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Can't downgrade from Monterey to Big Sur on new M1

C

cyanbaby101

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Aug 22, 2020
17
0
Hey All,

I just bought the new M1 Macbook Pro and it came shipped with Monterey. I want to downgrade to Big Sur 11.6.1 and have a boot usb ready. When I try to select the HD to install it says "The update cannot be installed on this computer." Im assuming Apple has some stupid block which prevents you from downgrading to an earlier OS than what the computer came with.

Anyone know a work around?

Thanks in advance
 
russell_314

russell_314

macrumors 604
Feb 10, 2019
6,680
10,284
USA
cyanbaby101 said:
Im assuming Apple has some stupid block which prevents you from downgrading to an earlier OS than what the computer came with.
Click to expand...
You assume correctly. This is pretty much every Mac far back as I can remember. It’s the same with iPhones. I don’t think there’s a way to get around it.
 
R

Ray2

macrumors 65816
Jul 8, 2014
1,172
493
It’s possible. It’s not recommended. I assume there's igotcha's as they appear to change something in security every time I boot off a clone. Only follow instructions on sites that actually know what they’re doing (eclecticlight, mr Mac, OSXDaily) And the articles are up to date. Clone and TM before you do anything unless you have yet to bring over your data. Recovery is simple, Apple has your back. It’s quite possible you will end up with an unstable machine. One that several visits to the Genius Bar isn’t going to resolve. But an upgrade back to where you started will. Understand the firmware part and that Apple provides the downgrade routines for that as well. Read, learn, reconsider.

Frankly I don’t understand why someone would go from Monterey to Big Sur. Buy a new monitor if that’s the issue.
 
Last edited:
Fishrrman

Fishrrman

macrumors Penryn
Feb 20, 2009
29,256
13,337
OP:

You said you just bought the "new" M1 MacBook Pro.

Specifically, WHICH ONE did you buy?

Does not the "new" MBP 13" come with an M2 CPU inside?

Or... did you buy a "new, old-stock" MBP 13" (earlier model) with an M1 CPU?

IF you bought the newest, most-current model with the M2, it comes with Monterey as "the minimum" OS that can be used. It cannot "go back" to an earlier OS such as Big Sur.
 
C

cyanbaby101

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Aug 22, 2020
17
0
I have the model A2442 macbook pro 2021 14".

If I can't downgrade to Big Sur is there somewhere I can download Monterey 12.1 so I can make a boot usb at least? I am currently on 12.5 and a bunch of audio plugins do not support 12.5. Will it allow me to do this?

Thanks guys for all your feedback.
 
R

Ray2

macrumors 65816
Jul 8, 2014
1,172
493
cyanbaby101 said:
I have the model A2442 macbook pro 2021 14".

If I can't downgrade to Big Sur is there somewhere I can download Monterey 12.1 so I can make a boot usb at least? I am currently on 12.5 and a bunch of audio plugins do not support 12.5. Will it allow me to do this?

Thanks guys for all your feedback.
Click to expand...
https://www.macrepository.com/software/12

There are others. I’d suggest installing on an external ssd and see if there are issues.
 
donlab

donlab

macrumors 6502
Jun 3, 2004
305
94
USA
cyanbaby101 said:
Hey All,

I just bought the new M1 Macbook Pro and it came shipped with Monterey. I want to downgrade to Big Sur 11.6.1 and have a boot usb ready. When I try to select the HD to install it says "The update cannot be installed on this computer." Im assuming Apple has some stupid block which prevents you from downgrading to an earlier OS than what the computer came with.

Anyone know a work around?

Thanks in advance
Click to expand...
No. Big Sur does not support Apple Silicon. There’s no work around the hardware is simply not supported.

Mac computers with Apple silicon - Apple Support

Starting with certain models introduced in late 2020, Apple began the transition from Intel processors to Apple silicon in Mac computers.
support.apple.com support.apple.com
 
C

cigz

macrumors 6502
Nov 7, 2016
268
481
donlab said:
No. Big Sur does not support Apple Silicon. There’s no work around the hardware is simply not supported.

Mac computers with Apple silicon - Apple Support

Starting with certain models introduced in late 2020, Apple began the transition from Intel processors to Apple silicon in Mac computers.
support.apple.com support.apple.com
Click to expand...
What do you mean by saying that Big Sur doesn't support Apple Silicon?
M1 Macbook Air and M1 Macbook Pro came with Big Sur preinstalled.

Macbook Pro 14&16 with M1 Pro/Max don't support Big Sur as they came with Monterey preinstalled.
 
Fishrrman

Fishrrman

macrumors Penryn
Feb 20, 2009
29,256
13,337
"If I can't downgrade to Big Sur is there somewhere I can download Monterey 12.1 so I can make a boot usb at least? I am currently on 12.5 and a bunch of audio plugins do not support 12.5. Will it allow me to do this?"

If you try to download Monterey from the Apple Store, it's probably going to offer the latest version (12.6.1, I believe).

There are some 3rd-party utilities that -might- be able to pull down an earlier version of Monterey. But haven't tried that myself.

Note:
The page listed in reply 7 above no longer seems to work.
 
maflynn

maflynn

macrumors Haswell
May 3, 2009
73,682
43,740
Back in the day, you largely couldn't downgrade lower then what was initially installed on the Mac. Mostly because of changes in hardware year to year and legacy operating systems were not updated to account. I don't think that's the case this time, so perhaps there's other checks.

At one point Apple changed the file system, and that might be one of the causes to the OP's inability to downgrade.
 
K

kitKAC

macrumors 6502a
Feb 26, 2022
886
856
maflynn said:
Back in the day, you largely couldn't downgrade lower then what was initially installed on the Mac. Mostly because of changes in hardware year to year and legacy operating systems were not updated to account. I don't think that's the case this time, so perhaps there's other checks.

At one point Apple changed the file system, and that might be one of the causes to the OP's inability to downgrade.
Click to expand...

The OP's MBP was released with Monterey, it never came with Big Sur so you can't roll it back.
 
K

kitKAC

macrumors 6502a
Feb 26, 2022
886
856
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Fishrrman

Fishrrman

macrumors Penryn
Feb 20, 2009
29,256
13,337
According to everymac.com, the MacBook Pro 14" originally came with OS 12.0.1 (build 21A558) pre-installed.

So that would be "the earliest" one could "go back" to.
 
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