Where to get old versions of macos in 2022?

I am trying to upgrade a MacBook Air (13in early 2015) with El Capitan. Not ready to go to Monterey. I tried the Apple article described above. I was able to go to Sierra yesterday. It was the only old macOS that had a DOWNLOAD button. The others (High Sierra, Mojave, Catalina, Big Sur) are still not showing a DOWNLOAD button. Any suggestions?

Thank you.

Now that you have Sierra installed, you may have a newer version of the Mac App Store installed with it.

Try the links in that article again. as Allan Jones says, you MUST use Safari for the downloads.

10.13 High Sierra prefers to change the Drive format to APFS. Make absolutely certain you have a trusted, disk-based backup before proceeding. There is no going back except to ERASE the drive and restore from your backup.

Thank you Grant. But, I already tried the Mac Apple Store. When I search on macOS High Sierra, it only shows me a "Connect my tablet" app. I already tried the "How to get old versions of macOS - Apple Support" using Safari. That's why I said "still not showing a DOWNLOAD button" in my original question. The About This Mac is showing I have 10.12.6. The Software Update takes me to the store and shows I have 4 incompatible apps (not ones that I use) and that Safari is at version 12.1.2.

I have done a backup to my NAS. Last night, when I found that I could go from El Capitan to Sierra, I thought I would have to go step by step through each version until I got the one I wanted to keep. I was surprised this morning when I tried to find the High Sierra download, unsuccessfully. I am running High Sierra on my late 2009 iMac. That's as far as it will go.

<< I am running High Sierra on my late 2009 iMac. That's as far as it will go. >>

You don't get offered newer versions because 10.13 High Sierra is the last MacOS Apple supports for that particular model iMac.

The requirements, (mostly graphics requirements) for later versions of MacOS are considered beyond the capabilities of that computer, while providing an acceptably-responsive user experience.

The next version of MacOS, 10.14 Mojave, introduces METAL, a completely different graphics subsystem. Your computer's ATI Radeon HD 4850 Discrete graphics with 512 MB of dedicated GDDR3 memory is not supported for METAL.

Executive Summary: Your computer is too old form more MacOS upgrades.

I know tha Grant. I wasn't asking about my old iMac. I only mentioned it to say I have experience with High Sierra.

I am focused on the problem of updating the MacBook Air. It is disappointing.

All the advise a see about installing older versions that are supported on my MacBook Air is not working.

The web page that I am directed to only describes the version and does not have a DOWNLOAD button. The page has a heading of Mac App Store Preview.

what model-year MacBook Air?'

what version of MacOS is it running now?

running versions older than 10.11 El Capitan will not work, and ONLY the absolutely fully updated version of El Capitan includes the latest Mac App Store, capable of doing that download.

I think the problem is Safari. I have been trying to upgrade a MacBook Air (early 2015) with El Capitan to something short of Monterey. I couldn't find an Apple web page with a DOWNLOAD button. I switched to Google Chrome. I am now

downloading High Sierra.

dwinsemius wrote:

Perhaps I needed to be more specific. I'm trying to update MacOS on a late 2013 MBP. Currently running Mavericks. It should support Big Sur. I've been searching using Chrome on a Linux box, so perhaps the person who insisted that Safari be used was onto something.

all paths lead through El Capitan 10.11 as a way.point.

only 10.11 El Capitan, with all available Updates applied, included the modern Mac App Store that is capable of properly obtaining and installing any version that followed it.

Executive Summary: Install 10.11 El Capitan. Apply ALL available Updates. THEN try for any later version you wish.

Hi,

You can't install older macOS than the macOS which comes with your MacBook Pro.

MacBook Pro 2022 only is supported Monterey or newer.

Download links for older S versions are in this Apple article:

How to get old versions of macOS - Apple Support

You MUST use Safari for the downloads.

I figured it out ... the problem all along has been Safari, both the El Capitan version and the Sierra version.

I switched to Google Chrome. It is now downloading High Sierra.