bookmanjb

Q: install yosemite on 2015 macbook?

Is it possible to run the 2015 MacBooks on Yosemite 10.10.5? Or only on El Capitain?

iMac, OS X Yosemite (10.10.5)

Posted on Jan 18, 2016 3:06 AM

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Q: install yosemite on 2015 macbook?

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  • by D.Cohen,

    D.Cohen D.Cohen Jan 18, 2016 3:28 AM in response to bookmanjb
    Level 6 (8,424 points)
    Desktops
    Jan 18, 2016 3:28 AM in response to bookmanjb

    It is not recommended to use OS X version older than the one recommended for a particular device.

    Use the version of OS X that came with your Mac, or a compatible newer version - Apple Support

  • by keg55,Helpful

    keg55 keg55 Jan 18, 2016 6:39 AM in response to bookmanjb
    Level 6 (8,368 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jan 18, 2016 6:39 AM in response to bookmanjb

    Good question and might be answered depending on whether your 2015 is an early Macbook or later. If it's an early model and BEFORE OS X 10.11 was released, you should be able to install OS X Yosemite. For example, I purchased a refurbished early 2015 Macbook Pro Retina 13" that came with OS X El Capitan pre-installed. I booted it with a USB thumb drive with an OS X Yosemite installer, erased the drive and installed Yosemite.

     

    So, one way to find out is to use a USB thumb drive with the OS X Yosemite installer and see if it will boot to the OS X Utilities menu and allow your to install Yosemite.

     

    The link from D.Cohen specifically states, "Your Mac is designed to work with compatible versions and builds of OS X. If you try to use a version or build of OS X that's not compatible with your Mac, your computer might behave unexpectedly.". There is no reason why a user can not install an older version of OS X that is compatible with the Mac.

  • by QuickTimeKirk,

    QuickTimeKirk QuickTimeKirk Jan 18, 2016 6:36 AM in response to bookmanjb
    Level 9 (53,068 points)
    Jan 18, 2016 6:36 AM in response to bookmanjb

    Apple has removed both Mavericks and Yosemite from the App Store.

    Unless your Apple ID download them in the past then there is no way to get a copy.

  • by bookmanjb,

    bookmanjb bookmanjb Jan 18, 2016 7:12 AM in response to keg55
    Level 2 (339 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jan 18, 2016 7:12 AM in response to keg55

    Thanks for your reply. Very helpful. I should have been clearer. I don't have a MacBook as yet. I've been thinking about getting one, but I was hoping I could clone my 2008 iMac at my business, which runs Yosemite, onto it. If I understand you correctly, I'd have to find an early 2015 model. Also, I wouldn't necessarily have to install Yosemite on the MacBook. If I could boot up off an external SSD running a 10.10.5 OS, that would be fine.

     

    BTW, do you happen to know the 10.11 release date? That would give me a baseline about which models I should consider.

     

    I was a little disappointed with Mr. Cohn's response because it was ambiguous. I just need to know if Yosemite specifically is compatible with the new MacBooks, not whether any system might "behave unexpectedly." Seems like a yes or no question to me.

  • by keg55,Helpful

    keg55 keg55 Jan 18, 2016 7:34 AM in response to bookmanjb
    Level 6 (8,368 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jan 18, 2016 7:34 AM in response to bookmanjb

    Also, I wouldn't necessarily have to install Yosemite on the MacBook. If I could boot up off an external SSD running a 10.10.5 OS, that would be fine.

     

    BTW, do you happen to know the 10.11 release date? That would give me a baseline about which models I should consider.

     

    I was a little disappointed with Mr. Cohn's response because it was ambiguous. I just need to know if Yosemite specifically is compatible with the new MacBooks, not whether any system might "behave unexpectedly." Seems like a yes or no question to me.

    Newer Macbook models will only run El Capitan (10.11.2). So, trying to run an older version of OS X (Yosemite for example) from an external drive will not boot. Even though my example (Macbook Pro Retina early 2015) can run Yosemite and El Capitan, it would not boot from OS X Mavericks.

     

    I think El Capitan was released September 2015.