

The next time you upgrade, you might want to make a backup of the previous version’s installer, just in case.įor this process, you’ll need a 16GB or larger USB flash drive or external hard drive. Moving forward, it’s worth remembering that older macOS versions are now harder to download. This is helpful for users trying to downgrade from macOS Ventura to macOS Monterey or older on Apple silicon Macs (M1 and M2 models), as the default Recovery mode only installs the latest version of macOS. Once you have the specific macOS installer downloaded on your Mac, you can use it to create a bootable disk from which you can reinstall an older version of macOS.
#APPLE OLD MAC OS UPDATE#
The installer will download through the Software Update section of System Settings and should be available in your Applications folder after. This is no longer possible with the updated Mac App Store however, you can still download older macOS versions through Apple’s Support site. Downgrade Using an Older macOS Installerīefore the release of macOS Mojave, it was possible to download older versions of macOS directly through the App Store.
#APPLE OLD MAC OS INSTALL#
So there’s no rush, but maybe start saving those pennies for an upgrade if you can.Using a Time Machine backup is another simple way to install an older version of macOS. The jump from Intel to the M1 chip was significant enough, and as Apple said during the WWDC keynote any Intel Mac users are likely to be blown away by an Apple Silicon machine. But you’ve probably got another couple of years before that actually becomes a problem - especially if you bought an Intel MacBook in 2020.īut it is still worth keeping in the back of your mind, especially given the huge leap in performance, efficiency and battery life afforded by Apple Silicon chips. To maintain those attributes, the files had to be stored on a disk formatted with the old Macintosh File System. It’s clear that Intel-powered macs, like any high-tech product, do have an expiration date - and the older your device the sooner it will be. Mac files before OS X depended on the Type and Creator attributes attached to the file to determine what program should be associated with them. Regular security updates are the best protection you can get. Not that we recommend sticking with unsupported software for longer than you need to, of course. They just don’t have the hardware for certain things, like the Emergency SOS via Satellite feature.Ĭompanies do regularly send out updates when the consequences are serious, such as the discovery of a fatal flaw or security hole. The same is true of iPhones, even though iOS 17 will support iPhones up to and including the 2018 iPhone Xs.

9to5Mac notes that some macOS Sonoma features aren’t available on Intel macs, such as Game Mode or the solos “Siri” wake word. Of course, being supported by new software doesn’t always guarantee that everything will be available.
