Can't download iMovie for Mavericks

[aigo]

Is there a way I can get iMovie for Mavericks? I can not download it from App Store with Mavericks installed.

Any help much appreciated.

 

[Avenged110]

Are you getting an error? If iMovie is in your purchase history, you should be able to click "Download" and the App Store should give you an option to download the last Mavericks-compatible version of the app.

 

[aigo]

Not getting an error, it just says I need to upgrade to minimum 10.11.2 in order to download iMovie. I had iMovie on Snow Leopard, but when I upgraded to Mavericks I did a clean install and I guess I lost iMovie. I don't have it in the purchase history since it came installed when I first bought the macbook. I don't mind buying it again but seems impossible to buy iMovie for Mavericks.

 

[Avenged110]

Oh, that makes sense. Apple really should have done a better job handling the "missing from purchase history" for people who got Macs with Mavericks, iWork, and iLife preinstalled. Solutions I can think of are:

• Try buying it from the App Store on 10.9. It should (I can't fully remember) let you buy it and then tell you 10.11.2 is required. This would get it into your purchase history where you could download the last compatible version from.
• If you happen to have a backup of your 10.6 system, you could recover and update that copy of iMovie.
• I have no idea if this would work as I've never tried it, but if you still have your 10.6 install disk, you could attempt to extract the iMovie files from that source and update it from there.

If you have external storage or a separate partition, other (time-consuming) solutions include:

• Install 10.6 and iMovie from your installation disk if you still have it. Then transfer that version to your 10.9 installation and update it from there.
• If the App Store doesn't even let you buy it on 10.9, you could install 10.11 and use that to buy and add it to your purchase history.

 

[aigo]

Thanks for your suggestions, I appreciate it.

App Store don't let me download or buy iMovie. I do have the original installation disks but not possible to install the apps from the DVD to Mavericks.

If the App Store doesn't even let you buy it on 10.9, you could install 10.11 and use that to buy and add it to your purchase history.

I actually have El Capitan installed on an external hd, been testing it a few days. But does it help if I buy iMovie on El Capitan and add it to my purchase history? I mean the version of iMovie that is available in the app store seems not to be compatible with Mavericks. Or do you mean that it will become available to download on Mavericks if I buy it on El Capitan?

 

[Avenged110]

Thanks for your suggestions, I appreciate it. App Store doesn't let me download or buy iMovie. I do have the original installation disks but it's not possible to install the apps from the DVD to Mavericks.

You could insert the "Install Applications" disk and use the app Pacifist (free) to extract iMovie from the contents. While not an ideal solution as you would be stuck with the version of iMove that shipped with 10.6, it would be free. Should you choose this route, you could also browse support.apple.com/downloads/consumersoftware to download any supplemental updates from there and again use Pacifist to install them, should the installer complain about your using 10.9.

I actually have El Capitan installed on an external hd; been testing it a few days. But does it help if I buy iMovie on El Capitan and add it to my purchase history? I mean, the version of iMovie that is available in the App Store seems not to be compatible with Mavericks. Or do you mean that it will become available to download on Mavericks if I buy it on El Capitan?

Once the app is in your purchase history, if you attempt to download it on 10.9, you should see a popup like the one below from my Mac running 10.9.

 

[aigo]

I will try your second solution, seems easy. This is a very clever solution from you, I hope it works. Thanks a lot!

 

[aigo]

Yes, it worked exactly like you said. Thanks a lot, I appreciate the help. I got iMovie version 10.0.5 on Mavericks.

 

[ErnstStavroBlohard]

This worked for me.

http://www.redmondpie.com/how-to-get-iwork-apps-on-os-x-yosemite-for-free-on-older-macs/

 

[Avenged110]

Yes, it worked exactly like you said. Thanks a lot, I appreciate the help. I got iMovie version 10.0.5 on Mavericks.

You're welcome, I'm glad it worked.