So, you’ve decided to download an older version of Mac OS X. There are many reasons that could point you to this radical decision. To begin with, some of your apps may not be working properly (or simply crash) on newer operating systems. Also, you may have noticed your Mac’s performance went down right after the last update. Finally, if you want to run a parallel copy of Mac OS X on a virtual machine, you too will need a working installation file of an older Mac OS X. Further down we’ll explain where to get one and what problems you may face down the road.
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A list of all Mac OS X versions
You can run Windows on Mac or macOS on Windows as well. You can run Windows on Mac next to macOS or as a separate operating system. There are multiple ways to do so, depending on your requirement. On the operating system window, select “I will install the operating system later” radio button and hit next; Now select “ Apple Mac OS X” on the given list and Mac OS X 10.14 on the version. Note: If you do not see “Apple Mac OS X” listed, you need to go back to step 2 and unlock your Vmware again.
Click Continue on the initial introduction window. Set the partition size for the Windows installation. To change the amount of space to dedicate to Windows 7, click the small divider between Mac OS X and Windows, and drag it to the left. It will allow you to create a Windows environment inside through which you can run up the Whole windows App or simply the total Windows OS. Dual Boot Windows. This is the best method which I prefer you to use, Just install the Windows OS on Mac OS side by side and then run Windows software.
We’ll be repeatedly referring to these Apple OS versions below, so it’s good to know the basic macOS timeline.
Cheetah 10.0 | Puma 10.1 | Jaguar 10.2 |
Panther 10.3 | Tiger 10.4 | Leopard 10.5 |
Snow Leopard 10.6 | Lion 10.7 | Mountain Lion 10.8 |
Mavericks 10.9 | Yosemite 10.10 | El Capitan 10.11 |
Sierra 10.12 | High Sierra 10.13 | Mojave 10.14 |
Catalina 10.15 |
STEP 1. Prepare your Mac for installation
Given your Mac isn’t new and is filled with data, you will probably need enough free space on your Mac. This includes not just space for the OS itself but also space for other applications and your user data. One more argument is that the free space on your disk translates into virtual memory so your apps have “fuel” to operate on. The chart below tells you how much free space is needed.
Note, that it is recommended that you install OS on a clean drive. Next, you will need enough disk space available, for example, to create Recovery Partition. Here are some ideas to free up space on your drive:
- Uninstall large unused apps
- Empty Trash Bin and Downloads
- Locate the biggest files on your computer:
Go to Finder > All My Files > Arrange by size
Then you can move your space hoggers onto an external drive or a cloud storage.
If you aren’t comfortable with cleaning the Mac manually, there are some nice automatic “room cleaners”. Our favorite is CleanMyMac as it’s most simple to use of all. It deletes system junk, old broken apps, and the rest of hidden junk on your drive.
Then you can move your space hoggers onto an external drive or a cloud storage.
If you aren’t comfortable with cleaning the Mac manually, there are some nice automatic “room cleaners”. Our favorite is CleanMyMac as it’s most simple to use of all. It deletes system junk, old broken apps, and the rest of hidden junk on your drive.
Download CleanMyMac for OS 10.4 - 10.8 (free version)
Download CleanMyMac for OS 10.9 (free version)
Download CleanMyMac for OS 10.10 - 10.14 (free version)
STEP 2. Get a copy of Mac OS X download
Normally, it is assumed that updating OS is a one-way road. That’s why going back to a past Apple OS version is problematic. The main challenge is to download the OS installation file itself, because your Mac may already be running a newer version. If you succeed in downloading the OS installation, your next step is to create a bootable USB or DVD and then reinstall the OS on your computer.
How to download older Mac OS X versions via the App Store
If you once had purchased an old version of Mac OS X from the App Store, open it and go to the Purchased tab. There you’ll find all the installers you can download. However, it doesn’t always work that way. The purchased section lists only those operating systems that you had downloaded in the past. But here is the path to check it:
- Click the App Store icon.
- Click Purchases in the top menu.
- Scroll down to find the preferred OS X version.
- Click Download.
This method allows you to download Mavericks and Yosemite by logging with your Apple ID — only if you previously downloaded them from the Mac App Store.
Without App Store: Download Mac OS version as Apple Developer
If you are signed with an Apple Developer account, you can get access to products that are no longer listed on the App Store. If you desperately need a lower OS X version build, consider creating a new Developer account among other options. The membership cost is $99/year and provides a bunch of perks unavailable to ordinary users.
Nevertheless, keep in mind that if you visit developer.apple.com/downloads, you can only find 10.3-10.6 OS X operating systems there. Newer versions are not available because starting Mac OS X Snow Leopard 10.7, the App Store has become the only source of updating Apple OS versions.
Purchase an older version of Mac operating system
You can purchase a boxed or email version of past Mac OS X directly from Apple. Both will cost you around $20. For the reason of being rather antiquated, Snow Leopard and earlier Apple versions can only be installed from DVD.
Buy a boxed edition of Snow Leopard 10.6
Get an email copy of Lion 10.7
Get an email copy of Mountain Lion 10.8
Get an email copy of Lion 10.7
Get an email copy of Mountain Lion 10.8
The email edition comes with a special download code you can use for the Mac App Store. Note, that to install the Lion or Mountain Lion, your Mac needs to be running Snow Leopard so you can install the newer OS on top of it.
How to get macOS El Capitan download
If you are wondering if you can run El Capitan on an older Mac, rejoice as it’s possible too. But before your Mac can run El Capitan it has to be updated to OS X 10.6.8. So, here are main steps you should take:
1. Install Snow Leopard from install DVD.
2. Update to 10.6.8 using Software Update.
3. Download El Capitan here.
2. Update to 10.6.8 using Software Update.
3. Download El Capitan here.
“I can’t download an old version of Mac OS X”
If you have a newer Mac, there is no physical option to install Mac OS versions older than your current Mac model. For instance, if your MacBook was released in 2014, don’t expect it to run any OS released prior of that time, because older Apple OS versions simply do not include hardware drivers for your Mac.
But as it often happens, workarounds are possible. There is still a chance to download the installation file if you have an access to a Mac (or virtual machine) running that operating system. 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.
After you’ve completed the download, the installer should launch automatically, but you can click Cancel and copy the file you need. Below is the detailed instruction how to do it.
STEP 3. Install older OS X onto an external drive
The following method allows you to download Mac OS X Lion, Mountain Lion, and Mavericks.
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- Start your Mac holding down Command + R.
- Prepare a clean external drive (at least 10 GB of storage).
- Within OS X Utilities, choose Reinstall OS X.
- Select external drive as a source.
- Enter your Apple ID.
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. Now that the installation file is “captured” onto your external drive, you can reinstall the OS, this time running the file on your Mac.
- Boot your Mac from your standard drive.
- Connect the external drive.
- Go to external drive > OS X Install Data.
Locate InstallESD.dmg disk image file — this is the file you need to reinstall Lion OS X. The same steps are valid for Mountain Lion and Mavericks.
How to downgrade a Mac running later macOS versions
If your Mac runs macOS Sierra 10.12 or macOS High Sierra 10.13, it is possible to revert it to the previous system if you are not satisfied with the experience. You can do it either with Time Machine or by creating a bootable USB or external drive.
Instruction to downgrade from 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).
Visit your local Apple Store to download older OS X version
If none of the options to get older OS X worked, pay a visit to nearest local Apple Store. 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. So here you are. We hope this article has helped you to download an old version of Mac OS X. Below are a few more links you may find interesting.
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One of the main advantages of having an Apple Mac or MacBook is that you can have the best of all platforms. Since Apple in 2006 decided to switch to Intel processors, the Mac is the only device on which you can run applications that support both OS X and Windows, and run Windows in versions 8 and 10 on any Mac bought after 2006 (You can run Windows even on older Macs, but for the sake of simplicity this article focuses on Apple Macs with Intel processors).
Two ways to run Windows on Mac
Let’s see how to install Windows on Mac OS X with different methods. There are two ways to run Windows on a Mac, both of which require you to purchase a Windows license. The easiest way is to start Windows on startup and use your Mac as a Windows PC with all the computing power. This is easy to do because the required function – Boot Camp – is integrated into OS X. In addition, it offers the best performance, because the Mac hardware is dedicated to running only the Windows operating system.
The other possibility to install Windows on Mac OS X is to use virtualization software. This is slightly more complicated to do and requires a third-party application such as Parallels Desktop for Mac or VMware Fusion. This method allows you to quickly switch between Mac and Windows, but this means that your Mac’s processor, memory, and so on have to manage two operating systems at the same time. This method makes the performance of the Mac slower.
Install Windows on Mac OS X with Boot Camp
Here’s how to use Boot Camp to install Windows on Mac OS X:
First, you will need support to install Windows on Mac OS X – a DVD or bootable USB drive. You will also need to download and install Windows OS X USB drive and install the drivers, so make sure you have a spare pen drive handy.
- Let’s start. Start the Mac and go to Applications, Utilities. Double-click to open Boot Camp Assistant. Now set the partition size for a Windows installation. You will need at least 16 GB, but it is better to use more. Now click on the Partition button.
- Your Mac will restart. Insert the Windows installation disc, the Mac starts and the disk runs the Windows installation process. You will be asked where to install Windows – direct it to the Bootcamp partition. Now click on Drive Options (advanced). With the Bootcamp volume still selected, click Format.
- Windows will install in a process that will take a few minutes. When prompted, remove the installation media. Your Mac will now start Windows. Now, whenever you open the Mac, if you hold Option pressed you can choose to start Windows or OS X, and this is the way to run Windows on Mac.
Install Windows on Mac OS X using virtualization: VMware or Parallels
You can use the virtualization method to run any x86 operating system on your Mac. This could be a Linux operating system, for example. Virtualization uses software to create a virtual machine, using the Mac hardware. This allows you to simultaneously use OS X and Windows on the same Mac, without having to reboot. This is a brake for your hardware and you will need at least 2 GB of RAM on your Mac to make it work fine.
You will also need Parallels Desktop for Mac or VMware Fusion software. Both allow you to run Windows in a separate window along with Mac OS X. Both also allow you to run Windows applications from within OS X – just insert the Windows software into the Mac Dock.
How to use VMware Fusion to install Windows on Mac OS X
Here we will show you how to use VMware Fusion to install Windows on Mac OS. The process is very similar to Parallels. In both cases you will need a Windows license key and installation support, then follow the procedure described at the beginning of the Boot Camp.
First of all you need to download VMware Fusion from the VMware site. The cost is € 44.88, but, fortunately, there is also a free trial.
After downloading the VMware Fusion disk image it will be saved to the default download directory. Look for and double-click on the VMware .dmg file to mount it.
Double-click the VMware Fusion icon to launch the Installation Assistant and follow the instructions to install VMware Fusion.
Once installed, launch VMware Fusion on your Mac. The Virtual Machine window will start, from which you can create a virtual machine. Now you can use the features of VMware Fusion Windows Easy to automatically install Windows and VMware Tools in the virtual machine.
From the Virtual Machine Library window, click the New button or select File, New. The New Virtual Machine Assistant will start.
Click Continue to go to the operating system panel. Now you can select an operating system and the version for the virtual machine. In the Name panel, enter the name of the virtual machine and click Save.
In the virtual hard disk panel, set the maximum size of the virtual hard disk. You need to set up enough space for your virtual machine to work well, and not to interfere with the original OS X operating system. Go to the Advanced disk options section if you want to allocate the required disk space, or one of several other features.
In the Windows Easy Install panel, select Use Easy Install. Enter your name, password (optional) and the Windows Product key. The product key is the long series of letters and numbers placed on the Windows DVD box or sent by e-mail if you have downloaded Windows from the site. “Name” should be the name under which Windows software is registered, not your Windows username. “Password” will be the password of the Windows administrator account.
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Now go to the “Finish” dialog. Leave the “Start virtual machine and install the operating system” option selected. Enter the Windows 8 or 10 installation media and select “Use operating system installation disk”, option if you have DVD, or “Use operating system installation from disk image file” if it is a USB stick. In the case of the latter hypothesis, the image file must be identified.
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Now click on Finish, VMware Fusion will install Windows. This will take up to 45 minutes, and once installed you can start Windows anytime by going to VMware Fusion in OS X.
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These are some methods for installing Windows on Mac OS X and the versions that can be installed with these methods are vers. 8 and 10 of Windows. I hope we have been clear in the show, otherwise, you can express your questions in the comments.