Watch DVD movies on your Mac. You can use DVD Player to watch movies you created with another app, like Final Cut Pro. How to preview your own movies. To browse the DVD Player User Guide, click Table of Contents at the top of the page. DVD Player User Guide. Play a DVD or DVD. Jul 10, 2011. May 03, 2011.
So, you’ve decided to download an older version of Mac OS X. There are many reasons that could point you to this radical decision. To begin with, some of your apps may not be working properly (or simply crash) on newer operating systems. Also, you may have noticed your Mac’s performance went down right after the last update. 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. Further down we’ll explain where to get one and what problems you may face down the road.
A list of all Mac OS X versions
We’ll be repeatedly referring to these Apple OS versions below, so it’s good to know the basic macOS timeline.
Cheetah 10.0 | Puma 10.1 | Jaguar 10.2 |
Panther 10.3 | Tiger 10.4 | Leopard 10.5 |
Snow Leopard 10.6 | Lion 10.7 | Mountain Lion 10.8 |
Mavericks 10.9 | Yosemite 10.10 | El Capitan 10.11 |
Sierra 10.12 | High Sierra 10.13 | Mojave 10.14 |
Catalina 10.15 |
STEP 1. Prepare your Mac for installation
Given your Mac isn’t new and is filled with data, you will probably need enough free space on your Mac. This includes not just space for the OS itself but also space for other applications and your user data. One more argument is that the free space on your disk translates into virtual memory so your apps have “fuel” to operate on. The chart below tells you how much free space is needed.
Note, that it is recommended that you install OS on a clean drive. Next, you will need enough disk space available, for example, to create Recovery Partition. Here are some ideas to free up space on your drive:
- Uninstall large unused apps
- Empty Trash Bin and Downloads
- Locate the biggest files on your computer:
Go to Finder > All My Files > Arrange by size
Then you can move your space hoggers onto an external drive or a cloud storage.
If you aren’t comfortable with cleaning the Mac manually, there are some nice automatic “room cleaners”. Our favorite is CleanMyMac as it’s most simple to use of all. It deletes system junk, old broken apps, and the rest of hidden junk on your drive.
Download CleanMyMac for OS 10.4 - 10.8 (free version)
Download CleanMyMac for OS 10.9 (free version)
Download CleanMyMac for OS 10.10 - 10.14 (free version)
STEP 2. Get a copy of Mac OS X download
Normally, it is assumed that updating OS is a one-way road. That’s why going back to a past Apple OS version is problematic. The main challenge is to download the OS installation file itself, because your Mac may already be running a newer version. If you succeed in downloading the OS installation, your next step is to create a bootable USB or DVD and then reinstall the OS on your computer.
How to download older Mac OS X versions via the App Store
If you once had purchased an old version of Mac OS X from the App Store, open it and go to the Purchased tab. There you’ll find all the installers you can download. However, it doesn’t always work that way. The purchased section lists only those operating systems that you had downloaded in the past. But here is the path to check it:
- Click the App Store icon.
- Click Purchases in the top menu.
- Scroll down to find the preferred OS X version.
- Click Download.
This method allows you to download Mavericks and Yosemite by logging with your Apple ID — only if you previously downloaded them from the Mac App Store.
Without App Store: Download Mac OS version as Apple Developer
If you are signed with an Apple Developer account, you can get access to products that are no longer listed on the App Store. If you desperately need a lower OS X version build, consider creating a new Developer account among other options. The membership cost is $99/year and provides a bunch of perks unavailable to ordinary users.
Nevertheless, keep in mind that if you visit developer.apple.com/downloads, you can only find 10.3-10.6 OS X operating systems there. Newer versions are not available because starting Mac OS X Snow Leopard 10.7, the App Store has become the only source of updating Apple OS versions.
Purchase an older version of Mac operating system
You can purchase a boxed or email version of past Mac OS X directly from Apple. Both will cost you around $20. For the reason of being rather antiquated, Snow Leopard and earlier Apple versions can only be installed from DVD.
Buy a boxed edition of Snow Leopard 10.6
Get an email copy of Lion 10.7
Get an email copy of Mountain Lion 10.8
The email edition comes with a special download code you can use for the Mac App Store. Note, that to install the Lion or Mountain Lion, your Mac needs to be running Snow Leopard so you can install the newer OS on top of it.
How to get macOS El Capitan download
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:
Copy Dvd Mac Free
1. Install Snow Leopard from install DVD.
2. Update to 10.6.8 using Software Update.
3. Download El Capitan here.
“I can’t download an old version of Mac OS X”
If you have a newer Mac, there is no physical option to install Mac OS versions older than your current Mac model. For instance, if your MacBook was released in 2014, don’t expect it to run any OS released prior of that time, because older Apple OS versions simply do not include hardware drivers for your Mac.
But as it often happens, workarounds are possible. There is still a chance to download the installation file if you have an access to a Mac (or virtual machine) running that operating system. For example, to get an installer for Lion, you may ask a friend who has Lion-operated Mac or, once again, set up a virtual machine running Lion. Then you will need to prepare an external drive to download the installation file using OS X Utilities.
After you’ve completed the download, the installer should launch automatically, but you can click Cancel and copy the file you need. Below is the detailed instruction how to do it.
STEP 3. Install older OS X onto an external drive
The following method allows you to download Mac OS X Lion, Mountain Lion, and Mavericks.
- Start your Mac holding down Command + R.
- Prepare a clean external drive (at least 10 GB of storage).
- Within OS X Utilities, choose Reinstall OS X.
- Select external drive as a source.
- Enter your Apple ID.
Now the OS should start downloading automatically onto the external drive. After the download is complete, your Mac will prompt you to do a restart, but at this point, you should completely shut it down. Now that the installation file is “captured” onto your external drive, you can reinstall the OS, this time running the file on your Mac.
- Boot your Mac from your standard drive.
- Connect the external drive.
- Go to external drive > OS X Install Data.
Locate InstallESD.dmg disk image file — this is the file you need to reinstall Lion OS X. The same steps are valid for Mountain Lion and Mavericks.
How to downgrade a Mac running later macOS versions
If your Mac runs macOS Sierra 10.12 or macOS High Sierra 10.13, it is possible to revert it to the previous system if you are not satisfied with the experience. You can do it either with Time Machine or by creating a bootable USB or external drive.
Instruction to downgrade from macOS Sierra
Instruction to downgrade from macOS High Sierra
Mac Pro Application
Instruction to downgrade from macOS Mojave
Instruction to downgrade from macOS Catalina
Before you do it, the best advice is to back your Mac up so your most important files stay intact. In addition to that, it makes sense to clean up your Mac from old system junk files and application leftovers. The easiest way to do it is to run CleanMyMac X on your machine (download it for free here).
Visit your local Apple Store to download older OS X version
If none of the options to get older OS X worked, pay a visit to nearest local Apple Store. They should have image installations going back to OS Leopard and earlier. You can also ask their assistance to create a bootable USB drive with the installation file. So here you are. We hope this article has helped you to download an old version of Mac OS X. Below are a few more links you may find interesting.
These might also interest you:
What is the best DVD Player for MacBook Pro? Apple does not provide the build in the DVD driver for MacBook Pro/Air now. It should be more and more difficult to get a suitable DVD player on Mac now. If you are searching for the best program to playback DVDs, you can learn more detail about the top 5 DVD Playing programs on MacBook Pro now.
Part 1: Top 5 Free DVD Player software for MacBook Pro
When the MacBook Pro still has the DVD driver, you only need some DVD Player program to play DVD disc. Some DVD Players for MacBook Pro are the build-in program, which you do not need to install extra files. Others are the popular media players you can enjoy DVD for free.
1. QuickTime
QuickTime is the default DVD Playing software for MacBook Pro, which you can play media from a variety of source, including the DVD file. It just turns MacBook Pro into a television to enjoy movies. The latest QuickTime version also adds an H.264 codec that vastly improved the quality of the DVD files.
Step 1: Insert a DVD into DVD driver
Make sure you use the 120mm DVD, which is the only compatible DVD type for MacBook Pro. Once you insert a DVD disc, the MacBook will detect it automatically.
Step 2: Load DVD to QuickTime
Open the 'Finder' to locate the icon for DVD movie under the driver letter of the DVD reader. And then click and hold the icon for DVD movie to load DVD to QuickTime.
Dvd Player App For Mac
Step 3: Play DVD on MacBookPro
And then you can use the default DVD Player for MacBook Pro to playback the DVD disc. Release the mouse button when the DVD movie file is over the QuickTime Player.
2. MplayerOSX
MplayerOSX is the open source media player. Just similar as the other DVD Player for MacBook Pro, the program is able to play any video file. It also supports many native, XAnim, and Win32 DLL codec. And then you can use the program to play CD, DVD, MWV and more other files.
Copy Dvd Mac
Step 1: Install MplayerOSX
MplayerOSX is a binary distribution for Mplayer (Linux' Movie Player) and is native to Mac OS X. Once you download and install the program, you can play DVD with MacBook with ease
Step 2: Play DVD files on Mac
Upon installation, you can then simply use drag and drop to play your DVD files in either full screen or window modes.
3. VLC Media Player
VLC Media Player is the one of the most popular DVD Players for Mac and Windows, including MacBook Pro. VLC support a huge list of file formats, video, audio and playlists. Whether you need to play from a local or removable location, DVD, online stream or other video, it should be the versatile DVD Player for you.
Step 1: Load DVD disc to VLC Media Player
Open the 'File' menu, and then choose 'Open Disc' from the resultant menu item. While in the Open Disk Dialog Box, select DVD.
Step 2: Enable DVD menu
When reading the DVD you have the option to enable DVD menus through selecting DVD Disc Type from the wxWidgets Interface. You can accomplish the same by selecting Use DVD menus.
Step 3: Play DVD on MacBook Pro
Select the drive that contains the DVD disc, provides related drive letter or name of device in the Device Name input box. After that you can Click Ok to start playback.
4. Mac Media Player
Mac Media Player is the powerful DVD player for MacBook Pro/Air, which supports all media formats. It enables people to watch DVD on all MacBook series in HD format. No plugin or codex required, once you download and install Mac Media Player, then it can work as the DVD player for MacBook Pro.
Step 1: Set Mac Media Player as the default DVD player on MacBook Pro.
Choose 'System Preferences' from the drop-down menu, and then hit 'CDs & DVDs' option in the 'Hardware' list, choose 'Open Mac Media Player' on the bottom of 'When you insert a video DVD' selection.
Step 2: Inset DVD disc into internal DVD drive of MacBook Pro.
Put one DVD disc into the DVD slot, and then choose 'Open Disc' button, to get DVD videos play automatically.
5. 5K DVD Player
5K DVD Player is the media player, support users to encrypt and read DVD discs on MacBook in high definition. All regions of DVDs can be played, including ISO image files and other digital media files. No adware and no virus as well. It is totally free to run the free DVD player for MacBook Pro.
Step 1: Import the DVD videos on Mac.
Download 5K DVD Player, and then hit DVD option, to import DVD videos to MacBook Pro.
Step 2: Watch DVD videos on MacBook.
You can manage the Library, and do other video setting manage tasks.
More DVD player software download, you can check it here.
Free Applications For Mac
Part 2: 2 Best External DVD Players for MacBook Pro
Best Applications For Mac
If you just bought the latest version of MacBook Pro, you might find the DVD driver is not available now. As for the case, you need some external DVD Player for MacBook first. As fro the case, you have to select the MacBook Pro suitable external DVD player. The price of the external DVD player for MacBook Pro, the main features, its weight and many other factors are all worthy to consider and compare. The followings are two representative external DVD players, which can serve as the optical drive.
6. Apple USB Super Drive
Price: $79
It is the compact USB Super Drive designed by Apple team as well. You can play and burn CDs and DVDs directly, as well as creating backup discs. Its outlook is slim, thus, it is lightweight to carry Apple USB Super Drive anywhere, with less room being taken.
Mac Os X Dvd Player
7. Asus Slim External Drive
Price: $33
Obviously, the Slim External Drive by Asus is half price of the above Apple product. And it runs slightly different as well. The DVD disc tray replaces the common DVD slot. You need to press the button to insert DVD into. Therefore, the Asus external DVD drive is larger and thicker in outlook.
Conclusion
Dvd Reader For Mac
If you are still using the old version of MacBook Pro before 2016, you only need to download DVD Players on MacBook Pro in order to watch DVD movies. When you get the new version of MacBook Pro without DVD driver, the external DVD Player for MacBook Pro is also required in order to playback the DVD files. You can also share other DVD Players you favorite with us in the comments.