Download past os x versions

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. Home Mac OS X. Older versions of macOS macOS has gone through several iterations over the years. In order to find the link to a specific version of macOS, visit Google and structure your search query as below; macOS version name version number combo Example. Get daily tips in your inbox Newsletter. It installs an app named Install [ Version Name ]. Open that app from your Applications folder to begin installing the operating system.

Check compatibility The version of macOS that came with your Mac is the earliest version it can use. To confirm compatibility before downloading, check the minimum hardware requirements: macOS Big Sur 11 hardware requirements macOS Catalina Published Date: October 25, You can, of course, do so manually by deleting unused files and uninstalling old software to free up disk space.

Depending on how tidy you are, this might take quite a bit of time. To make things easy, use a specialized app like CleanMyMac , which will quickly free up space by detecting unused apps and large files, and offering to completely delete them, with all their hidden corresponding files, in one quick click.

The final preparation step is to make sure you back up all your important files to cloud storage or an external drive. A proper backup app like Get Backup Pro can save you a lot of headache here. Once you have space on your computer, figure out what version of OS X you would like to install. Tab to the Purchase page of the menu and scroll down to find the line for previous operating systems. Clicking the install button of the macOS you want will begin downloading the file.

If your goal is to download a version of macOS that you have not already used, or, that was not available as an update from the App Store after you bought your Mac, you may need to purchase it. OS X Snow Leopard ships as a boxed version and requires a disk drive to install.

It could be helpful to know where you sit on the timeline of macOS X updates. Below is a chronological list of all the updates beginning with the most recent update, High Sierra, released in Downloads for previous versions of OS X are linked below and include:.

Downloading a. Alternatively, you could hit up your nearest Apple Store. They will likely have image files of all the different versions of the software and help you install it right there as well. If you download the file from the App Store, the installer will start immediately. Follow the prompts and be prepared to restart your computer. A downgrade is different than an upgrade. When you try to downgrade macOS, the installer may not launch right away depending on which versions of macOS you are moving between.

Creating a bootable USB or a bootable drive is not complicated. Whether you use Terminal or Disk Drill, our guide on creating a bootable installer will walk you through all the necessary steps. For example, to get an installer for Lion, you may ask a friend who has Lion-operated Mac or, once again, set up a virtual machine running Lion.

Then you will need to prepare an external drive to download the installation file using OS X Utilities. Below is the detailed instruction how to do it. Now the OS should start downloading automatically onto the external drive. After the download is complete, your Mac will prompt you to do a restart, but at this point, you should completely shut it down. Locate InstallESD. The same steps are valid for Mountain Lion and Mavericks. If your Mac runs macOS Sierra Instruction to downgrade from macOS Sierra.

Instruction to downgrade from macOS High Sierra. Instruction to downgrade from macOS Mojave. Instruction to downgrade from macOS Catalina. Before you do it, the best advice is to back your Mac up so your most important files stay intact.

In addition to that, it makes sense to clean up your Mac from old system junk files and application leftovers. The easiest way to do it is to run CleanMyMac X on your machine download it for free here.

They should have image installations going back to OS Leopard and earlier. You can also ask their assistance to create a bootable USB drive with the installation file.