Install previous Big Sur version

[starless]

Hi,
is there a way to install a previous release of Big Sur, e.g. 11.2?

Just for info, I would like to do it because of the display brightness issue in older MacBooks (https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/can-no-longer-adjust-brightness-after-update.2315102/). It looks like the issue was introduced in 11.3, so if I could install 11.2 and verify, and then install 11.3 and make a diff on system folders, maybe I can identify the system file responsible for this bug...

Thanks.

 

[headlessmike]

The full installer for 11.2 is no longer available from Apple, but you can still find it on the Internet Archive: https://archive.org/details/install-mac-os-big-sur.app_202104

 

[starless]

Thanks! It's a slow download but it's proceeding... Just wondering: when I install it, won't it automatically update to the most recent version from internet? Will I really end up with 11.2 installed if I do not manually install updates?

 

[headlessmike]

Thanks! It's a slow download but it's proceeding... Just wondering: when I install it, won't it automatically update to the most recent version from internet? Will I really end up with 11.2 installed if I do not manually install updates?

It will install the version that you've downloaded and only install updates if you let it (post installation). I'm not sure if the installer will run if you are already on a newer version of Big Sur, but you can use a USB drive to create an installer instead in that case.

 

[posguy99]

I'm not sure if the installer will run if you are already on a newer version of Big Sur, but you can use a USB drive to create an installer instead in that case.

It won't. But if the OP is willing to experiment like this, he should already have a good backup and be prepared to restore that backup multiple times.