How to Download Older Versions of macOS from Apple

You can still download many older versions of macOS directly from Apple. The best method depends on the release you need: Apple currently provides App Store links for several newer legacy releases, direct disk-image downloads for older OS X/macOS releases, and a Terminal command that can fetch compatible full installers. Avoid third-party archives when an Apple-hosted copy is available.

Which older versions of macOS can you download?

Apple’s current macOS download and installation page is the safest starting point. It lists these older releases by download method:

Download an older macOS version from the App Store

For the releases Apple lists in the App Store, use the links on Apple’s support page rather than relying on App Store search results.

1. Open Apple’s official macOS download page on the Mac that will download the installer. Apple recommends trying Safari if a link does not open as expected.
2. Select the macOS release you need. The link should open its App Store page.
3. Click Get. Software Update may open and ask for permission to download the installer.
4. When the download finishes, the installer is placed in the Applications folder and normally opens automatically. If you only want to keep the installer or make a bootable USB later, quit the installer instead of starting the installation.

If the Get button is unavailable or the App Store says the release is not compatible, that Mac may not support that macOS version.

Use Terminal to download a full macOS installer

On a Mac running macOS Catalina 10.15 or later, Terminal can show full installers that Apple currently offers for that Mac. First open Terminal and run:

softwareupdate --list-full-installers

Then fetch the compatible version you want by replacing [number] with the version number shown by Apple:

softwareupdate --fetch-full-installer --full-installer-version [number]

The completed installer is saved in the Applications folder. Apple notes that Terminal cannot fetch a compatible release earlier than the macOS version that originally came with the Mac, or the closest version still available. If Terminal reports that the update was not found, run the list command again and choose a version that is actually offered.

Download Sierra, El Capitan, Yosemite, Mountain Lion, or Lion

Apple distributes these older releases as disk-image files from links on its support page. Use a compatible Mac to complete the installer setup.

1. Open Apple’s official macOS download page and choose the required release under the browser-download section.
2. Download the .dmg file. Apple says Safari is worth trying if the direct link does not behave as expected.
3. On the Mac, open the disk image, then open the .pkg package inside it. The package places the macOS installer in the Applications folder.
4. Open Applications and launch Install [Version Name] when you are ready to install.

Check compatibility before you install

Downloading an installer does not mean every Mac can run it. Apple’s download page links to compatibility information for supported macOS releases, and Software Update or the App Store can refuse downloads that are not compatible with the Mac you are using.

If your goal is to install macOS on several Macs or install when the normal methods are unavailable, Apple also documents how to create a bootable macOS installer. In most cases, the Mac used to download the installer must itself be compatible with that macOS release.

If the installer is damaged, unavailable, or cannot be verified

• Download a fresh copy from Apple. Apple’s current guidance for an installer reported as damaged or unverifiable is to delete the old copy and download it again from Apple, not to install a separate certificate or bypass verification.
• Check the available Terminal list. A specific point release may no longer be offered even when that major macOS version is still supported for download.
• Check storage and internet access. The installer may need an internet connection to retrieve firmware and information specific to the Mac.
• Use Recovery when the goal is reinstallation. If installation continues to fail, Apple recommends macOS Recovery as one troubleshooting path. See Apple’s installation error guidance.

For security and integrity, stick to Apple-hosted installers whenever possible. Apple’s current public download page does not offer every historical Mac OS X release, so a version missing from that page should not be assumed to have a current official public download.