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

Some other scenario is that you are a developer and yous need to be running multiple versions of macOS and Mac OS X so that you can be certain that your software runs correctly on them. Either manner, you accept questions and nosotros have answers.

In this commodity we will cover how to become onetime versions of macOS including Big Sur, Catalina, Mojave, El Capitan, Sierra, Yosemite and even old versions of Mac Os X. We explicate how to become hold of the relevant installer files then that you can install the software on your Mac.

We take a separate commodity that explains how to install old versions of macOS for when you go to that stage of the process.

If you are looking for a style to revert to the previous version of macOS, nosotros have a more than specific article about downgrading from Monterey to Big Sur and other versions, although we do cover the method here also. We likewise have a guide to downgrading from the macOS beta.

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

Y'all also might want to go the installer for a version of macOS in order to brand a bootable installer for installing macOS on multiple Macs (nosotros likewise expect at that scenario separately).

Where can I download old macOS?

Before yous tin can install an older version of macOS or Mac OS X you lot will demand to go hold of the installer for the version of macOS yous desire to install. Luckily it is possible to gets agree of these files - as long every bit you know where to go on the Mac App Store.

We have the necessary links to the Mac App Store below. Nosotros volition show you a mode to get the post-obit macOS installers:

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

*Notation that we accept discovered that the links we requite below will but work if you are surfing in Safari, so we suggest you switch to Apple's browser before moving on. You should likewise close the Mac App Shop app if you accept that open or the link may not piece of work*

Y'all won't exist able to get the Mac Os X Snow Leopard download this manner, but nosotros'll look at that later. In fact, we tell you how to go copies of Leopard, Lion and Mount Panthera leo likewise!

Nosotros accept a list of which Macs run which versions of macOS & Mac Bone Ten.

How to download macOS Big Sur

You can download the installer for Big Sur from the Mac App Shop - equally long equally yous know where to find information technology - searching the Mac App Store 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 commencement or information technology might not 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 up 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 certain y'all desire to download macOS Big Sur" will appear. It might wait similar an update rather than the full version, just you lot'll see from the size of the download (around 6GB) that this is the complete installer for Large Sur.
  4. Once the installer has downloaded do not click Install. If y'all install it the installer will automatically be deleted.
  5. You should be able to find the Install macOS Large Sur app in your Applications folder, y'all'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 lot tin can too download the installer for Catalina from the Mac App Shop - as long every bit y'all know the magic link.

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

Catalina Mac App Store

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

  1. Click this link to open up the Mac App Shop on the Catalina page.
  2. Click on Go.
  3. Software Update volition open with the words "Finding Update". Eventually a bulletin "Are you sure y'all want to download macOS Catalina" will appear. It might await like an update rather than the full version, merely 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 practice not click Install. If yous install it the installer will automatically be deleted.
  5. You should be able to find the Install macOS Catalina 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 Mojave

It is too possible to access the Mojave installer via this link to the Mac App Store. Note that every bit above, for this link to work you need to be running Safari and you demand to shut the Mac App Shop app first. If the Mac App Store app is open up this redirect volition non work.

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

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

Download Mojave

How to download Loftier Sierra

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

Follow the steps in the section 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 deejay image named InstallOS.dmg will download and in one case it does you demand to locate the pkg installer inside the disk epitome.

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

We've said above that in our experience normally the reason the in a higher place links don't work is if yous are browsing in something other than Safari, or if you have already got the Mac App Store open up. However, if you lot are still finding that the link isn't working yous could try the alternative methods below.

Another result is if the link takes y'all to the correct page in the Mac App Store, but you meet an Update not institute fault message when you effort to download it. This is an consequence we are enlightened of that others have encountered, although we haven't. In that case nosotros advise you effort to download the installer via that link using an older Mac.

Y'all may too 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 volition 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 virtually what version of macOS your Mac supports here: What version of macOS can my Mac run?

Other ways to go erstwhile macOS versions

If you are running an older version of macOS - or someone you lot know is - you should be able to easily detect older versions of macOS and even Mac Bone Ten in the Mac App Store. How easy they are to observe volition be 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 Bone Ten update for years).

However, 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 store. (Although nosotros practise 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. Nosotros run through this method in the department beneath.

Every bit above, in one case the installer has downloaded don't install information technology! If you do then the installer will be deleted. You'll find the installer in your Applications folder from which you lot 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 go that method to work.

Y'all may also find updates to old version of macOS on Apple's website here, however these are only point updates, rather than the full version, so it won't be much help if you are trying to get the full download.

The ane affair you actually mustn't do is become to a torrent site and download a re-create of the OS X you want. Just because Apple tree gives away its software for costless, don't think it'south fine to just pick upwardly 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 Ten

If you accept access to a Mac running Os Ten Yosemite or older it is possible to see old versions of Mac OS Ten in the Mac App Store. Yosemite, Mavericks and Mount Lion can all exist seen here.

It'due south worth noting that yous'll only see old versions of Mac Os X that yous've downloaded nether Purchased - if you never downloaded information technology (or if it was never on the Mac App Shop), that version will not be in your Purchased section. Another reason why the version of Mac OS Ten might be missing is if your machine shipped with that version installed. We'll await at that scenario later.

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

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

Clicking Install won't actually install the software, merely information technology will download the installer awarding 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 Ten or macOS. We will explain how information technology can be installed on a Mac - including one currently running an earlier operating system here: How to install quondam Mac Bone Ten versions.

Can't detect Mac OS 10 in Purchased?

If you know y'all have previously downloaded the version of macOS you lot are after, just 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 again.
  2. If information technology'southward a possibility that yous downloaded information technology while logged in to a unlike Apple ID (possibly a work-related one), log in using that ID.
  3. Alternatively, discover someone who has downloaded that version of the Mac operating system and ask them to download the installation file for you.

If yous never downloaded the version of Mac Bone Ten so jump to footstep iii and find a friendly person who did. Ask them to download the Mac OS X installer for y'all.

Luckily the copy of Os X isn't locked to their account so it volition install on whatsoever Mac.

How to get Os 10 Lion, Mountain Lion

Prior to June 2021 you could buy OS X x.vii Lion or Mountain Lion from Apple tree for £nineteen.99 each - Apple tree would send you a download code. Now Apple tree has stopped charging for the ageing operating system versions. Instead yous tin can download the operating systems directly from the company'south website.

The operating systems tin can be downloaded from the following links:

If it'due south Mac Os Ten 10.vii Lion that you are subsequently, it's yet available for £19.99 hither US or hither UK. Apple tree will send you a download code to utilize on the Mac App Store, then you will need to exist running Snowfall Leopard to install it.

If it's Bone X ten.viii Mount Lion that you tin still buy it for £19.99 here US or hither Uk.

We accept more information almost getting the free installers for Bone Ten Lion and Mountain Lion from Apple in Apple offers free downloads of Os X King of beasts and Mountain Lion.

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

How to get Bone X Snow Leopard

If your Mac has a version of macOS installed that is older than Snow Leopard you won't have access to the Mac App Store. Since for a number of years later on Snow Leopard arrived all versions of Mac OS X 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 Bone X 10.6 Snow Leopard here for £19.99 (at its launch in 2009 information technology cost £25). If y'all purchased Snow Leopard this way you were sent a physical box containing an optical disc - so you will demand a CD/DVD bulldoze to install information technology (which you will probably accept if the Mac is that old).

Apple has now removed the ability to purchase Snow Leopard. However, this isn't a big trouble because those people who were previously locked out of updates can now download the Panthera leo or Mountain Lion update, every bit explained above.

Get Snow Leopard

How to go OS X Leopard or before

If the old version of the Bone you are after predates Snow Leopard and you accept a developer business relationship you might be able to get information technology from developer.apple.com/downloads. If you search within the Os X category yous should see downloads for all versions of Bone X, at least from version 10.iii to ten.6.

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

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

You could too try looking on Amazon or eBay to see if anyone is selling onetime versions of the Mac operating system. For instance there's a Total Install of Os X Lion available for £8.50 on Amazon hither.

If it'southward Tiger you are afterward, then it volition cost a little more than. There was a copy of Tiger on Amazon for £89.99 but it'southward currently unavailable.

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