The MacOS downgrade on a new MacBook Pro

It will almost certainly ship with Sequoia installed and downgrading from it is not an option.

If you absolutely require Sonoma a refurbished model might be an option: https://www.apple.com/shop/refurbished/mac/2024-macbook-air or an earlier model year.

itsinthemix wrote:

Right. Got a similar response back. The model I have gotten is the new Macbook Pro 16" with the M3 Max chip.

16-Inch, M3 Max, Late 2023 - MUW63LL/A* - Mac15,9 - A2991 - 8408*

Pre-Installed MacOS:macOS 14.1 (23B2073). Maximum MacOS:Current

from:

https://everymac.com/systems/apple/macbook_pro/specs/macbook-pro-m3-max-16-core-cpu-40-core-gpu-16-late-2023-specs.html

You can run no version of MacOS OLDER than the version that your Model and Model-year Mac was released with when the first of its kind left the factory.

The newest Macs can only run the newest MacOS, which has its specific hardware drivers built into it.

You do not seem to have told us exactly what you are buying, so readers could look up that specific information.

You cannot install a version of macOS earlier than what a Mac ships with. So no, you can't downgrade to Sonoma.

There used to be a loop hole, but I don't know if it still exists with the M-series Macs. If you buy a pre-existing model that was released prior to the release of the new OS, then it used to be possible to install the older OS as well.

For example: If you purchased a MacBook Pro 16" (Nov. 2023) model which launched last November 2023 and it is is still being sold after the release of Sequoia & has Sequoia installed by default, then theoretically you should be able to downgrade it to macOS Sonoma. At least this used to be possible on the Intel Macs. I have no idea whether it is still possible with an M-series Mac.

However, if you purchase a model which was introduced at the same time as Sequoia, then you definitely cannot downgrade the OS.

itsinthemix wrote:

I am getting my new macbook delivered this week and I was wondering if it's going to come with a preinstalled macOS Sequoia. The problem with this is that my tools are not supported for this OS. I would like to be on Sonoma until support for new OS is available. What can I do? Is it possible for me to downgrade from Sequoia to Sonoma easily? I don't have any data problems since it'll be a fresh piece so I am not worried about backups or loosing data. Just want to make sure that once I get my new system, I can start working right away with the currently supported Sonoma OS.

Do help clear this confusion.

Thank you in advance.

On a new Mac, you can expect it to ship with the new macOS Sequoia.

I wouldn't think so but it doesn't hurt to ask.