Then you can move your space hoggers onto an external drive or a cloud storage. Go to Finder > All My Files > Arrange by size
Note, that it is recommended that you install OS on a clean drive. The chart below tells you how much free space is needed. One more argument is that the free space on your disk translates into virtual memory so your apps have “fuel” to operate on. This includes not just space for the OS itself but also space for other applications and your user data. Given your Mac isn’t new and is filled with data, you will probably need enough free space on your Mac. We’ll be repeatedly referring to these Apple OS versions below, so it’s good to know the basic macOS timeline. Further down we’ll explain where to get one and what problems you may face down the road.
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. Also, you may have noticed your Mac’s performance went down right after the last update. To begin with, some of your apps may not be working properly (or simply crash) on newer operating systems.
There are many reasons that could point you to this radical decision.
So, you’ve decided to download an older version of Mac OS X. Now, check out our more solutions below.įeatures described in this article refer to the MacPaw site version of CleanMyMac X. It removes only safe-to-delete files and is notarized by Apple.
Use a USB flash drive or other secondary volume to create a bootable installer.So here’s the tip for you: download CleanMyMac X to refresh your Mac’s drive automatically.Use the App Store to download and install the latest macOS or an earlier macOS.You can also use these methods to install macOS, if the macOS is compatible with your Mac: If you just erased your entire startup disk, you might be offered only the macOS that came with your Mac, or the closest version still available.If the Mac logic board was just replaced, you might be offered only the latest macOS that is compatible with your Mac.Or you can use Option-Command-R during startup to be offered either the latest macOS that is compatible with your Mac, or in some cases the macOS that came with your Mac or the closest version still available. On an Intel-based Mac, you can use Shift-Option-Command-R during startup to be offered the macOS that came with your Mac, or the closest version still available.When you install macOS from Recovery, you get the current version of the most recently installed macOS, with some exceptions: When the new owner starts up the Mac, they can use their own information to complete setup. If you're selling, trading in, or giving away your Mac, press Command-Q to quit the assistant without completing setup. Your Mac might restart and show a progress bar several times, and the screen might be empty for minutes at a time.Īfter installation is complete, your Mac might restart to a setup assistant. Allow installation to complete without putting your Mac to sleep or closing its lid.If the installer offers you the choice between installing on Macintosh HD or Macintosh HD - Data, choose Macintosh HD.If the installer doesn't see your disk, or it says that it can't install on your computer or volume, you might need to erase your disk first.
If the installer asks to unlock your disk, enter the password you use to log in to your Mac.To begin installation, select Reinstall macOS from the utilities window in macOS Recovery, then click Continue and follow the onscreen instructions.įollow these guidelines during installation: Reinstalling macOS does not remove data from your Mac.