- Clean install macOS 10.15 on a non-startup disk drive. If you don’t have a free, non-partitioned drive, you can install Catalina on a non-startup drive. Here are three easy steps: Step 1. Erase your non-startup drive. If you install Catalina on a new drive, this is not for you.
- If All Else Fails, Do a Fresh Install. If you’re still having issues despite following the guide above, you may need to do a fresh install of macOS Catalina. To do this: Shut down your Mac. Press Power + Command + R keys to bring up the macOS Utilities screen. Click Reinstall macOS. Select Disk Utility Erase HDD. Install the macOS Catalina.
For those who tend to install Catalina can skip the next step. Those who want to know how to look for an installer file for an older version can read the next part. Get The Install File For An Older Version Of macOS. If you have an older version of Mac OS X and macOS, the process might be hard for you. Also, the new OS, Catalina, features Apple Arcade, improved security, and privacy, better accessibility for the disabled, more applications, Find My Mac feature, and many more. However, one problem users tend to face often with new Operating System releases is how to download and install them.
To get the latest features and maintain the security, stability, compatibility, and performance of your Mac, it's important to keep your software up to date. Apple recommends that you always use the latest macOS that is compatible with your Mac.
Learn how to upgrade to macOS Big Sur, the latest version of macOS.
Check compatibility
The version of macOS that came with your Mac is the earliest version it can use. For example, if your Mac came with macOS Big Sur, it will not accept installation of macOS Catalina or earlier.
If a macOS can't be used on your Mac, the App Store or installer will let you know. For example, it might say that it's not compatible with this device or is too old to be opened on this version of macOS. To confirm compatibility before downloading, check the minimum hardware requirements:
- macOS Catalina 10.15 hardware requirements
- macOS Mojave 10.14 hardware requirements
- macOS High Sierra 10.13 hardware requirements
- macOS Sierra 10.12 hardware requirements
- OS X El Capitan 10.11 hardware requirements
- OS X Yosemite 10.10 hardware requirements
Download macOS using Safari on your Mac
Safari uses these links to find the old installers in the App Store. After downloading from the App Store, the installer opens automatically.
- macOS Catalina 10.15 can upgrade Mojave, High Sierra, Sierra, El Capitan, Yosemite, Mavericks
- macOS Mojave 10.14 can upgrade High Sierra, Sierra, El Capitan, Yosemite, Mavericks, Mountain Lion
- macOS High Sierra 10.13 can upgrade Sierra, El Capitan, Yosemite, Mavericks, Mountain Lion
Safari downloads the following older installers as a disk image named InstallOS.dmg or InstallMacOSX.dmg. Open the disk image, then open the .pkg installer inside the disk image. It installs an app named Install [Version Name]. Open that app from your Applications folder to begin installing the operating system.
- macOS Sierra 10.12 can upgrade El Capitan, Yosemite, Mavericks, Mountain Lion, or Lion
- OS X El Capitan 10.11 can upgrade Yosemite, Mavericks, Mountain Lion, Lion, or Snow Leopard
- OS X Yosemite 10.10can upgrade Mavericks, Mountain Lion, Lion, or Snow Leopard
Summary: This page is about how to reinstall macOS in macOS Recovery mode. Based on if you want to keep the original data on the startup disk, you can either choose to clean reinstall macOS or to reinstall macOS without data loss.
Reinstalling macOS gives your Mac a fresh start especially when you are frequently bothered by some issues, such as Mac not turning on, Mac hanging on the beach ball, apps frozen on your Mac, slow performance, or pink screen on Mac. Most of the time, such issue results from some system-level problems, while reinstalling macOS can easily save your life.
• How to reinstall macOS on an M1 Mac?
How to reinstall macOS from macOS Recovery mode?
When you need to reinstall macOS on your Mac, macOS Recovery mode makes this process easy and quick. By the way, if you want to learn more about macOS Recovery mode, you can watch this video.
To reinstall macOS in macOS Recovery mode:
Step 1: Make sure your Mac is connected to a stable Internet within all the following steps.
Step 2: Identify it's an Intel or M1 Mac, and immediately do one of the followings.
- Press and hold Command + Option + R.This allows you to reinstall the latest version of macOS that is compatible with your Mac computer from the internet.
- Press and hold Shift + Command + Option + R. This option allows you to reinstall the macOS that came with your Mac, or the closest version still available.
- Press and hold Command + R. This allows you to reinstall the version of macOS stored on your built-in recovery disk, including any updates that you installed.
• How to Boot into & Use M1 Mac Recovery Mode
Step 3: Release these keys when you see an Apple logo, spinning globe, or the Utilities window.
Mac Fresh Install Catalina Free
Step 4: Enter the requested password if you are prompted to enter a firmware password or the administrator's login password.
• Recover/reset your forgotten Mac password
• Mac won't accept correct password, what to do?
Step 5: Decide if you want to clean install the system, or just reinstall macOS without losing your original data.
If you want to factory reset the Mac for selling or giveaway, or the startup disk becomes corrupted, you might want to erase the startup disk before reinstallation. This guarantees a fresh and clean installation as it wipes all your personal data on the disk.
• How to factory reset your Mac?
• How to reset your M1 Mac to factory settings?
If you only want to reinstall macOS because the original operating system is not working as you expect, you might want to keep your personal data intact. In case files are deleted or lost by accident during macOS reinstallation, you should have a backup of your data or getting files off first.
• How to get files off a MacBook that won't turn on?
Step 6: Either after erasing the startup disk or getting files off the Mac, you can then go back to macOS Utilities and choose Reinstall macOS. Check this post to find all macOS versions and know which one you are going to reinstall.
Step 7: Follow the on-screen instructions and choose a disk to reinstall the OS.
- If the internal startup disk is not showing up, or the installer says that it can't install macOS on your computer or volume, you might need to back up files and then erase your disk.
- If the installer asks you to choose Macintosh HD or Macintosh HD - Data when installing macOS Catalina, choose Macintosh HD.
How To Do A Fresh Install Of Macos Catalina
Other ways to install macOS
Apart from reinstalling macOS from macOS Recovery mode, you have other options according to your situations.
- Get released macOS versions or updates by App Store or Software Update preferences.
- Get macOS beta (such as macOS Monterey that might be buggy now) through Apple’s developer website.
Whatever your situation of reinstalling macOS is, you should always retrieve your data from the Mac before any further movement. After all, you can't tell if you want it back or not in the future.