The right way to downgrade macOS Sequoia with out shedding information and time

Each fall, my colleague from the IT safety division offers the identical recommendation: “Wait a number of days after a brand new OS launch earlier than upgrading. Early variations typically have bugs or compatibility points that would disrupt your work.”

That is normally what I do, however this yr, my curiosity acquired the higher of me. Not solely did I skip the ready interval, however I additionally put in the Sequoia beta. And positive sufficient, after a number of days of testing, I needed to downgrade.

In case you’ve additionally upgraded and now wish to roll again due to bugs or different points, you possibly can downgrade from macOS Sequoia to Sonoma, too. This information shares my experiences and suggestions — I hope you discover it useful!

Earlier than downgrading macOS Sequoia

The 2 issues that begin all of it are backing up and cleansing up your Mac.

Step 1. Put together a backup

When downgrading, you’ll must utterly wipe your MacBook’s exhausting drive. Meaning making a full backup of your system — or at the very least of your most essential recordsdata.

To create a backup, you will want a storage machine. Ideally, it must be twice the dimensions of your Mac’s exhausting drive.

Right here’s how one can put together your backup drive:

1. Join the drive to your Mac.
2. Open Disk Utility and choose Erase.
3. Within the Format drop-down menu, select APFS or Mac OS Prolonged (Journaled), then click on Erase.
4. Shut Disk Utility.

Subsequent, create your backup utilizing Time Machine:

1. Open Time Machine by going to System Settings > Common > Time Machine.
2. Click on Add Backup Disk, select the specified disk, and click on Set Up Disk.
3. Set a password if desired (you’ll want it to revive the backup later), then click on Performed.
4. Click on Choices to configure which recordsdata to again up and the way typically, then click on Performed.

Backing up ought to begin mechanically. If not, click on the clock icon within the menu bar and choose Again Up Now. Look forward to the backup to finish.

Step 2. Clear up your Mac’s junk

I like to think about this step as cleansing up a building web site earlier than beginning a brand new construct. 

Over time, your Mac accumulates system junk that may intervene with the graceful work of a brand new working system. Because it’s practically inconceivable to take away this junk manually, I like to recommend utilizing CleanMyMac X. It clears out system trash, removes viruses, and quickens your system.

To scrub up your Mac:

1. Set up CleanMyMac X.
2. Click on Scan. 
3. Click on Run to take away junk.

The method takes as much as 10 minutes and might release a number of GBs of house. Try my outcomes:

The right way to downgrade macOS Sequoia

There are 3 ways to revert the macOS Sequoia replace: utilizing Time Machine, Web Restoration, or a bootable macOS USB installer. Which methodology to decide on?

Downgrade utilizing Time Machine

In case you backed up your Mac earlier than upgrading to Sequoia, downgrading must be fast. You may restore your Mac to the precise state it was in simply earlier than the improve.

In my case, I solely had a number of GB of recordsdata and applications, so I backed up simply these. I discover Time Machine inconvenient for selective backups, so I used GetBackup Professional as a substitute. It is easy: you simply choose the recordsdata you want, and the app creates a backup. In my expertise, it’s additionally extra space-efficient than Time Machine’s backups.

Here is how one can downgrade from Sequoia utilizing Time Machine:

1. Join the drive along with your Time Machine backup to your Mac.

2. Restart your Mac in restoration mode.

3. Click on Choices > Proceed > Restore from Time Machine > Proceed.



4. Choose the Time Machine drive, and within the checklist of backups, select the one you made earlier than upgrading to Sequoia.

5. Click on Restore.

Comply with the on-screen directions and watch for the system to revive.

Downgrade utilizing Web Restoration 

Web Restoration restores your Mac to the working system it was initially shipped with, not your earlier OS. Why “web”? As a result of on this methodology, your Mac downloads the OS from Apple’s servers. Afterward, you possibly can improve to the OS you favor.

Only a reminder: you’ll must wipe your complete Mac, so be sure to have a backup of essential recordsdata or the complete system prepared.

Here is how one can reinstall older macOS utilizing Web Restoration:

1. Shut down your Mac.

2. Enter the Restoration mode. First, shut down your Mac. Then:





3. Choose Disk Utility.

4. Within the left pane, click on in your drive (sometimes named Macintosh HD).

5. Press Erase and make sure your actions. Look forward to the erase course of to finish.
6. Connect with Wi-Fi.
7. Click on Exit to Restoration.
8. Click on Reinstall macOS [Name] > Proceed.

Then, observe the on-screen directions: comply with the license phrases, choose the disk to put in the OS (sometimes Macintosh HD), and watch for the set up to finish.

Downgrade utilizing a bootable macOS USB installer

For this methodology, you will want:

• A flash drive to show right into a bootable installer. Initially, I used a 16GB drive, however once I tried to burn Sonoma to it, I used to be brief by… 83MB. So, I switched to a 32GB USB.
• macOS Sonoma: Obtain it from the Apple Retailer. The obtain might take as much as an hour or extra, relying in your web pace.

Now, let’s transfer on to the macOS Sequoia downgrade information utilizing a USB installer.

Step 1: Format the USB

1. Insert the USB drive into your Mac.

2. Open Disk Utility, choose your USB and click on Erase.

3. Within the Format drop-down menu, select Mac OS Prolonged (Journaled), then click on Erase.

Widespread mistake

In case you do not see Mac OS Prolonged (Journaled) within the Format drop-down menu, it is probably since you’re attempting to format a quantity quite than a bodily disk. To repair this, go to the higher left nook, click on View > Present All Units, and choose the bodily disk on the left pane.

Step 2: Make the USB bootable

1. Open Terminal and sort sudo /Purposes/Set up macOS Sonoma.app/Contents/Assets/createinstallmedia –volume .
2. Open Finder > Go > Go To Folder, sort /volumes, and press Return.
3. Choose your USB drive and drag it into Terminal.
4. Press Return, enter your password, and watch for the method to finish — it will possibly take as much as half-hour.

Right here’s what it’s best to get:

Step 3: Downgrade to macOS Sonoma

1. Flip off your Mac.
2. Maintain the ability button till startup choices seem.
3. Select Set up macOS Sonoma > Proceed.
4. Choose Disk Utility > Proceed.
5. Choose your exhausting drive (normally named Macintosh HD) and click on Erase within the higher proper nook.

1. Within the Format drop-down menu, choose APFS, then click on Erase.
2. Look forward to the method to finish, then shut the Disk Utility window.
3. Choose Set up macOS Sonoma > Proceed.
4. Conform to the license settlement and observe the on-screen directions.

The OS set up will begin and take about half-hour.

Correct preparation to revert macOS Sequoia replace

The foundations for downgrading from macOS Sequoia to Sonoma will be summarized in a number of key factors:

1. Make a backup. Again up your present system or any essential recordsdata you have created whereas utilizing macOS Sequoia. In case you plan to revive with Time Machine, use that device. Personally, I choose Get Backup Professional for its comfort and extra compressed backups.
2. Clear up your Mac. Do not deliver pointless junk into the brand new system. Use CleanMyMac X to scrub out system rubbish.
3. Reserve time for it. The method can take as much as 3 hours or extra, so be ready to not use your Mac throughout this time.

The apps I discussed that will help you put together for a backup can be found on Setapp, a platform with 250+ apps for macOS and iOS. You may strive all of them with full options free of charge for 7 days.