Does an important app no longer work after an update, or do you not like the new macOS? Then you can go back to an older macOS version: downgrading. It is possible, but it is more work than updating and you have to erase the Mac for it. This article explains how to download and install an older macOS on your MacBook, and what to arrange beforehand so you do not lose files.
Blue Apple repairs MacBooks in Amsterdam. We regularly see Macs where a downgrade went wrong halfway. The right preparation avoids that.
First know: what is and is not possible?
- You cannot go older than the version your Mac shipped with. A MacBook that came with macOS Sonoma will not run Ventura.
- Downgrading means erasing. You cannot install an older version "over" a newer one. You restore your files from a backup afterwards.
- A backup from a newer version cannot simply be restored onto an older one. That is why it helps if you still have a Time Machine backup from before the update.
Step 1: make a backup
Make a full Time Machine backup to an external drive, and also put important files separately on a USB stick or in iCloud. If you still have a Time Machine backup from before the update, keep it safe: with it you can go back in one go.
Step 2: download the older version
Apple has a page on its support site with downloads for older macOS versions. For recent versions that page opens the App Store; older versions are a disk image. Download the version you want, but do not install it yet: the installer goes into the Applications folder.
Step 3: make a bootable USB stick
To put an older version on an erased drive, make a bootable USB stick of at least 16 GB. You do that with a command in Terminal (createinstallmedia); Apple describes the exact command per version on its support site. Note: the USB stick is erased in the process.
Step 4: erase and install
- Start up from the USB stick. On a Mac with an Apple chip: hold the power button and choose the stick. On Intel: hold Option during startup.
- Open Disk Utility and erase the internal drive (usually "Macintosh HD").
- Install macOS from the stick.
- After installation, restore your files, for example with Migration Assistant from a backup of the same or an older version.
The easy route: back to your old backup
Do you have a Time Machine backup from before the update? Then in Recovery mode you can choose Restore from Time Machine. The Mac is then returned to exactly the state of that backup, including the old macOS version. Anything you created after that backup, keep separately.
Rather not downgrade?
An app problem can often be solved another way: wait for an app update, use the web version for a while, or ask the developer for help. Downgrading also leaves your Mac without the security updates of the newest version. An overview of the versions is in macOS versions at a glance.
What we do at Blue Apple in Amsterdam
If your Mac no longer starts properly after a failed downgrade, or the drive no longer appears in Disk Utility, we check whether it is software or hardware and what can be saved of your data. More about MacBook data recovery and MacBook repair in Amsterdam. Also read MacBook will not start up.
Frequently asked questions
Can I go back to an older macOS without erasing?
No. Only Restore from Time Machine takes you back without erasing by hand, and then the Mac is still returned to that backup.
How long does downgrading take?
Count on a few hours, including downloading, making the USB stick, installing and restoring your files.
Does Recovery mode work for an older version?
On Intel Macs Shift + Option + Command + R installs the version the Mac shipped with. On Apple chips it goes via the stick.
