Downgrading from MacOS Sonoma to Ventura

And if I have a silicon based apple computer what should I do instead?

Thanks, Barney-15E. You saved me a lot of headaches. It would be nice if Apple would update their support document (Create a bootable installer for macOS - Apple Support) with the information you provided.

You need to erase the entire drive and remove all volume groups.

You seem to have erased the System Volume as it isn't showing up in the Installer disk chooser.

You are trying to install on your Data volume which contains Sonoma data and cannot be used as is.

Do you have a backup of your Data? You will need to remove the Data Volume and then Migrate from your Backup once you install the old OS.

While booted from the USB Installer, open Disk Utility and select the drive device (show all devices from the View Popup menu). Add a Volume and name it whatever you'd like (e.g., Macintosh HD).

See if you can select that volume you just created.

You don't have much space available to install, though. It should install, but won't run will with only 5 to 10 GB of free space if you don't remove the Data volume, first. In Disk Utility, you can select the Data volume, then click the Remove Volume button.

Would I have to erase my entire hard drive before I do the bootable installer?

No, after, while booted from that installer.

i was able to create the bootable installer and try to install Ventura through the external hard drive but I received that message. Are you saying it’s because I already have Sonoma on my computer?

is it possible to downgrade without having to erase data?

No. But, you can create another volume on the drive and install on that. The data would not be connected, it it would be accessible.

i guess I’m confused because the all of the articles I’ve read mentioned nothing like that.

Do you have any links to those articles? Perhaps they are not referring to going backwards.

With the change to a sealed read-only System volume and separate Data Volume, reverting is a bit more difficult, now.

Scorched Earth Method 

This method will WIPE ALL Data and there is No DATA Recovery - Period.

➡️ Only works on Intel Based Apple Computer ⬅️

To perform this action will require booting from a Bootable Installer. 

The Bootable Installer can Only be performed on an Apple Computer 

This will have to be performed from a Qualifying Computer to run the version of macOS to be made on the Bootable Installer.

Example : Bootable Installer of Ventura would have to be done on a computer that Qualifies to run Ventura.

Notation: If the computer being used to perform this action is Too New or Too Old to qualify to run the version of macOS - this computer can not be used.

Alternative is, to gain access to a Qualifying Apple Computer from a family member, friend or associate.

Extra Special Notation regarding the Touch ID equipped Apple Computer.

 About Startup Security Utility and Must Enable from Recovery Mode the ability to boot from External Drive Before Attempting 

1 - Shutdown computer and disconnect all external drive Except the newly created Bootable Installer.

2- Restart and immediately hold the OPTION key until the Startup Manager appears and choose the USB Drive. 

3 - It will present options >> Disk Utilities >> View >> View ALL attached Drives. 

4 - Choose the Upper Most Drive ( not the volumes indented and list below ).

5 - The drive normally is called Apple Media or Apple SSD - that is the drive to Erase and format as APFS with the GUID Partition Map.

6 - Once that is done >> backup out of Disk Utilities and choose install macOS. 

7 - Follow the prompts and it may automatically reboot several time. 

8 - Upon a final reboot - Setup Assist will present with the newer version of macOS.

Cadillac49601 wrote:

Didn't know I had the option of migration. Can you explain the difference between time machine and migration.

It should have described that when you chose Restore from the Recovery screen. It should have told you to reinstall macOS, then use Migration in the Startup Assistant.

Its possible that started with Sonoma.

if I were to start over so to speak. Can you suggest in short what steps. Please and Thank You.

If you only have a backup from Sonoma (I missed that fact earlier) and you are installing Ventura, it likely won’t let you migrate. If I install a previous os and use a backup from later, it asks me to update. If it let you, then that is probably why you’ve had problems.

1. Startup from bootable usb installer
2. erase the drive using Disk Utility from Utilities menu
3. Reinstall macOS.
4. when asked in the startup assistant, migrate from the Time Machine backup.

There's another way you might be able to boot your MBA into Ventura and now have to wipe the drive: get an external SSD and install Ventura on and boot from it. Then you can access the software and files on the MBA as were an external drive.

If you have access to computer stores or can order from OWC (MacSales.com) overseas location a quick and easy letup would be one like this:

Or you can get an enclosed unit like the OWC Envoy Pro FX which would be considerably faster as it has it's own case and interface chip.

Just some food for thought.

I also downgraded from Sonama to Ventura, but the process is too long. I had First created bootable drive for Ventura. Then deleted the existing operating operating system and the data and then reinstall the entire system with Ventura and restored my data from Time Machine. Everything worked except that iCloud files are not opening on my MacBook

I did all the above:

made a bootable installer with Ventura

totally erased the HD

reinstalled with Time Machine....

Now all most of my files (pages in particular) said that the files are corrupt, error code 36 always. Deleted pages and reinstalled older version when I was previously running Ventura. Now my files will not save (newly created files).

I have had lots of issues. I've been working on this for weeeekkkkkkksssss.

I have tried dot_clean but cannot seem to get the right drive for files.

Help is appreciated.

Now all most of my files (pages in particular) said that the files are corrupt, error code 36 always. Deleted pages and reinstalled older version when I was previously running Ventura. Now my files will not save (newly created files). reinstalled with Time Machine....

What do you mean by that. You don't actually reinstall or restore from Time Machine. You now must install macOS then use Migration Assistant to restore your data. A Time Machine "restore" no longer installs the OS.

Can you describe the exact steps you completed to get you to the point you have arrived?

I have tried dot_clean but cannot seem to get the right drive for files.

Why did you do that? dot_clean merges metadata files that were created on non-Mac formatted drives. It does nothing for APFS or Mac OS Extended volumes. Is it because that is what you found out about error code 36? Is all of your data on an ExFAT formatted drive? That is the only reason that error and dot_clean would be related.

Didn't know I had the option of migration. Can you explain the difference between time machine and migration.

if I were to start over so to speak. Can you suggest in short what steps. Please and Thank You.

You can not install an older version of macOS Over a Newer version of macOS

You have to boot from the Bootable Installer and Erase the Entire Drive as per previous instructions

Thanks for this suggestion!

Creating a new volume from Disk Utility allows me to install Ventura. Fingers crossed and thanks again!