OS X 10.7 Lion was released on July 20, 2011 and made some huge changes to the Mac. Some of these changes were to make it easier for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch users to adapt to the Mac, some to make the two platforms work better together, and some to keep making the Mac better and better.

Lion was only available by purchase and download from the Mac App Store, where it retailed for US$29.99. You must have OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard installed to purchase, download, or install Lion, and the 4 GB download could take some time with slower DSL connections (we don’t even want to think about how long it would take with dial-up). As a convenience, Apple allowed users to bring their Macs to a nearby Apple Store and use Apple’s WiFi to make the download.

Like OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard, Lion requires an Intel-based Mac, but it goes two steps beyond that. First of all, Lion is a 64-bit operating system, so it won’t work on those 2006 Macs built around 32-bit Core Solo and Core Duo processors. It requires Core 2 Duo or newer, which leaves the following Macs behind unless you update the firmware and install a Core 2 Duo CPU:

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• Mac OS X Release Candidate - (Download #34) Zip contains both installer & developer tools. Mac OS X 10.5 Single Layer DVD - (Download #35) Basic OS install, no extras included as to fit on one DVD.
• Download Apple Mac OS X Lion 10.7.5 Supplemental Update for Mac to update your Mac OS X Lion for Intel-based Macs.
• Apple on Tuesday released the latest update for its Leopard operating system, Mac OS X 10.5.7, bringing with it more than 20 bug fixes as well as a number of security updates.

Additionally, Lion is the first version of OS X with no support for PowerPC software. Apple introduced Rosetta, which lets Intel CPUs run PowerPC apps, with OS X 10.4 Tiger for the first Intel Macs in 2006, and it had been part of OS X until now.

The last version of Lion, OS X 10.7.5, was released on October 4, 2012. It was the first version of Mac OS X to be part of the annual upgrade program – ever since Lion, Apple has released a new macOS version every year.

Lion was replaced by OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion on July 25, 2012, just a year after Lion first became available. Lion is no longer available for purchase through normal App Store channels, although you may be able to acquire access to it through Apple Support.

Lion is the oldest version of OS X impacted by the “goto fail” bug. See Apple and the ‘goto fail’ Bug for information on securing Lion.

Installation Tip

You can’t just install Lion on any old Mac that support it. The installer’s certificate has expired, so you need to set your Mac to think it’s operating in the past. Using trial and error, I found that setting a date in 2012 will let the installer function. To change your Mac’s date:

1. Open System Preferences.
2. Open Date & Time.
3. If your Mac is set to Set date and time automatically, which is usually the case, disable it.
4. Click on the year and use the down arrow to the right of it to change the year to 2012.
5. Install Lion and make several rounds of updates.

After you complete the process, be sure to set your Mac to the current date and time. Enabling the Set date and time automatically setting is the easiest way to do it.

Lion Links

• The Implications of Losing Rosetta in OS X 10.7 Lion, Charles W Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2011.05.09. Rosetta lets PowerPC apps run on Intel Macs, but losing Rosetta means that some installers and updaters will no longer run.
• Mac OS X 10.7 Lion Brings Back Useful Features from Apple’s 1983 Lisa, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 2011.06.07. As I read about Resume, Auto Save, and Versions, one thought kept coming to my mind: Lisa lives!
• Already Addicted to OS X Lion, Austin Leeds, Apple Everywhere, 2011.07.21. After just a few hours use, iPad user Austin Leeds says there’s a lot to love with OS X 10.7 Lion on his MacBook Pro.
• Snow Leopard and OS X 10.7 Lion Backlash, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 2012.03.05. While OS X and Lion are gaining market share, OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard is also making a bit of a comeback.

Downloadable Updates

Standalone updates let you update to a newer version of Mac OS X from your hard drive instead of using Software Update, which requires an Internet connection. This can be especially helpful if you have more than one Mac that need to have the update installed, since you only have to download it once. Download the one(s) you need and install them after mounting the disk image and launching the Installer program.

There are two types of Standalone Updates: Individual (or Delta) and Combo.

• Individual Updates update one version of Mac OS X to the next version. For example, the Mac OS X 10.7.4 Update updates Mac OS X 10.7.3 to version 10.7.4. Individual Updates are also known as Delta Updates.
• Combo Updates update the base version of a Mac OS X release to the version specified in the Combo Update, including all intermediate updates. For example, the Mac OS X 10.7.4 Combo Update updates any earlier version of Mac OS X 10.7 to Mac OS X 10.7.4 using a single installer, as opposed to installing the individual Mac OS X 10.7.1, 10.7.2, 10.7.3, and 10.7.4 updates.

Standalone Updates are generally available 24 to 48 hours after the Update is available through Software Update.

If you burn a Standalone Update to CD, its disk image must be copied to your desktop or another location on your Mac OS X startup disk in order to be installed.

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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.

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:
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• 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.

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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

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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:

1. Click the App Store icon.
2. Click Purchases in the top menu.
3. Scroll down to find the preferred OS X version.
4. 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

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.

“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

How to run dmg files in linux. The following method allows you to download Mac OS X Lion, Mountain Lion, and Mavericks.

1. Start your Mac holding down Command + R.
2. Prepare a clean external drive (at least 10 GB of storage).
3. Within OS X Utilities, choose Reinstall OS X.
4. Select external drive as a source.
5. 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.

1. Boot your Mac from your standard drive.
2. Connect the external drive.
3. 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 High Sierra

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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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