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macOS High Sierra 10.12.6 to 10.13

I am trying to update from macOS High Sierra 10.12.6 to 10.13 and I can't find 10.13. I can only find subsequent releases, which can't be updated until we first upgrade to 10.13. Could anyone point me towards the right place? It is not on the App Store and not on the website. Thanks very much.

iMac 21.5″, macOS 10.13

Posted on Feb 2, 2021 9:36 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Feb 6, 2021 6:51 AM

Sounds like you were trying to install updates for High Sierra, those updates require

you to be running an earlier version of High Sierra before they will install.

Which is something I said in the first two lines of my first post, did you not read it.

Why am I having to repeat myself.


You can only get the full installer app for High Sierra through the App Store.

The instructions in my first post will get you to download the full installer app

required to install a full working version of macOS High Sierra.


When Apple release a new OS the first version is, in High Sierras case is 10.13

when Apple updates the OS the next version is called 10.13.1

and the previous full installer version is removed from the App Store,

when the next version came out 10.13.2 Apples removes 10.13.1 from the App Store

and this goes on until the last available version which is 10.13.6.

So just to be absolutely clear follow my instructions above and get the full installer app

called Install macOS High Sierra.app from the App Store.

This is all you need to install a full working version of High Sierra.


Have you got that!!

7 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Feb 6, 2021 6:51 AM in response to robfromsilvolde

Sounds like you were trying to install updates for High Sierra, those updates require

you to be running an earlier version of High Sierra before they will install.

Which is something I said in the first two lines of my first post, did you not read it.

Why am I having to repeat myself.


You can only get the full installer app for High Sierra through the App Store.

The instructions in my first post will get you to download the full installer app

required to install a full working version of macOS High Sierra.


When Apple release a new OS the first version is, in High Sierras case is 10.13

when Apple updates the OS the next version is called 10.13.1

and the previous full installer version is removed from the App Store,

when the next version came out 10.13.2 Apples removes 10.13.1 from the App Store

and this goes on until the last available version which is 10.13.6.

So just to be absolutely clear follow my instructions above and get the full installer app

called Install macOS High Sierra.app from the App Store.

This is all you need to install a full working version of High Sierra.


Have you got that!!

Feb 4, 2021 12:34 PM in response to robfromsilvolde

Hello robfromsilvolde,


Thank you for using Apple Support Communities. It's our understanding that you're unable to update to macOS High Sierra 10.13. You've come to the right place! The steps in the following resource could help:

How to get old versions of macOS


Let us know if this helps. Please include specific error messages and any other troubleshooting steps that you may have tried.


Have a great day!

Feb 4, 2021 12:59 PM in response to robfromsilvolde

You have downloaded and tried to install updates to macOS High Sierra probably from the Apple Support Downloads

site these updates can only be installed on a mac that is already running a previous version of macOS High Sierra.


Installing a newer OS is called an upgrade.


Which OS you can upgrade to will be governed by which model and year your mac is.

Click on the  top left of your screen click on About This Mac to find out the year of your mac.


For macOS High Sierra,

Open Safari and click on this link, 


How to get old versions of macOS – Apple Support


Go to the Download OS section and click on macOS High Sierra


Before upgrading make a full back up of your Mac.


Check that third party apps you use have updates available for the new OS.

https://roaringapps.com

Check that your printers/ scanners etc have updated drivers and software available for the new OS.


Connect your mac to your router via cable rather than rely on WiFi.

Do not use your mac while it is downloading

and do not use any other devices that share the same internet connection.


If the App Store says ‘Open’ then it is detecting a previous download of the install app

go to the Applications folder locate Install macOS macOS High Sierra.app.

Move it to the Trash, empty the Trash.

Restart, click on the link again, the App Store should say ‘Get' or 'Download'.

Feb 7, 2021 8:29 AM in response to Eau Rouge

Hi, thanks again for your reply. I do keep my good-old mac in good shape for 10 years now, running multiple upgrades and updates with no issues at all. However, this one was different. I followed your instructions and downloaded the full file several times, but during installations the mac said i needed to first install 10.13.0. I now tried to download the install file via another mac and installed it on the old one. that worked..not sure what I did wrong here. Again thanks for helping.

macOS High Sierra 10.12.6 to 10.13

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