safari mac os download

Apple Safari

Apple's Web browser.

Apple Safari overview

Apple Safari is Apple's web browser that comes bundled with the most recent macOS. Safari is faster and more energy efficient than other browsers, so sites are more responsive and your notebook battery lasts longer between charges. Built-in privacy features are stronger than ever. It works with iCloud to let you browse seamlessly across all your devices. And it gives you great ways to find and share your favorites. Put it all together, and no other browser offers such a rich web experience.

Safari for Mac has a condensed and minimalistic interface that offers mac users faster, private browsing with fewer interruptions and extended battery life.

When you download Safari for Mac you will get enhanced protection against invasive malicious software and customizable private browsing options to protect your information.

While browsing privately in Safari, pages that you visit in private mode will not appear in your browsing history list.

The Safari browser uses fewer system resources and allows extended browsing times while iCloud allows you to sync all your web activity seamlessly across devices.

A vast library of extensions available to enhance usability and productivity in the workplace or at home.

How to Update Safari on a Mac?

• Open "System Preferences" and click on the "Software Update" icon.
• If you have an update available it will list the version of macOS that you will be updating too, and what is going to change.
• To start the update there will be an "Update" button.

Note: this is on macOS Catalina as older versions require that you use the "App Store" to update Safari.

Safari Features

• Intelligent Tracking Prevention - enhanced privacy protection
• Reader mode - read without ads and other distractions
• Safari App Extensions - to customize the browsing experience on macOS
• Web Inspector - create custom audits with the new audit tab for running tests against web content
• Use iCloud to sync seamlessly across all your devices
• Browse Desktop sites with Ipad or iPhone
• Enhanced support for the most popular productivity websites
• Dark mode support for websites
• Enhanced password protection
• Sign in With Apple account to Safari now supported
• New Changes sidebar in the Elements tab
• Added the Device Settings menu
• New Security tab in the resources view
• Safari Developer Tools
• Pay with Apple Pay
• Customizable RSS feeds

Compatibility

The default browser for Apple devices and there are no official versions of Safari for other devices. Apple no longer supports Mac OS 10.14 for Macbooks older than 2012.

Known Issues

• No support for WebSQL
• No support for Legacy Safari Extensions
• Can't update Safari on OS X 10.5 (Leopard) or earlier
• no support for windows
• Poor support for new web technologies and open source formats

What’s new in version 17.4.1

Updated on May 13 2024

New Features

• Added support for the new CSS content alternative text syntax. (26942023)

Resolved Issues

• Fixed exposing the correct element role. (13661104)
• Fixed non-accessible content within iframes with ARIA roles. (104611075)
• Fixed VoiceOver word echo on text inputs with a combobox role. (112488137)
• Fixed an issue where innerHTML and innerText changes to labels did not update their corresponding input element’s accessibility title. (113872525)
• Fixed and elements not included in VoiceOver form controls menu or list. (117308226)
• Fixed comboboxes not notifying assistive technologies when aria-activedescendant changes. (117747058)
• Fixed toggling accessibility preferences to correctly update form control appearance. (117914468)
• Fixed: Removed the default ARIA-level heading for a heading role, matching removal from ARIA specifications. (119059172)
• Fixed text missing from accessibility labels for many common shadow DOM scenarios. (120223342)

Full list of changes available here

Information

Developer’s website, app requirements.

• Apple Silicon
• macOS 14.4 or later
• Launch Safari
• Clear History
• Clear cache
• Remove extension
• Turn off plugins within Safari
• Delete plugins
• Your browser will be restored to its factory settings.
• Launch Safari and click on the menu
• Select the "Preferences" option.
• Go to the "General" tab.
• Select the default browser to use.
• Close Preferences.
• Quit Safari.

What customer like

What needs improvements, apple safari qualities, write your thoughts in our old-fashioned comment, ( 0 reviews of ).

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How to download old versions of macOS: Get Ventura, Monterey, Big Sur, Catalina, and more

There are a few reasons why you might want to download and install an old version of macOS or Mac OS X. Perhaps you’re relying on software you have discovered doesn’t work properly in the latest version. Perhaps your Mac has run slowly ever since you updated. Or maybe you just don’t like the new version of macOS that you have installed. Either way, you have questions and we have answers. 

In this article, we will cover how to get old versions of macOS, including Ventura, Monterey, Big Sur, Catalina, Mojave, El Capitan, Sierra, Yosemite, and even old versions of Mac OS X. We explain how to get hold of the relevant installer files so that you can install the software on your Mac.

Just note: if you were hoping to run Catalina, Mojave, or a version of macOS older than Big Sur on an M1- or later Mac, that’s not possible.

If you are looking for a way to go back to the previous version of macOS, we have an article about reverting a macOS update .

You also might want to get the installer for a version of macOS to make a bootable installer for installing macOS on multiple Macs . We have a separate article that explains how to downgrade macOS when you get to that stage of the process.

Where to get older versions of macOS

Before you can install an older version of macOS or Mac OS X you will need to get hold of the installer for the version of macOS you want to install. Luckily it is possible to get ahold of these files, as long as you know where to go on the Mac App Store. If you’re unsure of your Mac’s compatibility, check out our list of which Macs run which versions of macOS & Mac OS X .

It is possible to download older versions of macOS from the Mac App Store. Click on the links to download the installers for the following macOS versions:

*Note that we have discovered that the links we give below will only work if you are using Safari, so we suggest you switch to Apple’s browser before moving on. You should also close the Mac App Store app if you have that open or the link may not work*

• macOS Ventura
• macOS Monterey
• macOS Big Sur
• macOS Catalina
• macOS Mojave
• macOS High Siera

Older verisons of macOS aren’t availbale on the Mac App Store, but Apple does provide dmg files of them. You need to download them in Safari. A disk image named InstallOS.dmg will download and once it does you need to locate the pkg installer inside the disk image.

• macOS Sierra
• OS X El Capitan
• OS X Yosemite
• OS X Mountain Lion

We discuss this process in more detail below.

How to download an older version of macOS for an M-Series Mac

Apple began transitioning away from Apple silicon with the release of macOS Big Sur in 2020, so any version of macOS before that won’t run on an M1 Mac or later.

If you have a M1 or later Mac you will see a message that your Mac is not compatible with versions of macOS that predate Apple’s move to its own silicon. All versions of macOS prior to Big Sur require an Intel Mac.

How to download macOS Ventura, Monterey, Big Sur, Catalina, Mojave and High Sierra

You can download the installers for many versions of macOS from the Mac App Store. Follow these steps to download the version of macOS that you want from the Mac App Store. Use Safari and close the Mac App Store app if you have that open before you begin.

• Follow the Mac App Store link above to the software you require. Use Safari and the Mac App Store will open on the page for the macOS version you require.
• Click on Get.
• Software Update will open with the words “Finding Update”. Eventually a message “Are you sure you want to download macOS [name]” will appear. It might look like an update rather than the full version, but you’ll see from the size of the download (around 6GB) that this is the complete installer for macOS.
• Once the installer has downloaded do not click “Install”. If you do, the installer will automatically be deleted (plus it won’t install if you are already running something newer).
• You should be able to find the “Install macOS [name]” app in your Applications folder, which you can use to downgrade macOS to an older version (see our separate tutorial).

How to download Sierra, El Capitan, Yosemite, Mountain Lion and Lion

Apple provides dmg files of these older macOS versions, but you need to download them using Safari. A disk image named InstallOS.dmg will download and once it does you need to locate the pkg installer inside the disk image.

Prior to June 2021, you could purchase OS X 10.7 Lion or Mountain Lion from Apple for $19.99/£19.99 each – Apple would send you a download code. Now Apple has stopped charging for the aging operating system versions. Instead, you can download the operating systems directly from the company along with these other versions.

We saw a warning about the connection not being private when trying to download these, this message is appearing because it’s not an https connection, probably because these files predate that standard, but do exercise caution here. The links come from this Apple page so should be secure.

What to do if the Mac App Store links above aren’t working

We’ve said above that in our experience usually the reason the above links don’t work is if you are browsing in something other than Safari, or if you have already got the Mac App Store open. However, if you are still finding that the link isn’t working you could try the alternative methods below.

Another issue is if the link takes you to the correct page in the Mac App Store, but you see an Update not found error message when you try to download it. This is an issue we are aware of that others have encountered, although we haven’t. In that case, we suggest you try to download the installer via that link using an older Mac.

You may also encounter issues if you are trying to download an older version of macOS that your Mac cannot support. Usually, when Apple introduces a new Mac it will not be able to run the version of macOS that shipped before the one installed on that Mac. The older macOS might not support certain components in that Mac, for example.

Other ways to get older macOS versions

If you are running an older version of macOS – or someone you know is – you should be able to easily find older versions of macOS and even Mac OS X in the Mac App Store. How easy they are to find will be determined by the version of macOS running on that Mac.

Prior to macOS Mojave’s arrival in 2018, the installers for the older macOS versions could be searched for or found via the Purchased tab (not that anyone has had to pay for a Mac OS X update for years).

However, when Apple introduced Mojave the Mac App Store changed, and these installers can no longer be searched for or found in the purchased section of the store. (Although we do have redirect links in the section above to each of the relevant pages on the Mac App Store.)

If you happen to have access to a Mac that’s running an older version of macOS, log into the Mac App Store with your password and download the Mojave installer on that Mac. Alternatively, ask a friend to download a copy of the installer from the Mac App Store for you. Once the installer has downloaded don’t install it! If you do the installer will be deleted. You’ll find the installer in your Applications folder from which you can copy it onto your Mac or create a bootable installer .

You may also find updates to an older version of macOS on Apple’s website . However these are just point updates, rather than the full version, so it won’t be much help if you are trying to get the full download.

The one thing you really mustn’t do is go to a torrent site and download a copy of the macOS you want. Just because Apple gives away its software for free, don’t think it’s fine to just pick up a copy. Pirated copies of Apple software could have been adjusted to allow hackers access to the software and your Mac.

How to get OS X Snow Leopard 

If your Mac has a version of macOS installed that is older than Snow Leopard you won’t have access to the Mac App Store. For a number of years after Snow Leopard arrived all versions of Mac OS X arrived via the Mac App Store, those who never installed Snow Leopard had a problem: without Snow Leopard, they couldn’t update.

Until 2021 Apple still sold a boxed version of Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard for $19.99/£19.99 (at its launch in 2009 it cost $25/£25). If you purchased Snow Leopard this way you were sent a physical box containing an optical disc – so you will need a CD/DVD drive to install it (which you will probably have if the Mac is that old).

Apple has now removed the ability to buy Snow Leopard. However, this isn’t a big problem because those people who were previously locked out of updates can now download the Lion or Mountain Lion update via the links provided above.

How to get OS X Leopard or earlier

If the old version of the OS you are after predates Snow Leopard and you have a developer account you might be able to get it from developer.apple.com/downloads . If you search within the OS X category you should see downloads for all versions of OS X, at least from version 10.3 to 10.6.

You may be able to access the Developer section of the website, but you will only be able to access certain software downloads if your Apple ID is associated with a paid Apple Developer Program. It costs $99/£79 a year to join the Apple Developer Program and you have to sign a nondisclosure agreement.

You could also try looking on Amazon or eBay to see if anyone is selling old versions of the Mac operating system or perhaps a Mac running one.

Author: Karen Haslam , Managing Editor

Karen has worked on both sides of the Apple divide, clocking up a number of years at Apple's PR agency prior to joining Macworld more than two decades ago. Karen's career highlights include interviewing Apple's Steve Wozniak and discussing Steve Jobs’ legacy on the BBC. Having edited the U.K. print and online editions of Macworld for many years, more recently her focus has been on SEO and evergreen content as well product recommendations and buying advice on Macworld.com.

Recent stories by Karen Haslam:

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Safari 17 with enhanced Private Browsing out now for macOS Ventura, macOS Monterey

Safari with Apple's Private Browsing

Timed to join the update to macOS Sonoma , the introduction of Safari 17 updates Apple's macOS web browser adds some much-needed features to the surfing tool.

The release notes mention support for Profiles , allowing browsing to be separated for topics and tasks like "Work" and "Personal." Profiles have their own history, cookies, extensions, Tab Groups, and favorites lists.

A new enhanced Private Browsing locks the windows when they're not used, stops known trackers from loading, and can remove identifying tracking elements from URLs.

Search has also been streamlined to make it faster, offer more relevant results, and to make it easier to read.

Multiple tab selections allow users to select multiple tabs at once, so they can be moved around the tab bar or created into a Tab Group.

The update is available through System Settings in macOS Ventura or System Preferences in macOS Monterey , under General then Software Update. The download weighs in at 165.7MB.

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Apple Releases Safari 15.1 for macOS Big Sur and macOS Catalina

Apple today released Safari 15.1 for macOS Big Sur and macOS Catalina, giving Mac users who do not have macOS Monterey installed access to the latest Safari features.

In Safari 15.1, Apple undid those design changes and returned Safari to its pre-Monterey look, doing away with the updated design and the feature that blended the top bar in Safari with the background color of websites. Those who liked the new design can still enable it in Safari preferences, but the old design is the default.

Safari can be downloaded on machines running macOS Big Sur and macOS Catalina by going to System Preferences > Updates. If you have macOS Monterey 12.0.1 installed, you already have Safari 15.1.

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iOS 16 won’t have any design changes as apple will be scared to change anything; I miss the days apple told up what we like and we get used to it

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macOS Big Sur 4+

View in Mac App Store

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Description.

macOS Big Sur elevates the world's most advanced desktop operating system to a new level of power and beauty. Experience Mac to the fullest with a refined new design. Enjoy the biggest Safari update ever. Discover new features for Maps and Messages. And get even more transparency around your privacy. Design • New design for apps makes it easier to focus on your content and take action with space efficient toolbars and full height sidebars • Updated menu bar features wider spacing and a new translucent material that becomes more vibrant when you interact with it • Refreshed system sounds include the boot chime and sounds for transferring files, moving items to the trash, locking files, and more Control Center • Control Center puts your favorite menus and controls in one handy place in the menu bar so you can quickly adjust settings as you work • Additional controls appear when you click to expand Control Center menus • Support for pinning favorite menus from Control Center to the menu bar Notification Center • Updated Notification Center brings notifications and widgets together in one view • Interactive notifications display additional actions you can take with a deep press • Beautiful, new data-rich widgets for Calendar, Clock, Notes, Photos, Podcasts, Reminders, Screen Time, Stocks, and Weather • Edit view lets you to add new widgets and customize their size • Support for widgets from third-party apps Safari • World's fastest desktop browser with industry-leading performance and energy efficiency* • Customizable new start page lets you set a background image and decide what appears, including Reading List, iCloud Tabs, Privacy Report and more • Expanded extensions support and new dedicated category in the App Store for discovering new extensions • New tab design featuring favicons in tabs, and website previews that appear when you hover over a tab • Translation (beta) for English, Spanish, Simplified Chinese, French, German, Russian or Brazilian Portuguese • Privacy Report gives you visibility into how Safari keeps your browsing your business, with an overview of trackers blocked by Intelligent Tracking Prevention • Safari password monitoring securely screens saved passwords for any that may have been involved in a data breach • Safari privacy prompts for extensions let you choose when a website can work with an extension Messages • Pinned conversations keep up to nine of your favorite threads at the top of the list • Mentions let you direct a message to an individual in a group conversation • Inline replies let you reply to a specific message earlier in the conversation • Message effects for balloons, confetti, lasers and more • #images helps you find and add trending GIFs to messages • Memoji makes it simple to create a personalized character and send stickers that match your mood and personality Maps • Guides offer recommendations for places to go and things to do, curated by a selection of trusted brands • Look Around to explore cities in a high-resolution, interactive 3D experience • Indoor maps for major airports and shopping centers • Cycling directions helps you find bike-friendly routes to your destination • Electric vehicle routing helps you plan trips for supported vehicles that you add on iPhone Some features may not be available for all regions, or on all Apple devices. * Performance will vary based on system configuration, network connection, and other factors.

Version 11.7.10

This update provides important security fixes and is recommended for all users.

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Where to Find Downloaded Files in Safari on a Mac and How to Manage Them

After downloading a file, it's not always easy to find where it saved. Here's how to find and manage Safari downloads on your Mac.

While browsing the web in Safari, it’s common to need to download files from different websites. But sometimes it can be a challenge to find where these Safari downloads are saved.

Below are several ways to find and manage Safari downloads on your Mac.

How to Download Files Using Safari

There are different ways to save items from Safari to your Mac , depending on the type of item you want to save. While some items in webpages can’t be downloaded, files, images, software, and apps often come with a dedicated download button. Otherwise, Control-click or two-finger tap an item to save or download it.

It’s best not to download software or apps if they aren’t from a trusted source.

Where to Find Safari Downloads on a Mac

Unless you’ve chosen otherwise, items that you’ve downloaded from Safari automatically go to your Downloads folder. To find this, open Finder and click Downloads from the sidebar or press Cmd + Option + L .

You can change where your downloaded files save, if you want:

• Head to Safari > Preferences .
• Click the General tab. Go to File download location , then choose from the popup. Select Ask for each download if you want to be in more control of each download.
• If you want to select a specific destination, click Other and select your desired folder.

Use the Downloads Button in Safari

Quickly access your downloads in Safari by clicking the Downloads button, a downward arrow enclosed in a circle icon on the top-right of the Safari window. Note that this won’t appear unless you’ve recently downloaded an item.

Open the Downloads Stack in the Dock

Another way to immediately access your downloaded files is through the Dock. Your recent downloads are often found on the right side of the Dock in a stack. Hover over it to preview the contents or click to expand it.

Open the Downloads Folder in Finder

As we already mentioned, you can also find your Safari downloads using Finder. This is a valuable utility to locate items on our Mac. Simply click the magnifying button on your menu bar and type "downloads," or go to your Dock and click Finder to open the Finder window.

You can usually find the Downloads folder in the sidebar, under Favorites.

How to Manage Your Safari Downloads

There are several ways to manage your in-progress or completed downloads in Safari. To perform these actions, open the Downloads menu in Safari itself. Here’s what you can do:

• Pause Downloads: If you’re currently downloading, click the stop button beside the file name to pause the download, then click the resume button to resume it again.
• Remove a downloaded item: If you want to remove a single item from the list, Control-click the item and select Remove from List . You can also remove all your recently downloaded items by clicking Clear in the top right of the popup.

By default, Safari automatically deletes downloaded items after a day. If you want to change this:

• Go to Safari > Preferences .
• Click General , then go to Remove download list items . Choose from After one day , When Safari quits , Upon successful download , or Manually .

Manage Your Safari Downloads

There is a lot of content you can download on the web, and simply knowing how to download it is usually half the battle. But once you’ve done that, you can use the tips in this guide to find and manage your Safari downloads with ease, even customizing your download preferences to get fuller control over where your files save and when they get deleted.

How-To Geek

How to download and install older versions of macos.

Got an older Mac and want to reinstall an earlier version of macOS on it? Here's how you do that.

Quick Links

Before you start, where to download older versions of macos, get even older versions of os x, reinstalling an older version of macos, perfect for older apple computers.

Got an old Mac and want to reinstall macOS? Maybe you want to roll back your Mac to an earlier version of macOS than the one you currently have installed? Here's how you downgrade macOS to an older version.

While the process is pretty straightforward, getting your hands on older releases of macOS isn't so easy.

It's important to understand that not all versions of macOS (or Mac OS X) work with all hardware configurations. It's common knowledge that new macOS releases often drop support for older hardware , but the same is true for newer Mac models and older software, too.

For example, you cannot install any version of macOS prior to Big Sur (released in 2020) on a Mac with an Apple Silicon chip, including the M1. Older versions were written for Intel chips, which use the x86_64 instruction set, while the newer Apple Silicon chips use the ARM instruction set .

Your Mac's "earliest" supported version of macOS is the one that it came with. If you're not sure what your Mac came with, head to Apple Support and search for your exact model. You can find out which Mac you have by clicking on the Apple logo in the top-left corner and selecting "About This Mac" to see the name and year of release.

If you're willing, you can install newer versions of macOS than your Mac supports with tools like Patched Sur . After trying this, you might come to the conclusion that newer releases perform too poorly on your hardware, at which point, you'll need to roll back.

This guide can help you roll back to almost any version of macOS. If you do decide to try a new version of macOS and you're reliant on Time Machine for your backups, resist backing up with Time Machine until you're sure that it's where you want to stay.

Older versions of macOS might experience problems restoring from Time Machine backups made on subsequent releases. For example, trying to restore a Time Machine backup made in Big Sur (released in 2020) in macOS Catalina (released in 2019) could prove difficult.

You can get around this by using a third-party backup tool like Carbon Copy Cloner or ChronoSync . As a last resort, you could manually back up your important documents, libraries, and so on to an external drive. We'd recommend test-driving any experimental macOS installations for a while before you commit.

You can download most older versions of macOS using the Mac App Store or direct links to Apple's website. Unfortunately, Apple doesn't index the Mac App Store entries so that you can search for them in the app. To get them, you'll need to follow direct links, which we've listed below.

If you have trouble getting these links to work, first, make sure that you're using Safari, and then try closing the Mac App Store and clicking on the link again.

Mac App Store Links for Older macOS Downloads

Once any of these downloads finishes,  do not open the installer to begin the installation. Leave the installation app in your Applications folder.

• macOS Big Sur (2020)
• macOS Catalina (2019)
• macOS Mojave (2018)
• macOS High Sierra (2017)

Direct Disk Image Links for Older macOS Downloads

Once any of these downloads are complete, mount the .DMG file and run the .PKG installer within. This will put an installation app in your Applications folder, which you should leave there.

• macOS Sierra (2016)
• Mac OS X El Capitan (2015)
• Mac OS X Yosemite (2014)

If you have a valid Apple Developer account, you might be able to download older versions from developer.apple.com/downloads . Non-developers can buy OS X Mountain Lion ($19.99) and OS X Lion ($19.99) from Apple directly. Apple will email you an unlock code, which you can redeem in the Mac App Store.

There might be old copies of Lion, Mountain Lion, and even Snow Leopard for sale on sites like eBay .

Some websites might offer old versions of OS X for download, but we recommend avoiding them. First, the installer might contain malware. Second, there are legal concerns: OS X is still copyrighted software. Even if you own a license, you might not be able to legally download it in your jurisdiction. If you can, you might not be able to legally use BitTorrent to download it, as your BitTorrent client will be uploading parts of OS X to other people during the download process.

Creating a bootable USB stick is necessary to install an older version of macOS. You can use this drive multiple times in different machines, throw it in a drawer for next time, or erase it when you're done and make a new one when it's time to reinstall again.

Prepare Your USB Drive

Apple recommends a USB drive that's formatted as Mac OS Extended, with 14GB of free space for the latest versions of macOS. We've used 8GB drives in the past to install Catalina and earlier, so your mileage might vary.

To format your drive, connect it to your Mac, and then launch Disk Utility (You can do this by using Spotlight or by finding the app in your Applications > Utilities folder.). Locate the drive in the sidebar, click on it, and then click "Erase" and give it a name. In the drop-down box, select "Mac OS Extended (Journaled)," and then click "Erase" to start the process.

Create a Bootable USB in Terminal

We'll be using Terminal to create the USB drive, so launch it via Spotlight or locate the app in your Applications > Utilities folder. You can use a single command to create your installation medium, but this differs depending on which version of macOS you're trying to install.

This assumes that you're installing Big Sur, that your drive is labeled "macos_installer," and that you have the relevant macOS installer in your Applications folder:

You can change various parts of this command to suit your own circumstances, with the main one being the name of the installer. Be aware that any spaces will need to be preceded by a backslash. For example, "Install macOS High Sierra.app" would become

 in this context.

Here's another example that creates a macOS High Sierra install USB on a drive named "MacOS Installer":

You can run the

command to list all connected volumes, which will include your USB installation medium in case you need to check the label.

Once you hit Enter, you'll need to enter your admin password to approve the command, and then hit "Y" on your keyboard to confirm that you're OK with the contents of the USB drive being overwritten.

Install macOS from Scratch

Once your installation files have been copied, it's time to install macOS from scratch. To ensure that everything goes smoothly, we'll take the extra step of deleting your existing partition before installing macOS.

First, insert your USB drive and turn off your Mac. The next instruction will differ depending on which type of Mac you have ( Here's how to tell. ). They are as follows:

• Apple Silicon (M1 chip and newer):  Press and hold the power button until you see the startup options window, and then click on the USB volume that you created earlier and click Continue.
• Intel-powered Mac:  Press and hold Option (Alt) as you turn your Mac on. Release when you see a list of bootable volumes, select the USB stick that you created, and click on the upward-pointing arrow.

Once macOS loads (You might need to select a language first.), click on Utilities > Disk Utility. Select your drive (usually labeled as "Macintosh HD") in the sidebar, and then click "Erase."

Warning: The contents of your Mac's system volume will be erased in the next step, so make sure that you've backed up any data that you don't want to lose.

If you're installing macOS Sierra or later, choose "APFS." Otherwise, you'll need to format to "Mac OS Extended (Journaled)" for El Capitan and earlier. When you're sure about your decision, click "Erase" and confirm.

Finally, quit Disk Utility and select "Reinstall macOS" or "Install macOS" (or Mac OS X, for older versions) from the macOS Utilities window. Follow the rest of the prompts to finish the installation.

You might be interested in doing this if you have an older Mac that isn't compatible with the latest version of macOS but that might still benefit from a squeaky clean installation . This is one of the few things that you can try to improve performance on an old Mac .

Finally, if this worked out for you, consider keeping a copy of your preferred retired version of macOS on a spare drive, just in case it's hard to find by the next time you try this.

Related: How to Speed Up Your Old Mac and Give It a New Life

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• - How to Find Your Phone Number on iPhone
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How to Download MacOS Installers for New & Old Versions

Want to know how to download MacOS and Mac OS X installers? You might be wondering where you can download current and older versions of Mac OS from, particularly if you’re looking to update a Mac, install a different MacOS version, or even use an older system software version. MacOS installers can be used to update systems directly, or even make bootable USB drives out of.

Downloading and using different Mac OS installers is very common for performing system updates and restores, troubleshooting purposes, for IT staff and admins, and for tinkerers. This article will cover where to download and access installers for MacOS Sonoma 14, macOS Ventura 13, MacOS Monterey 12, macOS Big Sur 11, macOS Catalina, MacOS Mojave, MacOS High Sierra, macOS Sierra, Mac OS X El Capitan, OS X Yosemite, OS X Mavericks, Mac OS X Mountain Lion, Mac OS X Lion, Mac OS X Snow Leopard, Mac OS X Leopard, Mac OS X Tiger, and others too. We provide direct download links to the installers wherever possible, and we also show you how you can retrieve installers from Apple by using the command line, and the Mac App Store.

Where to Download Mac OS Installers From

The following links point to locations on Apple’s website or CDN where you can download various MacOS system software installers. The installer downloads come directly from Apple, corresponding to the version you choose. In many cases, these are direct download links, meaning clicking on the .pkg or .dmg will initiate the download right away, retrieving the installer from Apple. If you’re having difficulty getting a download to start or complete, you might try right-clicking on one the links and choosing “Save As”, or using the Safari web browser on a Mac.

macOS Sonoma 14 Installers

• macOS Sonoma 14.5 InstallAssistant.pkg (Separately: Sonoma 14.5 IPSW )
• macOS Sonoma 14.4.1 InstallAssistant.pkg (Separately: MacOS Sonoma 14.4.1 IPSW )
• macOS Sonoma 14.4 InstallAssistant.pkg (separately: Sonoma 14.4 IPSW )
• macOS Sonoma 14.3 InstallAssistant.pkg (Separately: Sonoma 14.3 IPSW )
• macOS Sonoma 14.2.1 Full Installer pkg (Separate: Sonoma 14.2.1 IPSW
• macOS Sonoma 14.2 Full Installer InstallAssistant.pkg (Separately: Sonoma 14.2 IPSW
• macOS 14.1.2 InstallAssistang.pkg (Separately: 14.1.2 IPSW )
• macOS Sonoma 14.1.1 InstallAssistant.pkg (Separately: Sonoma 14.1.1 IPSW )
• macOS Sonoma 14.1 InstallAssistant.pkg (Separately: Sonoma 14.1 IPSW )
• MacOS Sonoma 14.0 Final – InstallAssistant.pkg (Separately: IPSW for Sonoma Final)
• MacOS Sonoma RC 2 (Separately: RC 2 IPSW – UniversalMac_14.0_23A344_Restore.ipsw
• MacOS Sonoma Release Candidate InstallAssistant.pkg (Separately: UniversalMac_14.0_23A339_Restore.ipsw for Sonoma RC )
• MacOS Sonoma developer beta 7 InstallAssistant.pkg (Separately: Sonoma beta 7 IPSW )
• MacOS Sonoma developer beta 6 InstallAssistant.pkg (Separate: MacOS Sonoma Beta 6 IPSW restore image
• MacOS Sonoma developer beta 5 InstallAssistant.pkg (separate: Beta 5 IPSW restore image )
• MacOS Sonoma 14 developer beta 4 ( IPSW restore image )
• MacOS Sonoma 14 developer beta 3
• MacOS Sonoma 14 developer beta 2
• MacOS Sonoma 14 developer beta 1

MacOS Ventura 13 Installers

• MacOS Ventura 13.6.7
• MacOS Ventura 13.6.6
• MacOS Ventura 13.6.5 InstallAssistant.pkg
• MacOS Ventura 13.6.4 InstallAssistant.pkg
• MacOS Ventura 13.6.3
• macOS Ventura 13.6.2
• MacOS Ventura 13.6.1
• MacOS Ventura 13.6
• MacOS Ventura 13.5.2
• macOS Ventura 13.5.1 InstallAssistant.pkg
• macOS Ventura 13.5 InstallAssistant.pkg
• MacOS Ventura 13.4.1
• MacOS Ventura 13.4
• MacOS Ventura 13.3.1
• MacOS Ventura 13.3
• MacOS Ventura 13.2.1
• macOS Ventura 13.0.1 InstallAssistant.pkg
• MacOS Ventura – App Store Link

macOS Monterey 12 Installers

• macOS Monterey 12.7.5
• macOS Monterey 12.7.4 InstallAssistant.pkg
• MacOS Monterey 12 (Direct InstallAssistant.pkg links: macOS Monterey 12.7.3 , 12.7.2 , 12.7.1 , 12.7 , 12.6.9 , 12.6.8 , 12.6.7 , 12.6.6 , 12.6.3 , 12.6.2 , 12.6.1 , App Store link )

macOS Big Sur 11 Installers

• macOS Big Sur 11 ( App Store link ) (Direct link to installers: 11.7.10 , 11.7.9 , 11.7.8 , 11.7.7 , 11.7.4 )

macOS Catalina 10.15, Mojave 10.14, High Sierra 10.13 Installers

• macOS Catalina 10.15 ( App Store link )
• macOS Mojave 10.14 ( App Store link )
• macOS High Sierra 10.13 ( App Store link )

macOS Sierra 10.12, OS X El Capitan 10.11, OS X Yosemite 10.10 Installers

• macOS Sierra 10.12 ( Direct DMG download link )
• OS X El Capitan 10.11 ( Direct dmg download link )
• OS X Yosemite 10.10 ( Direct download link )

Mac OS X Mountain Lion 10.8, Mac OS X Lion 10.7, Installers

• Mac OS X Mountain Lion 10.8 ( Direct DMG Download )
• Mac OS X Lion 10.7 ( Direct DMG Download)

Many of these MacOS installers arrive as InstallAssistant.pkg files that will extract the full installer into the /Applications folder on the Mac.

New versions of MacOS installers are typically available through the Mac App Store, accessed through a computer that is compatible with the latest Mac system software release.

Older versions of Mac OS X installers can often be downloaded as well, but from different sources.

For earlier versions of Mac OS X, including Mac OS X Mavericks 10.9, Mac OS X Mountain Lion 10.8, Mac OS X Lion 10.7, Mac OS X Snow Leopard 10.6, Mac OS X Leopard 10.5, Mac OS X Tiger 10.4, and before, the process to obtain those installers differs a bit.

Downloading MacOS Installers via Terminal

Mac users can download the latest macOS installer available from the Terminal by using the following command string:

softwareupdate --fetch-full-installer

You can also download specific installer versions by using the following syntax, replacing the asterisks with version number:

softwareupdate --fetch-full-installer --full-installer-version **.**.*

For example, to get macOS 11.3.1 the syntax would be as follows:

softwareupdate --fetch-full-installer --full-installer-version 11.3.1

Downloading Mac OS X Installers from App Store “Purchases”

If you had at one point in time purchased or downloaded a version of MacOS or Mac OS X from the Mac App Store, then you should be able to re-download it from the Mac App Store by going go the “Purchases” section. This can typically be used to access downloads for installers for MacOS Mojave, High Sierra, Sierra, Mavericks, and Mountain Lion, though there are some caveats and exceptions.

• Open the App Store
• Go to the “Purchases” section (newer App Store versions must go to Account > Purchases)
• Scroll down the list of Purchased items to locate the Mac OS X Installer version you wish to re-download, then click on the download button

This works particularly well if the Mac you’re downloading the software onto is running an older version of Mac OS X.

This approach for re-downloading older OS X installers from App Store Purchases section works for obtaining many older versions of Mac OS X, particularly if the machine doing the downloading is running an older Mac release too. For example, re-downloading Mavericks from Yosemite , whereas if you’re running the App Store from newer versions of MacOS you’d need to follow the links further above to download the installers directly, or via the App Store links.

Downloading Mac OS X Snow Leopard

If you’re a registered Apple developer then you may be able to download Mac OS X Snow Leopard and Mac OS X Leopard directly from Apple ADC using the following links:

• Download Mac OS X Snow Leopard (DMG file, via Apple ADC downloads)
• Download Mac OS Leopard (DMG file, ADC download link)

Downloading / Buying Mac OS X Mountain Lion, Lion, Mac OS X Snow Leopard

Apple also sells some older Mac OS X versions for convenience:

• Buy Mountain Lion from Apple for $20
• Buy Lion from Apple for $20

For buying even older versions of Mac OS X, you may have some luck searching on Amazon or Ebay and buying old physical copies of the installer disks. Keep in mind those earlier Mac OS X software updates used to cost a significant amount of money to update to and so even if they’re hold they can still carry a premium.

Another option is to peruse the Apple Vintage Software collection at Archive.org which may have image files of older system restore disks and other older system software, just beware that archive.org is not an official distributor of Apple software so appropriate precautions should be taken and only download from there at your own risk.

Finally, if you’re looking to download much older classic Mac OS software, check out this article which discusses finding original classic Mac OS System releases that go back far before the transition to Mac OS X and Unix underpinnings.

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Blazing fast. Incredibly private.

Safari is the best way to experience the Internet on all your Apple devices. It brings robust customisation options, powerful privacy protections and optimises battery life — so you can browse how you like, when you like. And when it comes to speed, it’s the world’s fastest browser. 1

Performance

More with the battery. less with the loading..

With a blazing-fast JavaScript engine, Safari is the world’s fastest browser. 1 It’s developed to run specifically on Apple devices, so it’s geared to make the most out of your battery life and deliver long-lasting power.

Increased performance

We’re always working to make the fastest desktop browser on the planet even faster.

Improved power efficiency

Safari lets you do more online on a single charge.

Up to 4 hours more streaming videos compared with Chrome 3

Up to 17 hours of video streaming 3

Best-in-class browsing

Safari outperforms both Mac and PC browsers in benchmark after benchmark on the same Mac. 4

• JetStream /
• MotionMark /
• Speedometer /

JavaScript performance on advanced web applications. 4

Safari vs. other Mac browsers

Safari on macOS

Chrome on macOS

Edge on macOS

Firefox on macOS

Safari vs. Windows 11 browsers

Chrome on Windows 11

Edge on Windows 11

Firefox on Windows 11

Rendering performance of animated content. 4

Web application responsiveness. 4

4K video streaming

See your favourite shows and films in their best light. Safari supports in-browser 4K HDR video playback for YouTube, Netflix and Apple TV+. 5 And it runs efficiently for longer-lasting battery life.

Privacy is built in.

Online privacy isn’t just something you should hope for — it’s something you should expect. That’s why Safari comes with industry-leading privacy protection technology built in, including Intelligent Tracking Prevention that identifies trackers and helps prevent them from profiling or following you across the web. Upgrading to iCloud+ gives you even more privacy protections, including the ability to sign up for websites and services without having to share your personal email address.

Intelligent Tracking Prevention

Safari stops trackers in their tracks.

What you browse is no one’s business but your own. Safari has built‑in protections to help stop websites and data-collection companies from watching and profiling you based on your browsing activity. Intelligent Tracking Prevention uses on-device intelligence to help prevent cross-site tracking and stops known trackers from using your IP address — making it incredibly difficult to learn who you are and what you’re interested in.

Privacy Report

Safari makes it simple to see how your privacy is protected on all the websites you visit. Click Privacy Report in the Safari menu for a snapshot of cross-site trackers currently prevented from profiling you on the website you’re visiting. Or view a weekly Privacy Report to see how Safari protects you as you browse over time.

Customisation

Putting the you in url..

Safari is more customisable than ever. Organise your tabs into Tab Groups so it’s easy to go from one interest to the next. Set a custom background image and fine-tune your browser window with your favourite features — like Reading List, Favourites, iCloud Tabs and Siri Suggestions. And third-party extensions for iPhone, iPad and Mac let you do even more with Safari, so you can browse the way you want across all your devices.

Safari Profiles allow you to separate your history, extensions, Tab Groups, favourites, cookies and more. Quickly switch between profiles for topics you create, like Personal and Work.

Web apps let you save your favourite websites to the Dock on Mac and to the Home Screen on iPhone and iPad. A simplified toolbar and separate settings give you an app-like experience.

Safari Extensions add functionality to your browser to help you explore the web the way you want. Find and add your favourite extensions in the dedicated Safari category on the App Store.

Save and organise your tabs in the way that works best for you. Name your Tab Groups, edit them and switch among them across devices. You can also share Tab Groups — making planning your next family trip or group project easier and more collaborative.

Smart Tools

Designed to help your work flow..

Built-in tools create a browsing experience that’s far more immersive, intuitive and immediate. Get detailed information about a subject in a photo with just a click, select text within any image, instantly translate an entire web page and quickly take notes wherever you are on a site — without having to switch apps.

Notes is your go-to app to capture any thought. And with the Quick Note feature, you can instantly jot down ideas as you browse websites without having to leave Safari.

Translation

Translate entire web pages with a single click. You can also get translations for text in images and paused video without leaving Safari.

Interact with text in any image or paused video on the web using functions like copy and paste, translate and lookup. 6

Visual Look Up

Quickly learn more about landmarks, works of art, breeds of dogs and more with only a photo or an image you find online. And easily lift the subject of an image from Safari, remove its background and paste it into Messages, Notes or other apps.

Surf safe and sound.

Strong security protections in Safari help keep you safe. Passkeys introduce a safer way to sign in. iCloud Keychain securely stores and autofills passkeys and passwords across all your devices. Safari also notifies you when it encounters suspicious websites and prevents them from loading. Because it loads each web page in a separate process, any harmful code is always confined to a single browser tab so it won’t crash the entire application or access your data. And Safari automatically upgrades sites from HTTP to the more secure HTTPS when available.

Passkeys introduce a more secure and easier way to sign in. No passwords required.

Passkeys are end-to-end encrypted and safe from phishing and data leaks, and they are stronger than all common two-factor authentication types. Thanks to iCloud Keychain, they work across all your Apple devices, and they even work on non-Apple devices.

Learn more about passkeys

Same Safari. Different device.

Safari works seamlessly and syncs your passwords, bookmarks, history, tabs and more across Mac, iPad, iPhone and Apple Watch. And when your Mac, iOS or iPadOS devices are near each other, they can automatically pass what you’re doing in Safari from one device to another using Handoff. You can even copy images, video or text from Safari on your iPhone or iPad, then paste into another app on your nearby Mac — or vice versa.

When you use Safari on multiple devices, your tabs carry over from one Apple device to another. So you can search, shop, work or browse on your iPhone, then switch to your iPad or Mac and pick up right where you left off.

Save web pages you want to read later by adding them to your Reading List. Then view them on any of your iCloud-connected devices — even if you’re not connected to the Internet.

iCloud Keychain securely stores your user names, passwords and credit card numbers, and keeps them up to date on your trusted devices. So you can easily sign in to your favourite websites — as well as apps on iOS and iPadOS — and quickly make online purchases.

Designed for developers.

Deep WebKit integration between Mac hardware and macOS allows Safari to deliver the fastest performance and the longest battery life of any browser on the platform, while supporting modern web standards for rich experiences in the browser. WebKit in macOS Sonoma includes optimisations that enable even richer browsing experiences, and give developers more control over styling and layout — allowing for more engaging content.

Make Safari your default browser

Customise your start page, view your browsing privacy report, monitor your saved passwords, view your tabs across all your devices, read the safari user guide, get safari support.

Create a bootable installer for macOS

You can use a USB flash drive or other secondary volume as a startup disk from which to install the Mac operating system.

These advanced steps are primarily for system administrators and other experienced users who are familiar with entering commands in Terminal.

You don’t need a bootable installer to upgrade macOS or reinstall macOS , but it can be useful if you want to install macOS on multiple computers without downloading the installer each time, or if you can’t install a compatible macOS from the Finder or macOS Recovery.

Download a full macOS installer from Apple

Connect a usb flash drive to your mac, use terminal to create the bootable installer, use the bootable installer.

To get a full macOS installer:

Download macOS from the App Store or your web browser using the links provided in How to download and install macOS .

Download from a Mac that is using the latest version of OS X El Capitan or later and is compatible with the macOS you’re downloading. Find out which macOS your Mac is using .

Enterprise administrators: download from Apple, not a locally hosted update server.

After you have the installer:

Make sure the installer is in the Applications folder of your startup disk. This is the folder that opens when you choose Go > Applications from the menu bar in the Finder.

Make sure the installer is named Install [Version Name], such as Install macOS Sonoma. It should be an app, not a disk image (.dmg) or package (.pkg) that contains the installer.

Connect a USB flash drive or other secondary volume to your Mac.

When you create the bootable installer, this volume will automatically be erased.

A 32 GB USB flash drive has more than enough storage space for any macOS installer, and 16 GB is enough for most earlier versions of macOS. If more space is needed, Terminal will let you know.

Connect the USB flash drive directly to your Mac.

Open Terminal, which is in the Utilities folder of your Applications folder.

Type or paste one of the commands below Each command assumes that the installer is in your Applications folder and MyVolume is the name of the USB flash drive. If it has a different name, rename it or replace MyVolume in the command as needed.

When prompted, type your administrator password. Terminal doesn't show any characters as you type. Then press Return.

When prompted, type Y to confirm that you want to erase the volume, then press Return. Terminal displays the progress as the volume is being erased. If Terminal can’t erase successfully, use Disk Utility to erase the volume using Mac OS Extended (Journalled) format, then start again from the beginning.

After the volume is erased, you may see an alert stating that Terminal would like to access files on a removable volume. Click OK to allow the copy to proceed.

When Terminal says that the install media is now available, the volume will have the same name as the installer, such as Install macOS Sonoma. You can now quit Terminal and eject the volume.

Commands to use in Terminal

Depending on which macOS you downloaded, enter one of the following commands in Terminal as instructed above. Replace MyVolume in the command with the name of your volume, if different.

If the Mac you’re using to create the bootable installer is using macOS Sierra or earlier, append --applicationpath to your command, followed by the appropriate installer path, similar to what is shown in the command below for El Capitan.

sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Sonoma.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume

sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Ventura.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume

sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Monterey.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume

sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Big\ Sur.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume

sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Catalina.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume

sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Mojave.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume

High Sierra:

sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ High\ Sierra.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume

El Capitan:

sudo /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ El\ Capitan.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume --applicationpath /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ El\ Capitan.app

Follow the appropriate steps based on whether the Mac receiving the macOS installation is a Mac with Apple silicon .

Mac with Apple silicon

Shut down or turn off the Mac.

Connect the bootable installer to the Mac.

This Mac must be compatible with the macOS that you’re installing. If it isn’t, it may start up to a circle with a line through it .

This Mac must be able connect to the Internet. A bootable installer doesn’t download macOS, but it does need an Internet connection to get firmware and other information for this Mac model.

Turn on the Mac and continue to hold the power button until you see the startup options window , which shows your bootable volumes, including the bootable installer.

Select the bootable installer, then click Continue.

When the macOS installer opens, follow the onscreen installation instructions.

Any other Mac

This Mac must be able to connect to the Internet. A bootable installer doesn’t download macOS, but it does need an Internet connection to get firmware and other information for this Mac model.

Turn on the Mac, then immediately press and hold the Option (Alt) key.

Release the Option key when you see a dark screen showing your bootable volumes, including the bootable installer.

Select the bootable installer. Then, click the onscreen arrow or press Return.

If you’re using a Mac with the Apple T2 Security Chip and you can’t start up from the bootable installer, make sure Startup Security Utility is set to allow booting from external or removable media.

Choose your language, if prompted.

Select Install macOS (or Install OS X) from the Utilities window, then click Continue and follow the onscreen instructions.

Find out more

For more information about the createinstallmedia command and the arguments you can use with it, make sure the macOS installer is in your Applications folder, then enter the following in Terminal, replacing InstallerName with the name of the installer:

"/Applications/InstallerName.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia"

Example : "/Applications/Install macOS Sonoma.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia"

How to download Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge on a Mac

Macs are Apple's personal computer lineup — iMac, Mac Mini, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro , and more. They offer great capabilities that rival brands sometimes try to emulate. Protecting your MacBook Pro with a case will only make it last longer, so make sure to buy one if you haven't yet. One of the handy features of macOS is the ability to use third-party browsers if you prefer another over Safari. Here's how to download Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge on a Mac.

How to install Windows on a Mac

How to download google chrome on a mac.

• Launch Safari from the Launcher or Spotlight Search .
• Head to google.com/chrome .
• Click on Download Chrome in the middle of the screen.
• Double Click on the .dmg file once it finishes downloading.
• Drag the Chrome icon to the Applications folder, as instructed.
• Wait for it to finish copying.
• You will then see the Chrome icon in the Launcher. Click it.
• Allow macOS to launch it.
• Customize the settings you get the first time you launch the app.
• Voila! You can now use Google Chrome on your Mac.

How to download Microsoft Edge a Mac

• Head to microsoft.com/edge .
• Click on Download in the middle of the screen.
• Agree to the Terms of Service after you read them by selecting Accept and download .
• Allow the download to commence and wait for it to complete.
• Double Click on the .pkg file once it finishes downloading.
• Go through the straightforward installation process and close it once it finishes.
• Click on Move to Trash , when prompted.
• You will then see the Edge icon in the Launcher. Click it.
• Voila! You can now use Microsoft Edge on your Mac.

There's value in other browsers

As Mac owners know, not every app or web function plays well with Safari. What's more, there are unique features you'll get with another browser like Google Chrome that make it worth having as well. Most notably nowadays, this includes powerful AI tools on Chrome that can help you work faster and more efficiently. You'll get the same AI integration, it should be noted, with the Microsoft Edge browser as well, featuring Microsoft's own twists on the growing technology.

Do your research and see which browser meets your needs best. Or go ahead and download both, switching among the two (along with Safari) until you decide which one is worth keeping and becoming your new default browser. We named all three among the best web browsers for Mac , so you can't go wrong no matter which one you choose.