There are a number of explanation why you may need to obtain and set up an outdated model of macOS or Mac OS X. Maybe you’re counting on software program you have got found doesn’t work correctly within the newest model. Or perhaps you simply don’t like the brand new model of macOS that you’ve got put in. Both manner, you have got questions and we have now solutions. 

On this article, we are going to cowl how you can get outdated variations of macOS, together with Monterey, Large Sur, Catalina, Mojave, El Capitan, Sierra, Yosemite, and even outdated variations of Mac OS X. We clarify how you can pay money for the related installer information as a way to set up the software program in your Mac.

If you’re on the lookout for a method to revert to the earlier model of macOS, we have now a extra particular article about downgrading. And bear in mind, for those who had been hoping to run Catalina, Mohave, or a model of macOS older than Large Sur on an M1- or M2-series Mac, that’s not doable.

You additionally may need to get the installer for a model of macOS with the intention to make a bootable installer for putting in macOS on a number of Macs. And we have now a separate article that explains how you can set up outdated variations of macOS once you get to that stage of the method.

The place can I obtain older variations of macOS?

Earlier than you may set up an older model of macOS or Mac OS X you’ll need to pay money for the installer for the model of macOS you need to set up. Fortunately it’s doable to get ahold of those information, so long as you understand the place to go on the Mac App Retailer. If you happen to’re uncertain of your Mac’s compatability, try our record of which Macs run which variations of macOS & Mac OS X.

We have now the mandatory hyperlinks to the Mac App Retailer under. We are going to present you a method to get the next macOS installers:

• macOS Monterey (12)
• macOS Large Sur (11)
• macOS Catalina (10.15)
• macOS Mojave (10.14)
• macOS Excessive Sierra (10.13)
• macOS Sierra (10.12)
• OS X 10.11 El Capitan
• OS X 10.10 Yosemite
• OS X 10.9 Mavericks
• OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion
• OS X 10.7 Lion

*Notice that we have now found that the hyperlinks we give under will solely work if you’re utilizing Safari, so we recommend you turn to Apple’s browser earlier than shifting on. You must also shut the Mac App Retailer app you probably have that open or the hyperlink could not work*

Learn how to obtain an older model of macOS for an M-Sequence Mac

Appl started transitioning away from Apple silicon with the discharge of macOS Large Sur in 2020, so any model of macOS prior that that received’t run on an M1 Mac or later.

Learn how to obtain macOS Monterey

Foundry

Apple solely changed Monterey with macOS 13 Ventura in October 2022, however you may nonetheless obtain the installer for Monterey from the Mac App Retailer. Comply with these steps to obtain macOS Monterey (or different variations of macOS under) from the Mac App Retailer:

1. Comply with the Mac App Retailer hyperlink by means of Safari to open the Mac App Retailer on the Monterey web page.
2. Click on “Get”.
3. Software program Replace will open with the phrases “Discovering Replace”. Ultimately a message “Are you certain you need to obtain macOS Monterey” will seem. It would appear to be an replace quite than the complete model, however you’ll see from the scale of the obtain (round 6GB) that that is the whole installer for Monterey.
4. As soon as the installer has downloaded don’t click on “Set up”. If you happen to do, the installer will routinely be deleted (plus it received’t set up if you’re already working Ventura).
5. You must have the ability to discover the “Set up macOS Monterey” app in your Purposes folder, which you should utilize to to downgrade and set up an older model of macOS.

Learn how to obtain macOS Large Sur

Learn how to obtain an older model of macOS for an Intel Mac

Whereas the above variations of macOS will work with newer Intel-based Macs, the next variations are particularly made for Macs with Intel chips.

Learn how to obtain macOS Catalina

Notice that you probably have a M1 or M2 Mac you will notice a message that your Mac will not be appropriate with it. All variations of macOS previous to Large Sur require an Intel Mac.

1. Comply with the Mac App Retailer hyperlink utilizing Safari to open the Catalina itemizing.
2. Comply with the directions within the Monterey part above.

Learn how to obtain macOS Mojave

Learn how to obtain Excessive Sierra

Learn how to obtain Sierra, El Capitan, or Yosemite

Apple offers dmg information of those older macOS variations, however you could obtain them in Safari. A disk picture named InstallOS.dmg will obtain and as soon as it does you could find the pkg installer contained in the disk picture.

If the Mac App Retailer hyperlinks above aren’t working

We’ve stated above that in our expertise often the rationale the above hyperlinks don’t work is if you’re looking in one thing apart from Safari, or if you already have the Mac App Retailer open. Nonetheless, if you’re nonetheless discovering that the hyperlink isn’t working you could possibly strive the choice strategies under.

One other difficulty is that if the hyperlink takes you to the right web page within the Mac App Retailer, however you see an Replace not discovered error message once you attempt to obtain it. This is a matter we’re conscious of that others have encountered, though we haven’t. In that case, we recommend you attempt to obtain the installer by way of that hyperlink utilizing an older Mac.

You might also encounter points if you’re making an attempt to obtain an older model of macOS that your Mac can’t assist. Often, when Apple introduces a brand new Mac it won’t be able to run the model of macOS that shipped earlier than the one put in on that Mac. The older macOS won’t assist sure parts in that Mac, for instance.

Different methods to become old macOS variations

If you’re working an older model of macOS – or somebody you understand is – it is best to have the ability to simply discover older variations of macOS and even Mac OS X within the Mac App Retailer. How simple they’re to seek out will likely be decided by the model of macOS working on that Mac.

Previous to macOS Mojave’s arrival in 2018, the installers for the older macOS variations could possibly be looked for or discovered by way of the Bought tab (not that anybody has needed to pay for a Mac OS X replace for years).

Nonetheless, when Apple launched Mojave the Mac App Retailer modified, and these installers can now not be looked for or discovered within the bought part of the shop. (Though we do have redirect hyperlinks within the part above to every of the related pages on the Mac App Retailer.)

If you happen to occur to have entry to a Mac that’s working an older model of macOS, log into the Mac App Retailer along with your password and obtain the Mojave installer on that Mac. Alternatively, ask a good friend to obtain a duplicate of the installer from the Mac App Retailer for you. We run by means of this technique within the part under.

As above, as soon as the installer has downloaded don’t set up it! If you happen to do then the installer will likely be deleted. You’ll discover the installer in your Purposes folder from which you’ll be able to copy it onto your Mac or create a bootable installer.

You might also discover updates to an older model of macOS on Apple’s web site. Nonetheless these are simply level updates, quite than the complete model, so it received’t be a lot assist if you’re making an attempt to get the complete obtain.

The one factor you actually mustn’t do is go to a torrent web site and obtain a duplicate of the OS X you need. Simply because Apple offers away its software program at no cost, don’t suppose it’s superb to simply decide up a duplicate. Pirated copies of Apple software program might have been adjusted to permit hackers entry to the software program and your Mac.

Learn how to obtain outdated Mac OS X variations

You probably have entry to a Mac working OS X Yosemite or older it’s doable to see outdated variations of Mac OS X within the Mac App Retailer. Yosemite, Mavericks, and Mountain Lion can all be seen right here.

It’s value noting that you just’ll solely see outdated variations of Mac OS X that you just’ve downloaded below Bought – for those who by no means downloaded it (or if it was by no means on the Mac App Retailer), that model is not going to be in your Bought part. One more reason why the model of Mac OS X may be lacking is that if your machine shipped with that model put in. We’ll have a look at that state of affairs later.

Right here is how you can get an older model of Mac OS X from the Mac App Retailer (this solely works for those who’ve downloaded it up to now and it received’t work you probably have already put in Mojave or later):

1. Open the Mac App Retailer (select Retailer > Signal In if you could log in).
2. Click on Bought.
3. Scroll down to seek out the copy of OS X or macOS you need.
4. Click on Set up.

Clicking Set up received’t really set up the software program, however it can obtain the installer software to your Purposes folder.

You received’t have the ability to merely set up this older model of the working system instantly onto a Mac working a more recent model of OS X or macOS. We are going to clarify how it may be put in on a Mac – together with one at the moment working an earlier working system right here:
Learn how to set up outdated Mac OS X variations.

If you happen to can’t discover a model of Mac OS X in your bought objects

If you understand you have got beforehand downloaded the model of macOS you’re after, however you aren’t seeing it within the Bought part, there are some things to strive:

1. Sign off of the App Retailer then log in once more.
2. If it’s a chance that you just downloaded it whereas logged in to a distinct Apple ID (maybe a work-related one), log in utilizing that ID.
3. Alternatively, discover somebody who has downloaded that model of the Mac working system and ask them to obtain the set up file for you.

If you happen to by no means downloaded the model of Mac OS X then soar to step 3 and discover a pleasant one that did. Ask them to obtain the Mac OS X installer for you.

Fortunately the copy of OS X isn’t locked to their account so it can set up on any Mac.

Learn how to get OS X Lion and Mountain Lion 

Previous to June 2021, you could possibly buy OS X 10.7 Lion or Mountain Lion from Apple for $19.99/£19.99 every – Apple would ship you a obtain code. Now Apple has stopped charging for the ageing working system variations. As a substitute, you may obtain the working methods instantly from the corporate’s web site.

The working methods could be downloaded from the next hyperlinks:

Whether or not your Mac will really run these working methods is one other query we deal with right here:
Which variations of macOS can my Mac run? Notice that solely Macs that predate 2012 will run Lion.

Learn how to get OS X Snow Leopard 

In case your Mac has a model of macOS put in that’s older than Snow Leopard you received’t have entry to the Mac App Retailer. For a variety of years after Snow Leopard arrived all variations of Mac OS X arrived by way of the Mac App Retailer, those that by no means put in Snow Leopard had an issue: with out Snow Leopard, they couldn’t replace.

Till 2021 Apple nonetheless offered a boxed model of Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard for $19.99/£19.99 (at its launch in 2009 it price $25/£25). If you happen to bought Snow Leopard this fashion you had been despatched a bodily field containing an optical disc – so you’ll need a CD/DVD drive to put in it (which you’ll most likely have if the Mac is that outdated).

Apple has now eliminated the power to purchase Snow Leopard. Nonetheless, this isn’t an enormous drawback as a result of these individuals who had been beforehand locked out of updates can now obtain the Lion or Mountain Lion replace, as defined above.

Learn how to get OS X Leopard or earlier

If the outdated model of the OS you’re after predates Snow Leopard and you’ve got a developer account you may have the ability to get it from
developer.apple.com/downloads. If you happen to search throughout the OS X class it is best to see downloads for all variations of OS X, no less than from model 10.3 to 10.6.

You might be able to entry the Developer part of the web site, however you’ll solely have the ability to entry sure software program downloads in case your Apple ID is related to a paid Apple Developer Program. It prices $99/£79 a 12 months to hitch the Apple Developer Program and you need to signal a nondisclosure settlement.

You may additionally strive wanting on Amazon or eBay to see if anybody is promoting outdated variations of the Mac working system.