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.
A list of all Mac OS X versions
We’ll be repeatedly referring to these Apple OS versions below, so it’s good to know the basic macOS timeline.
Jun 30, 2017 Here we’ve gathered some of the best free and paid virus malware protection software for Mac OS X. But the question is do your Mac need a malware scanner. Yes, Mac devices also need Antivirus. However, compared to Windows. Mainly there are two reasons which make Mac OS X device more secure compared to Windows. Jan 11, 2018 Whatever you do DON'T install Norton on OS X. MANY OS X users consider Norton to the BANE of OS X! Depending on your version of OS X consider the free/donationware applications like WaterRoof or NoobProof.If you are on 10.9.x then get the free IceFloor.No need to spend a lot of money. The 2.4 version of DoorStop X Firewall for Mac is provided as a free download on our website. The software lies within Security Tools, more precisely Mac protection. This software for Mac OS X was originally created by Open Door Networks, Inc. Nov 30, 2018 With Antivirus for Mac Ensure Complete Protection to your Mac book against adwares, spyware and malware attacks. Download Mac Virus removal for Free! Free Antivirus for Mac - Download complete virus scan and malware removal software for your Mac OS devices.
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.
Free Firewall Download For Mac Os X 10
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.
- 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.
These might also interest you:
Firewall is software that’s there to protect you so it’s best to keep it turned on. With Firewall running, your Mac takes care of everything — automatically determining whether or not an application is allowed to send or receive traffic from the network. It does this using Code Signing Certificates that are issued to trusted applications. Without the proper certification, an app isn’t allowed through. Think of it like a bouncer on the door of a club — if an app doesn’t have the proper ID it ain’t coming in.
There may be times where Firewall isn't needed, though. Say, for example, you’re playing a video game and don’t want to access the online multiplayer modes. Or antivirus software that you’ve installed is conflicting with Mac’s Firewall application.
Firewall For Mac
Turning off Firewall solves these problems. But you should be aware that, while switching off Firewall can stop apps on your computer from sending traffic to the network, it provides free reign for incoming connections, leaving you vulnerable to malware and hackers.
Clean your Mac before changing settings
Before we show you how to turn Firewall on and off, it’s recommended that you have a cleanup of apps on your system, particularly those that you’ve previously deleted. If you’ve ever downloaded an app by mistake and uninstalled it or found an app to be malicious and sent it to the Trash, there’s every chance that their remnants still exist on your system.
If that’s the case and you have Firewall switched off, these apps will be able to send and receive traffic, putting your Mac at serious risk.
So, if you plan on playing around with the Firewall settings, use a tool like CleanMyMac X to find and remove any unwanted files that exist on your system. CleanMyMac scans all of your disks and compiles installed apps. It also identifies broken and outdated apps so that you can easily remove them.
Here’s how to use it:
- Download and launch CleanMyMac X. (Free download)
- Click on the Uninstaller tab.
- Click on View All Applications and select any apps that you wish to remove from the list. Apps can be sorted by Name, Size, Selection, and Last Launch Date to help your search.
- Click on Complete Uninstallation from the dropdown menu.
- Click on the Uninstall button and enter your admin password when prompted.
Selected apps will now be completely removed from your system.
Okay, with that out of the way, let’s get into enabling and disabling Firewall.
How to turn on Firewall on Mac
Mac’s Firewall settings can be found in the Security and Privacy preference in System Preferences.
To enable Firewall in macOS and OS X v10.6 or later:
- Go to System Preferences > Security & Privacy.
- Click on the Firewall tab.
- Click on the lock icon in the bottom left corner of the window and enter your administrator password.
- Click Turn On Firewall (or Start in OS X).
In v10.5 of OS X, Firewall is enabled slightly differently:
- Go to System Preferences > Security.
- Click on the Firewall tab.
- Click on the lock icon in the bottom left corner of the window and enter your administrator password.
- Click Start.
How to disable Firewall for Mac
Turning off the Firewall is simply a case of following the same instructions as above and clicking on the Turn Off Firewall button.
To do this, you may need to enter your administrator password.
Firewall advanced settings
By clicking on the Firewall Options button (or Advanced for OS X) you’ll find additional settings that give you more control over how the Firewall performs.
In the list, you’ll see all of the apps that are currently allowed to send and receive network traffic. By clicking on the application to highlight it and hitting the '-' button, you can remove an app from the list. Alternatively, clicking on the '+' button lets you add a new app to the list.
You’ll also be presented with three options:
- Block all incoming connections — this blocks all connections other than those required for basic internet services.
- Automatically allow signed software to receive incoming connections — this automatically allows software signed with a valid certificate to gain access to the network for sending and receiving traffic.
- Enable stealth mode — this prevents Mac from responding to probing requests.
Check the boxes for any settings you'd like to enable and hit OK to confirm.
The great thing about Firewall for Mac is that it takes care of everything for you, regulating the access of apps to the network to keep your system safe from malicious activity. As said, it’s best to keep Firewall turned on and let it does its thing. But if you do plan on turning it off, even just for a short time, run CleanMyMac X prior to doing so to rid your Mac of old apps lurking in the depths of your system.