How do I access paid software apps on an outdated macOS?

Older apps which are no longer supported that have an online component will eventually fail at some point due to changes in the Internet and any proprietary servers that may be required to utilize the app.

If you reinstall the OS, then it may be impossible to reinstall some third party apps if they require online product activation because many of those developers turn off those activation servers. It is one of the dangers of using proprietary apps which require product activation licensing servers. As long as you don't need to reinstall the OS or the app, then these apps will usually continue to work as long as they don't require any online component for use.

Some developers may continue to provide older versions of their apps for download & installation, but this is becoming rare these days. If you want to continue using older systems, then you should retain the installer or archive the app so you can put the app back onto your system (as long as it doesn't require online activation).

Many app stores will allow you to redownload apps you have previously purchased, but many companies seem to change the rules later on so if you can archive an app, then you should do so if you wish to be able to access that particular version of an app. However, by default, these app stores will only show the most recent version which may not be currently compatible with an older OS or computer hardware model, but it does not mean the older version is not available if previously "purchased".

Apple and most developers are only looking to the future and current OS versions so keep this in mind. As others have mentioned, this occurs for every OS out there and most apps.

If they are still on the app store and you have downloaded them previously then you should be able to download them again. If they are no longer in the app store then that is the developer's decision, not Apple's and in this case your complaint lies with the developer, not with Apple.

Kelarny wrote:

I am done with MAC. I run an outdated OS software and now cannot access software apps that I paid for. This has me going to a PC. I'm done with being tied to Apple. When my iPhone dies I'm switching to a Android.

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Original Title: Mac failed me

You choose to "run an outdated OS... and now cannot access software apps that I paid for."

Not really seeing why you're blaming Apple. Exactly the same thing happens on any computer platform.

App developers won't support their wares forever. In my lifetime I have outlived too many applications, that I paid for, to count

You choose to run an OS that was released nine (!) years ago and superseded eight times already, soon to be nine times.

If your Mac is incapable of running a newer OS, then it's likely fifteen year old hardware and has lived a long life.

If it's newer than that and you choose not up upgrade, that is also not on Apple.

Enjoy whatever platform you choose next. It's guaranteed that the basis of your complaint will not change.

Buy what you want. Of course, in the Wintel PC world, a lot of people bought PCs that ran Windows 10, only to discover later that Microsoft had locked them out from being able to "upgrade" to Windows 11 because the PCs didn't have "Trusted Program Module" support.

while software companies can choose to make the license of your paid software be crossplatform so you can for free access them on new platforms when you switch, then I think few do really