Yes, although many and many find it strange, there are reasons that may make you want to install older versions of macOS on your Mac or MacBook computer.
What are these reasons? You may want to use a software that does not work correctly in the most recent version or that you need to use another software which requires Rosetta, Apple's application to translate PowerPC applications after the transition to Intel, or maybe you just don't like the new version of macOS.
Whatever the reason, in this article you will find answers as we explain how to obtain old versions of macOS X.
If you wish, you can check all available macOS devices in the Apple Store, or check offers on Macbook or Mac on Amazon Spain by clicking on the links.
How to download an old version of macOS X
In the Mac App Store, in the shopping tab, you can find previous versions of Mac OS X (and macOS) in case you have previously downloaded them.
We will begin by explaining the download method of the old versions of Mac OS X in the Mac App Store. This way you can obtain the following operating systems:
- macOS Sierra
- OS X El Capitan download
- OS X Yosemite download
- OS X Mavericks download
- OS X Mountain Lion download
- OS X Lion download
The only Mac operating system that you can't get in this way is Snow Leopard. However, we will explain later how to download Snow Leopard.
It should be noted that you only saw the old versions of Mac OS X that you downloaded here: if you have never done it (or if you have never done it in the Mac App Store), that version will not be in the Purchasing section.
Another reason why the Mac OS X version might be absent is if your computer came with that factory installed version. We will deal with this case later.
Download Mac OS X from Mac App Store
Below we explain how to obtain an earlier version of Mac OS X in the App Store (this only works if you have downloaded it in the past):
- Open the Mac App Store and log in.
- Click on the shopping section.
- Swipe down to find the copy of OS X or macOS you want.
- Click install.
- Clicking on Install will not install the software, but the installation application will be downloaded in the applications folder.
However, you cannot install this old version of the operating system directly on a Mac running a newer version of OS X or macOS.
Below we will explain how it can be installed on a Mac, including one that is running an earlier operating system.
Can't you find Mac OS X in the shopping section?
If you know that you have previously downloaded the version of macOS you are looking for, but you don't see it in the Shopping section, check the following:
- Log out of the App Store and log in again.
- If there is a possibility that you downloaded it while you were connected to a different Apple ID (maybe one related to work), log in with that ID.
- Alternatively, find someone who has downloaded that version of the Mac operating system and ask them to download the installation file for you.
- If you have never downloaded the Mac OS X version, go to step 3 and find a person who has done it. Ask them to download the Mac OS X installer for you.
Fortunately, the copy of OS X is not exclusive to your account, so it will be installed on any Mac.
The only thing you really should not do is go to a torrent site and download a copy of the OS X you want, as this can be dangerous. Pirated copies of Apple software may be created to allow access by hackers to your Mac.
How to download OS X Snow Leopard
It is possible that the version of Mac OS X you are looking for has never been available in the Mac App Store. This is the case of Snow Leopard, the first version of Mac OS X that arrived at the same time as the App Store.
This way to download updates and new applications for Mac OS X was introduced with Snow Leopard and it means that anyone with a Mac running Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard or earlier versions cannot access the Mac application store to download anything.
The good news is that Apple allows the purchase of older Mac operating systems from its website, so you can get a copy of Snow Leopard and, therefore, access the Mac App Store.
You can buy the Mac OS X Snow Leopard version in the official Apple store by clicking on the link.
How to download OS X Lion and Mountain Lion
In addition to being able to buy Snow Leopard on the Apple website, you can also buy any operating system up to OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion.
If you want to download Lion or Mountain Lion, Apple will send you a download code to use in the Mac App Store, so you will have to run Snow Leopard to install it.
How to download OS X Leopard or earlier versions
If the old version of the operating system you are looking for is earlier than Snow Leopard and you have a developer account, you may be able to obtain it at developer.apple.com/downloads.
If you search within the OS X category, you can download all versions of OS X, at least from version 10.3 to 10.6.
You may be able to access the developer section of the website, but you can only access certain downloads from software if your Apple ID is associated with a paid Apple developer program.
If you want to know more about the Apple developer program, we recommend you read all the information from its official website, which you can access Through this link.
We also recommend taking a look at sites like Amazon to see if someone is selling some old Apple operating system. For example, you can buy OS X Lion for 33.97 at Amazon.
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