How to Download and Install Older Versions of macOS – Guide
Running the latest software is not always the best decision. There are many reasons why you might want to downgrade or run an older version of macOS on your computer. You may find that your computer slows down after the latest update, your applications don’t work, or the programs you need to run are still not compatible with the update. Perhaps, as a developer, you want to create a test environment to ensure that your software works correctly on all available versions of OS X – see the infographic below. Or you might just like the look of the older version better (no judgment).
How to Download and install older versions of macOS
Make sure your Mac can run the macOS version
To confirm that your Mac will be able to run the version of macOS or Mac OS X you want to install, you’ll need to check the system requirements. The most recent version of macOS or Mac OS X can be downloaded from the App Store or from Apple’s website. To confirm that your Mac will be able to run the version of macOS or Mac OS X you want to install, you’ll need to check the system requirements. The most recent version of macOS or Mac OS X can be downloaded from the App Store or from Apple’s website. The system requirements for macOS and Mac OS X are different, so make sure you’re using the right one for your computer. For more information, see our guide on how to find out if your computer is compatible with macOS or Mac OS X. ..
Your Mac is likely to be unable to run older versions of macOS or Mac OS X than the ones that were installed on it when you bought it. If you want to run older versions of OS X on your Mac, you need to get an older Mac that can run them.
If you’re running an older version of macOS, you may be able to upgrade to a newer version. However, there may be exceptions, for example if you bought a Mac in 2017 but the spec hasn’t changed from the predecessor, or the model was actually introduced a few years earlier. To help you find out which versions of macOS your Mac supports, we have a complete list of which Macs each version of Mac OS X and macOS. ..
If you’re installing an older version of Mac OS X on an older Mac, you should be able to easily do so. Likewise, if you were hoping to install a newer version of macOS on an older Mac, you may find that you can’t. This is because newer versions of macOS tend to drop support for older Macs. We have a separate article on how to install macOS on an older Mac.
Download the macOS, Mac OS X version you need
Next, you need to install the Mac OS X installer. This article has a guide on how to download and install the Mac OS X installer.
Install the older version of macOS on your Mac
If you’re running a newer version of macOS, you won’t be able to install an older version on top of it. You’ll have to completely clean your Mac before installing an older version.
There are several ways to install an older version of macOS on your Mac. The method that’s right for you will depend on a number of factors, including whether you want to run more than one version of macOS. We also have dedicated articles for these different methods that go into more detail, so be sure to check them out if you’re interested in learning more about installing an older version of macOS on your Mac. ..
How to revert to an old macOS using Time Machine
- Choose the Time Machine backup you want to restore.
- Choose the macOS version you want to restore from the backup.
- Click on the “Restore” button.
To start up your Mac and immediately hold Command + R, type “mac” and press return.
If you see the Apple logo or a spinning globe, hold down both keys until you see the Apple logo or the spinning globe.
When you see the Utilities window, choose Restore from Time Machine Backup and click Continue.
If you want to roll back your macOS installation to a previous version, choose a Time Machine backup before installing the macOS version you want to roll back from and click Continue.
To restore your Mac from a Time Machine backup, follow these steps:
- Choose the backup you want to restore from.
- Choose the macOS version you want to uninstall.
- Choose the Restore button.
How to downgrade to the operating system provided on your Mac
We’re going to be talking about Recovery in this article, so you can try the following method of downgrading your Mac to the version of macOS it shipped with. If you have a good internet connection, this should work!
- Shut down your Mac and press Shift-Option/Alt-Command-R together to enter Recovery Mode.
- Choose “Install macOS” from the menu and follow the prompts to install macOS.
- When finished, press Esc to exit Recovery Mode and your Mac will restart.
To start up your Mac by pressing the key combination Shift-Option/Alt-Command-R.
If you have not already done so, please install macOS before continuing.
Please continue to follow the onscreen instructions.
The installer will start and ask you to choose a boot disk. You can either click the link to download a specific disk image or select one from the list of disks that the installer has found. If you choose the latter, the installer will create a new partition on your hard drive for the selected disk image and install it.
Once the installation is complete, your Mac will restart. ..
How to install an old macOS using the bootable installer
A clean install of macOS is a process known as a “clean slate”. You will be cleaning your Mac and installing the required macOS version on a clean slate.
To download and install the macOS version you need, follow these instructions from the Mac App Store. ..
To create a bootable installer on an external storage device, use this installation file.
To start this process, restart your Mac in Recovery Mode by pressing Command and the R key while restarting.
In Disk Utility, select the hard drive you want to reformat. Click Continue. On the Formatting Options window, make sure the Format is set to Mac OS Extended (Journaled). Click Continue. On the Options for Formatting window, make sure the File System is set to Mac OS Extended (Journaled). Click Continue. On the Volume Size and Type window, make sure the Size is set to Mac OS Extended (Journaled) and click OK. Click Finish. ..
Unmount and erase the master volume.
This is a command line utility that allows you to exit your computer.
If you have an external drive that you saved your installer to, follow the instructions in the separate article to reinstall macOS using that installer. ..
Final note
If you’re looking to install an older version of macOS, this guide will show you how to do it. You can find older versions of macOS on the Mac App Store, or by downloading them from Apple’s website. ..
