There are a few reasons why you might want to download and install one-time versions of macOS or Mac Os X. Perhaps you are relying on software you lot have discovered doesn't piece of work properly in the latest version. Or maybe yous only don't like the new version of macOS that yous have installed.

Another scenario is that you are a developer and y'all demand to exist running multiple versions of macOS and Mac Bone X and then that you can be sure that your software runs correctly on them. Either way, you have questions and we have answers.

In this article nosotros volition embrace how to become one-time versions of macOS including Big Sur, Catalina, Mojave, El Capitan, Sierra, Yosemite and even sometime versions of Mac OS X. We explain how to become concord of the relevant installer files then that you lot tin can install the software on your Mac.

We have a separate article that explains how to install quondam versions of macOS for when yous get to that stage of the process.

If y'all are looking for a way to revert to the previous version of macOS, we have a more specific commodity about downgrading from Monterey to Big Sur and other versions, although we do cover the method here too. We also take a guide to downgrading from the macOS beta.

However, if you were hoping to run older versions of macOS on M1 Macs that's non possible.

You lot also might want to get the installer for a version of macOS in society to brand a bootable installer for installing macOS on multiple Macs (nosotros also look at that scenario separately).

Where can I download old macOS?

Before you can install an older version of macOS or Mac Os X you lot volition need to get concur of the installer for the version of macOS you lot want to install. Luckily information technology is possible to gets hold of these files - as long equally you know where to go on the Mac App Store.

We have the necessary links to the Mac App Store below. We will show you lot a style to go the post-obit macOS installers:

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

*Note that nosotros have discovered that the links nosotros give beneath will but work if you are surfing in Safari, then we propose you switch to Apple tree'due south browser before moving on. You should as well close the Mac App Store app if you lot have that open or the link may not piece of work*

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

We have a listing of which Macs run which versions of macOS & Mac Os X.

How to download macOS Big Sur

You lot tin download the installer for Big Sur from the Mac App Shop - as long equally yous 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. (Use Safari and brand sure the Mac App Store app is airtight offset or it might not 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 up the Mac App Shop on the Big Sur page.
  2. Click on Go.
  3. Software Update will open with the words "Finding Update". Eventually a message "Are yous sure you want to download macOS Big Sur" will announced. It might expect like an update rather than the full version, just you'll run into from the size of the download (around 6GB) that this is the complete installer for Big Sur.
  4. Once the installer has downloaded practice non click Install. If you install it the installer volition automatically be deleted.
  5. Yous should be able to observe the Install macOS Big Sur 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 Catalina

You lot 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 Shop on the Catalina page. (Use Safari and make certain the Mac App Shop app is closed commencement).

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 Store:

  1. Click this link to open the Mac App Store on the Catalina page.
  2. Click on Go.
  3. Software Update will open with the words "Finding Update". Eventually a message "Are yous certain you want to download macOS Catalina" will announced. It might look similar an update rather than the full version, only you lot'll see from the size of the download (around 6GB) that this is the complete installer for Catalina. Download Catalina
  4. Once the installer has downloaded practise not click Install. If you install it the installer volition automatically be deleted.
  5. You should exist able to observe the Install macOS Catalina app in your Applications folder, you'll need this for the side by side steps, which we outline hither: How to downgrade macOS, install an older version on your Mac.

How to download macOS Mojave

It is also possible to access the Mojave installer via this link to the Mac App Store. Note that equally higher up, for this link to work you need to be running Safari and you need to close the Mac App Store app first. If the Mac App Store app is open up this redirect will non work.

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

Follow the steps in the section above to download information technology.

Download Mojave

How to download Loftier Sierra

It is besides possible to download High Sierra via this link. (Use Safari, shut the Mac App Store app first).

Follow the steps in the section higher up to download High Sierra.

How to download Sierra, El Capitan or Yosemite

Apple provides dmg files of these older macOS versions - you need to download them in Safari. A disk epitome named InstallOS.dmg will download and in one case information technology does you need to locate the pkg installer inside the disk image.

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

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

Another event is if the link takes you to the correct page in the Mac App Shop, only you lot see an Update not found error message when you endeavour to download information technology. This is an consequence we are aware of that others have encountered, although we haven't. In that case we suggest you attempt to download the installer via that link using an older Mac.

Y'all may also encounter issues if you are trying to download an older version of macOS that your Mac cannot support. Usually when Apple introduces a new Mac it will not exist 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 almost what version of macOS your Mac supports here: What version of macOS can my Mac run?

Other ways to become old macOS versions

If you are running an older version of macOS - or someone you know is - yous should be able to easily find older versions of macOS and even Mac Bone X in the Mac App Shop. How piece of cake they are to find will 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 exist searched for or found via the Purchased tab (not that anyone has had to pay for a Mac OS X update for years).

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

If you lot happen to take 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 re-create of the installer from the Mac App Store for you. We run through this method in the section below.

As above, once the installer has downloaded don't install information technology! If you practice so the installer will be deleted. Y'all'll find the installer in your Applications folder from which you tin 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 go that method to work.

You may besides find updates to one-time version of macOS on Apple's website here, all the same these are merely point updates, rather than the full version, so it won't be much assist if you are trying to get the full download.

The one matter you really mustn't do is go to a torrent site and download a copy of the OS X you want. Just because Apple gives abroad its software for free, don't think it'southward fine to only pick up a re-create. Pirated copies of Apple software could have been adjusted to permit hackers access to the software and your Mac.

Download Mac Os 10

If you have access to a Mac running Os X Yosemite or older information technology is possible to see old versions of Mac OS X in the Mac App Shop. Yosemite, Mavericks and Mountain Panthera leo can all be seen hither.

It's worth noting that you lot'll only see old versions of Mac Bone Ten that you've downloaded nether 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 motorcar shipped with that version installed. We'll expect at that scenario later.

Hither is how to become an older version of Mac Os X from the Mac App Store (this only works if you lot've downloaded it in the past and it won't piece of work if y'all have already installed Mojave or after):

  1. Open the Mac App Store (choose Store > Sign In if you need to log in).
  2. Click Purchased.
  3. Curlicue down to find the re-create of Bone X or macOS y'all desire.
  4. Click Install.

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

You won't exist able to just install this older version of the operating system directly onto a Mac running a newer version of OS 10 or macOS. We volition explain how it can be installed on a Mac - including one currently running an earlier operating system hither: How to install former Mac Bone X versions.

Tin can't discover Mac OS 10 in Purchased?

If you know you have previously downloaded the version of macOS you are afterward, only you aren't seeing it in the Purchased section, there are a few things to effort:

  1. Log out of the App Store then log in once again.
  2. If it's a possibility that yous downloaded it while logged in to a dissimilar Apple ID (perhaps a work-related one), log in using that ID.
  3. Alternatively, find 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 10 then bound to footstep 3 and find a friendly person who did. Ask them to download the Mac Bone X installer for y'all.

Luckily the copy of OS Ten isn't locked to their account so information technology will install on any Mac.

How to get Bone 10 Lion, Mountain King of beasts

Prior to June 2021 you lot could purchase Bone 10 10.7 Lion or Mountain Lion from Apple for £19.99 each - Apple would send yous a download code. Now Apple has stopped charging for the ageing operating system versions. Instead you can download the operating systems directly from the visitor'southward website.

The operating systems can be downloaded from the following links:

If it's Mac OS X 10.seven Lion that you are afterward, information technology's however available for £19.99 hither US or here Britain. Apple will send yous a download lawmaking to use on the Mac App Store, so you volition demand to be running Snow Leopard to install it.

If it'due south OS X 10.viii Mountain King of beasts that you tin however buy information technology for £nineteen.99 here U.s.a. or here UK.

Nosotros have more than information about getting the free installers for Os X Lion and Mountain Lion from Apple in Apple offers gratis downloads of Bone X Lion and Mountain King of beasts.

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

How to get Bone 10 Snowfall 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 X 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 £xix.99 (at its launch in 2009 information technology cost £25). If y'all purchased Snow Leopard this way y'all were sent a concrete box containing an optical disc - so you lot volition need a CD/DVD drive to install information technology (which yous volition probably accept if the Mac is that old).

Apple has now removed the power to buy Snowfall Leopard. Nonetheless, this isn't a big trouble because those people who were previously locked out of updates can now download the King of beasts or Mountain Lion update, equally explained higher up.

Get Snow Leopard

How to get OS Ten Leopard or before

If the old version of the OS y'all are after predates Snow Leopard and you accept a programmer account y'all might be able to go it from developer.apple.com/downloads. If you search within the OS Ten category you should see downloads for all versions of Bone Ten, at least from version 10.iii to 10.half dozen.

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

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

You could also try looking on Amazon or eBay to encounter if anyone is selling erstwhile versions of the Mac operating organization. For instance there's a Full Install of OS X Lion available for £8.50 on Amazon here.

If it's Tiger you are later, and then it will cost a fiddling more than. There was a re-create of Tiger on Amazon for £89.99 but information technology's currently unavailable.

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