the Mac is that sometime).

Apple 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 tin can now download the Lion or Mountain King of beasts update, as explained above.

Get Snow Leopard

How to get Os X Leopard or earlier

If the old version of the Os you are after predates Snow Leopard and you accept a developer account you might be able to get it from developer.apple tree.com/downloads. If you search within the OS X category you should see downloads for all versions of OS Ten, at to the lowest degree from version ten.3 to 10.vi.

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

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

You could as well try looking on Amazon or eBay to encounter if anyone is selling old versions of the Mac operating organisation. For case at that place'south a Full Install of OS 10 King of beasts bachelor for £8.50 on Amazon here.

If information technology's Tiger you are after, then it will cost a piddling more than. At that place was a copy of Tiger on Amazon for £89.99 merely information technology's currently unavailable.

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