If your Mac is too old to install macOS Mojave, you can still upgrade to the latest version of macOS that is compatible with it, even if you can't find those versions of macOS in the Mac App Store. Apple has pages for High Sierra, Sierra and El Capitan than include links directly to the hidden Mac App Store pages with those downloads.
Check out Upgrading Older Macs To Earlier Versions Of macOS at YouTube for closed captioning and more options.
Video Transcript: What if you have a Mac that is too old to run macOS Mojave but you're not at the latest operating system that that Mac can run. How do you update to it? If you have a recent Mac from the last few years you can probably update to Mojave and you've probably been bugged to do so. I'm a big advocate of always running the latest software. You get the latest features and you get the best security. If you want to upgrade to Mojave you can simply search for Mojave in the Mac App Store and it comes up and you can upgrade from there. But if your Mac is too old you won't be able to. As a matter of fact if you don't see it here and you can't get to it in the Mac App Store that probably means your Mac is too old.So how do you get to a newer operating system that can run on your computer but is newer than what you've got. Like, for instance, maybe you're running Sierra but your Mac can run High Sierra and for some reason you haven't gotten around to upgrading to High Sierra yet. Well, you can still get to those in the Mac App Store but you won't find them by searching. If I search for High Sierra it doesn't come up. If I search for Mac OS it doesn't come up. I just get Mojave there and some other stuff. So how do you find it.Well, Apple has you covered because they have links that go directly to these. So let's take a look here in Safari. Here is the page to upgrade to macOS High Sierra. I'll include the link here in the post at MacMost.com. You can find it pretty easily with a search. It gives you the details about how to upgrade. It even gives you a compatibility check. Now if you want to see a compatibility check for Mojave just to be sure whether or not you can upgrade to it, Apple has a page for that as well with all the requirements for upgrading to Mojave.On this upgrade page here for High Sierra it has the requirements for upgrading to High Sierra. It has some general instructions and, most importantly, it has a link right here that will open up the Mac App Store to the page for macOS High Sierra. Even though before it was hidden. So this is great! But what if your Mac is even older than that.There are other pages as well. As a matter of fact at the bottom of this page for High Sierra there is a link to the same page but for Sierra. It's got the requirements for Sierra and it has a link to go to the Sierra page. If we go back here we can see there was the link for El Capitan and you can go and click on that here and get to the El Capitan link in the Mac App Store.So there are ways to upgrade to older versions than Mojave if your system can take them and if for some reason you haven't gotten around to upgrading all the way until now. I'll include all these links in the post at MacMost.com.How To Update Old Macbook Software Free
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. Update to 10.6.8 using Software Update. Download El Capitan here. For others, there's SheepShaver, a PowerPC emulator capable of running Mac OS 9.0.4 down to Mac OS 7.5.2 and there's Basilisk II, a 68k emulator, capable of running Mac OS (8.1 to 7.0). For everything older than System 7, you will need a Mac Plus emulator like Mini vMac NEW! When you install an app on your Mac, the piece of software arrives as part of a package of files, including permissions that tell MacOS which users can do what things with specific files. Clean up your Mac. This is essential if you want a fast and effortless update, and glitchless work of your new macOS. And it's also pretty easy. To give your Mac a cleanup, you need to get rid of system junk, uninstall extra apps, and clean some old caches. If that sounds like a lot of work, you can get a Mac cleaner like CleanMyMac for the job. Initially I was thinking this computer is too old for Yosemite because I didn't see the plain jane MacBook on the compatible computers, but then I also read that if you have snow leopard you will be able to update. Before I attempt something that could screw my computer up I wanted to clarify this. I'm thinking she's too old for Yosemite.
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Oct 16, 2020 • Filed to: Solve Mac Problems • Proven solutions
Mac users get new software updates and versions more frequently than the other operating systems. That's both the blessing and curse for the Mac users. The latest software makes your Mac device compatible with the new technological developments. Still, it also makes the existing OS obsolete. That's why most Mac users with old devices try to update their Mac to OS X El Capitan. However, you can't update your Mac to El Capitan 10.11 if your Mac runs on software later than Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard.
Is OS X El Capitan Still Available for Your Mac?
OS X El Capitan (10.11) was launched on 25 September 2015, and it is an improved version of OS X Yosemite (10.10). Improved window management, quick and responsive interface, spotlight search, and enhanced graphics were the prerequisites of El Capitan OS. However, if you are planning to update your Mac to OS X El Capitan, your device must fulfill the following requirements.
Space Requirements
You can't install OS X El Capitan unless your Mac has a free space of 8.8 GB. However, that's the space you need to install El Capitan on your Mac. You might have to free more space to run your Mac more smoothly because low space slows down system performance.
Hardware Compatibility
Most of the Mac models can install and run OS X El Capitan, but in some devices, you can't use full features of this OS due to hardware limitations. For instance, you can't use AirDrop on your Mac if you don't have a WiFi network compatible with PAN. The followings are devices that are compatible with OS X El Capitan.
- MacBook introduced in 2009 or later, plus MacBook (13-inch, Aluminum, Late 2008)
- MacBook Air introduced in late 2008 or later
- MacBook Pro introduced in mid-2007 or later
- Mac mini introduced in early 2009 or later
- iMac introduced in mid-2007 or later
- Mac Pro introduced in early 2008 or later
- Xserve models introduced in early 2009
RAM Compatibility
RAM is the temporary memory that supports the system to run apps and programs efficiently. Without enough RAM, trust me, you can't even run your native operating system smoothly. Similarly, you can't install El Capitan unless you have 2 GB RAM on your Mac.
Operating System Compatibility
Operating systems play a critical role in creating an operational environment for both the software and the hardware. If you have decided to update your Mac PC, you have to make sure that your device doesn't run the OS later than Mac OS X Snow Leopard 10. 6. 8.
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After you are done with checking the compatibility of your Mac device, it's time to follow some pre rituals to prepare your device for Mac OS X El Capitan 10.11. These steps are mandatory for the successful installation of El Capitan OS into your Mac, and Apple also suggests them.
Get Your Mac Ready for El Capitan Update
Unprepared installation of a new operating system can result in disappointment. Remember that you are going to get a relatively new OS for your older Mac. To increase the hardware compatibility of your Mac, you must go through a checklist for successful installation of OS X El Capitan.
Space in your Mac: This includes freeing space both on RAM and Disk drive. 2 GB RAM and 8.8 GB of disk space are mandatory because the installer would not proceed without the fulfillment of these hardware requirements.
Minimum battery requirement: During the OS update, a computer consumes battery quicker than the regular operations. Your Mac needs to have at least 45% battery to pass through the El Capitan installation.
Active Internet Connection: You can't proceed with any OS installation without an active internet connection. Along with the installation package, your Mac would also need some side installations throughout the update. Without the support of these plugins and drivers, you would be back to square one. So, an active connection is a must.
Update Apps: Outdated apps can halt the process of updating your Mac. As soon as the installation of Mac OS X El Capitan completes, you face a software crisis. Most of your apps would stop working, leaving you with a headache. That's why don't forget to update your apps before starting the update.
How To Update Old Macbook Software Windows 7
Backup Your Data: There's a high chance that you would lose your data during Mac OS X EI Capitan update because the new OS makes changes in every nook and corner of your PC. To prevent the possible data loss, make a double back up—one in the Time Machine and other in the external storage device. If there is any file missing after the El Capitan update, check how to recover files after OS X update.
Begin Update Process
Your device is ready to embrace Mac OS X El Capitan 10.11 after going through the steps mentioned earlier. Now it's time for some real action.
Step 1Visit the official Mac App Store and search for Mac OS X El Capitan. Your search result would Stake you to the El Capitan page. You can also download El Capitan without the App Store by the following links.
Step 2From the official El Capitan page, you can download your required version.
Step 3Once the download is done, the El Capitan installer will pop up on your screen.
Step 4Press the 'Continue' button and wait for the installation to begin. You can proceed with the installation by following the instructions of the installer.
Step 5The installation process does not take a long time. Once the installation is done, you can restore your data from Time Machine or external drive.
Recover Lost Files After OS X El Capitan Update
Do you remember those pre-installation steps? Those steps were taken to minimize the chances of data loss during the Mac OS X El Capitan installation. Despite these precautions, you are still at the risk of unprecedented data loss. You can lose data due to the following reasons.
Data loss due to corrupted files: If your Mac contains corrupted files, you will lose your data. During installation, the new OS tries to fix or delete corrupted files. These overwritten or deleted files would not appear after installation.
Nature of Mac OS X El Capitan's update: You will replace your older OS with a new version that is not tailor-made for your Mac. That's a significant shift in the environment of your Mac. Such kinds of major updates come with uncertainty, and you can't predict whether you are going to lose your data or not.
Hardware specifications: 2 GB RAM and 8.8 GB disk space is a standard requirement for El Capitan's update. But it takes a lot more from a Mac device to adapt to a newly enforced environment. A slight incompatibility can make you lose your data without any notice.
Lost Your Data After Mac OS X El Capitan: What's Next?
Data loss is one of the anticipated drawbacks of the installation of Mac OS X El Capitan. If you have lost your data after while updating your Mac and don't know what's next, it's time to get expert help.
Recoverit Data Recovery can be used for getting your documents, audio clips, videos, and photos back after Mac OS update. It uses high-tech codecs that are compatible with more than a thousand formats of files. Here are all the good reasons to trust Recoverit Data Recovery.
- Junk free installation for the data security of their users;
- High compatibility with Mac on different versions;
- Works effectively with every storage device: hard drive, USB drive, SD card, etc.;
- Deep scanning feature;
- Straightforward interface and quick data recovery.
Mac users can retrieve their lost data after OS X El Capitan Update by following these steps.
Step 1Download Recoverit and tap on its icon to launch it on your Mac
(If you can't find the Recoverit icon on your desktop, you can use Finder to search it.)
Step 2After running Recoverit successfully on your Mac, now choose the following options.
Step 3Select the location of the drive you want to recover files.
Step 4Use the 'Start' button to scan it. Scan retrieves all the data of your selected drive.
Step 5Using the option to 'Preview and Recover,' you can choose the files that you want to recover, and you are done.
Wrap Up
New updates always come with uncertainty for the old devices. However, you can reverse your loss of data by taking the precautionary steps. Despite these steps, you might lose a few of your files. But don't worry, an ace software like Recoverit can recover your data.
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