In that location are a few reasons why you might want to download and install sometime versions of macOS or Mac Bone 10. Perhaps you lot are relying on software you have discovered doesn't work properly in the latest version. Or mayhap you just don't like the new version of macOS that you have installed.

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

In this article we volition encompass how to get old versions of macOS including Big Sur, Catalina, Mojave, El Capitan, Sierra, Yosemite and even quondam versions of Mac Bone X. We explain how to go agree of the relevant installer files so that yous tin can install the software on your Mac.

We accept a separate article that explains how to install sometime versions of macOS for when you get to that phase of the procedure.

If you are looking for a way to revert to the previous version of macOS, we accept a more than specific article most downgrading from Monterey to Big Sur and other versions, although we exercise cover the method here too. We besides accept a guide to downgrading from the macOS beta.

Nevertheless, if yous were hoping to run older versions of macOS on M1 Macs that'southward not possible.

You as well might want to get the installer for a version of macOS in club to brand a bootable installer for installing macOS on multiple Macs (we likewise expect at that scenario separately).

Where can I download old macOS?

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

Nosotros take the necessary links to the Mac App Store beneath. We will show you a way to get the following macOS installers:

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

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

You won't be able to become the Mac Os X Snow Leopard download this way, simply nosotros'll look at that later. In fact, we tell yous how to get copies of Leopard, Lion and Mount Lion too!

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

How to download macOS Big Sur

You can download the installer for Big Sur from the Mac App Store - as long as you know where to find it - searching the Mac App Store will not work.

  • Click on this link which to open the Mac App Store on the Large Sur page. (Utilize Safari and make sure the Mac App Store app is closed first or it might not work).

Follow these steps to download Big Sur (or whatever 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 Get.
  3. Software Update volition open with the words "Finding Update". Eventually a bulletin "Are you certain you lot want to download macOS Big Sur" volition appear. It might await like an update rather than the full version, but y'all'll encounter from the size of the download (around 6GB) that this is the complete installer for Big Sur.
  4. Once the installer has downloaded do not click Install. If you install it the installer will automatically be deleted.
  5. You lot should be able to find 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

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

  • Click on this link which will open the Mac App Store on the Catalina page. (Apply Safari and make certain the Mac App Shop app is closed get-go).

Catalina Mac App Store

As in a higher place, follow these steps to download Catalina (or any other version of macOS) from the Mac App Shop:

  1. Click this link to open the Mac App Shop on the Catalina folio.
  2. Click on Get.
  3. Software Update will open with the words "Finding Update". Eventually a message "Are you sure you desire to download macOS Catalina" will appear. It might look similar an update rather than the full version, but you lot'll see from the size of the download (around 6GB) that this is the complete installer for Catalina. Download Catalina
  4. One time the installer has downloaded do not click Install. If you install it the installer will automatically be deleted.
  5. You should exist able to find the Install macOS Catalina app in your Applications folder, y'all'll need this for the adjacent steps, which we outline hither: How to downgrade macOS, install an older version on your Mac.

How to download macOS Mojave

Information technology is also possible to access the Mojave installer via this link to the Mac App Shop. Note that every bit above, for this link to work you need to exist running Safari and you lot need to close the Mac App Store app first. If the Mac App Store app is open this redirect will non work.

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

Follow the steps in the section above to download it.

Download Mojave

How to download Loftier Sierra

It is also possible to download High Sierra via this link. (Use Safari, close the Mac App Store app start).

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 disk epitome named InstallOS.dmg will download and once information technology does you need to locate the pkg installer inside the disk image.

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

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

Some other effect is if the link takes you to the correct page in the Mac App Shop, but y'all run into an Update non found error bulletin when you attempt to download it. This is an issue we are aware of that others take encountered, although we haven't. In that instance we propose you try to download the installer via that link using an older Mac.

Y'all may as well come across issues if you are trying to download an older version of macOS that your Mac cannot support. Unremarkably when Apple introduces a new Mac information technology will not be able to run the version of macOS that shipped before the one installed on that Mac. The older macOS might not back up certain components in that Mac, for example.

Find out more well-nigh what version of macOS your Mac supports here: What version of macOS can my Mac run?

Other means to get quondam macOS versions

If you lot are running an older version of macOS - or someone y'all know is - you should be able to easily find older versions of macOS and even Mac Bone X in the Mac App Shop. How easy they are to find will exist determined by the version of macOS running on that Mac.

Prior to macOS Mojave'southward 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 10 update for years).

However, when Apple introduced Mojave the Mac App Store changed, and these installers can no longer be searched for or found in the purchased department of the store. (Although nosotros do have redirect links in the department higher up to each of the relevant pages on the Mac App Store.)

If you happen to have admission to a Mac that'south 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 Shop for you. We run through this method in the section below.

Every bit higher up, once the installer has downloaded don't install it! If you do then the installer will exist deleted. Yous'll find the installer in your Applications folder 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 we were unable to get that method to work.

Yous may also discover updates to old version of macOS on Apple's website hither, all the same these are just point updates, rather than the total version, so it won't exist much help if you are trying to get the total download.

The one thing you really mustn't practice is go to a torrent site and download a re-create of the Os X yous want. Just because Apple tree gives abroad its software for free, don't think it'due south fine to just pick upwards a copy. Pirated copies of Apple software could have been adjusted to let hackers access to the software and your Mac.

Download Mac OS X

If you lot have admission to a Mac running OS X Yosemite or older it is possible to come across old versions of Mac OS X in the Mac App Shop. Yosemite, Mavericks and Mount Lion can all be seen here.

Information technology's worth noting that yous'll but see old 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 Shop), that version volition non be in your Purchased section. Some other reason why the version of Mac Os X might be missing is if your machine shipped with that version installed. Nosotros'll look at that scenario after.

Hither is how to get an older version of Mac Os 10 from the Mac App Shop (this only works if y'all've downloaded it in the past and information technology won't work if you have already installed Mojave or later):

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

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

Y'all won't be able to simply install this older version of the operating arrangement directly onto a Mac running a newer version of OS X 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 former Mac OS X versions.

Can't notice Mac Os X in Purchased?

If you know you have previously downloaded the version of macOS you are later on, simply you aren't seeing it in the Purchased department, in that location are a few things to try:

  1. Log out of the App Store then log in again.
  2. If it's a possibility that y'all downloaded it while logged in to a different Apple ID (perhaps a piece of 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 y'all never downloaded the version of Mac OS 10 so jump to step 3 and find a friendly person who did. Ask them to download the Mac OS X installer for yous.

Luckily the copy of OS X isn't locked to their account then it will install on whatever Mac.

How to get OS Ten Lion, Mountain King of beasts

Prior to June 2021 y'all could purchase OS X 10.7 Lion or Mount King of beasts from Apple for £19.99 each - Apple would transport you a download code. Now Apple tree has stopped charging for the ageing operating organisation versions. Instead you lot tin download the operating systems directly from the company's website.

The operating systems can be downloaded from the following links:

If it's Mac Os X 10.7 King of beasts that you are afterward, it'due south nonetheless bachelor for £19.99 hither US or here Great britain. Apple will ship you a download code to use on the Mac App Store, then you will need to exist running Snow Leopard to install information technology.

If information technology's Bone X ten.8 Mountain Lion that you tin can still purchase it for £19.99 here US or here United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland.

Nosotros have more information most getting the free installers for Bone X Lion and Mountain Panthera leo from Apple tree in Apple offers free downloads of Bone X Lion and Mountain Lion.

Whether your Mac will really run these operating systems is another question we address here: Which versions of macOS can my Mac run? Note that only Macs that predate 2012 volition run King of beasts.

How to become Os 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 Shop. 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 Snowfall Leopard they couldn't update.

Until 2021 Apple yet sold a boxed version of Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard here for £19.99 (at its launch in 2009 it cost £25). If you purchased Snow Leopard this way yous were sent a physical box containing an optical disc - so you will demand a CD/DVD drive to install it (which you will probably have if the Mac is that sometime).

Apple has now removed the ability to purchase Snow Leopard. However, this isn't a large problem considering those people who were previously locked out of updates can now download the Lion or Mount Lion update, as explained above.

Get Snow Leopard

How to get Bone Ten Leopard or earlier

If the onetime version of the Os you are after predates Snowfall Leopard and you take a developer account you might be able to become information technology from developer.apple.com/downloads. If yous search inside the Os X category you should see downloads for all versions of Os 10, at least from version 10.3 to x.6.

You may be able to admission the Developer department of the website, but you lot will just exist able to access certain software downloads if your Apple ID is associated with a paid Apple Programmer Program.

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

You could also endeavor looking on Amazon or eBay to see if anyone is selling old versions of the Mac operating arrangement. For example in that location's a Full Install of Os X Lion available for £8.50 on Amazon here.

If it's Tiger you are after, and so it will cost a little more than. At that place was a copy of Tiger on Amazon for £89.99 only it's currently unavailable.

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