Downgrade to macOS 12

[minutia-freesia]

Hi, everyone.

Quick question. I have a MacBook Pro 2021 and I am new to macOS. I really want to try Sonoma, but if I upgrade to it and I don’t like it, what is the best method to downgrade my MBP back to factory settings?

Thank you in advance. 😅

 

[Bigwaff]

I recommend you install Sonoma on an external drive and boot from the external. This way you keep your current Monterey install intact and try out Sonoma first. If you like, upgrade Monterey. If you don’t like, erase the external drive.

How to install macOS on an external drive

Worried about installing macOS Monterey beta on your Mac? Don't want to run macOS as your main system? Run it on an external drive.

www.macworld.com

 

[StoneJack]

One usual way is to make USB installer and wipe out drive booting from USB, then making fresh install (of Monterey).

 

[Fishrrman]

I second the approach outlined by Bigwaff above.

DON'T experiment with a beta OS on "your main drive" unless you're absolutely willing to "commit to it" -- or there could be problems.

Want to try Sonoma?
Then spend about $30 for a small external 2.5" SSD and a USB3 enclosure.
Install the beta OS onto the external drive for the purposes of "experimentation".

If things don't work out as planned, then you can just erase the external SSD and your main drive will still be "intact, as it was".

 

[MBAir2010]

I'm going back to Monterey, on a MacBook Air m1 2020 from Sonoma because in witnessing too many small bugs.
if anyone else is in the same boat, please make sure you have a physical copy of Page, Number and keynote
because  will not offer these for Monterey 12 on the App store.
You can retrieve these and other older versions on you account page, App Store.
but play that safe and make the extra copy.

my dilemma is an either using a time machine back up or fresh install with a usb-c thumb drive.
so I will try this on my other MBP_12 using OCLP first.

 

[RumorChaser]

If you do decide to in place upgrade your main OS, make sure to do a time machine backup. You cannot downgrade the OS without wiping the data drive. But you can wipe the data drive and install Monterey then restore your data from the time machine.

 

[mikezang]

Hi, everyone.

Quick question. I have a MacBook Pro 2021 and I am new to macOS. I really want to try Sonoma, but if I upgrade to it and I don’t like it, what is the best method to downgrade my MBP back to factory settings?

Thank you in advance. 😅

Can you tell me why you don't like Sonoma? I tried to upgrade Monterey to Sonoma....

 

[minutia-freesia]

Can you tell me why you don't like Sonoma? I tried to upgrade Monterey to Sonoma....

Its not that I don't like Sonoma, I just want to try it out and see if everything works. I see a lot of people complaining after upgrading, whether its iOS or macOS.

Troubleshooting the issues is just too much of a headache.