Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Sierra re-download, how? (now High Sierra is just released)

jimthing

jimthing

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Apr 6, 2011
2,085
1,261
As per title, how can one re-download Sierra from the Mac App Store now that High Sierra is out?

From Sierra onwards, Apple does not tie these to Apple IDs anymore, so they do not appear under your "Purchased" tab in the Mac App Store. The previous El Capitan is only available under the Purchased tab for those that have previously downloaded it, OR via a direct link from an Apple support document (https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT206886 ), BUT you cannot search and find it directly in the Mac App Store.

Have Apple released a new support document with a link to Sierra in the Mac App Store yet? (or does this mean anyone who doesn't have a copy of the Sierra installer, pre-High Sierra's release, is now out of luck??)

...This is a very confusing new system for OS releases.
 
chrfr

chrfr

macrumors G5
Jul 11, 2009
13,703
7,268
jimthing said:
As per title, how can one re-download Sierra from the Mac App Store now that High Sierra is out?

From Sierra onwards, Apple does not tie these to Apple IDs anymore, so they do not appear under your "Purchased" tab in the Mac App Store. The previous El Capitan is only available under the Purchased tab for those that have previously downloaded it, OR via a direct link from an Apple support document (https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT206886 ), BUT you cannot search and find it directly in the Mac App Store.

Have Apple released a new support document with a link to Sierra in the Mac App Store yet? (or does this mean anyone who doesn't have a copy of the Sierra installer, pre-High Sierra's release, is now out of luck??)

...This is a very confusing new system for OS releases.
Click to expand...
Previous links to Sierra 10.12.6 installers no longer work. If you didn't already download one, you won't be able to. The only reason that Apple makes the 10.11.6 installer available is that it's the last version of operating system that works on some Macs. High Sierra works on every Mac that can run Sierra so Apple won't believe that they have a reason to keep it available.
 
jimthing

jimthing

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Apr 6, 2011
2,085
1,261
chrfr said:
Previous links to Sierra 10.12.6 installers no longer work. If you didn't already download one, you won't be able to. The only reason that Apple makes the 10.11.6 installer available is that it's the last version of operating system that works on some Macs. High Sierra works on every Mac that can run Sierra so Apple won't believe that they have a reason to keep it available.
Click to expand...
Sure, I know that. But surely that's not really the answer, as software for Sierra may not work on High Sierra, regardless of whether all previous Macs on Sierra can install High Sierra or not.

People are not going to be happy if this is the case, making me believe Apple wouldn't do such a thing (oh hang-on, this is the new Apple, isn't it, so perhaps they would!).
[doublepost=1506369826][/doublepost]Is this 10.12.6 Combo Update the same thing?
https://support.apple.com/kb/DL1931
[doublepost=1506369991][/doublepost]...though the last full Sierra installer is 5.03GB, whereas that Combo one is only 1.98GB?
 
T

TokMok3

macrumors 6502a
Aug 22, 2015
672
422
jimthing said:
People are not going to be happy if this is the case, making me believe Apple wouldn't do such a thing (oh hang-on, this is the new Apple, isn't it, so perhaps they would!).
[doublepost=1506369826][/doublepost]Is this 10.12.6 Combo Update the same thing?
https://support.apple.com/kb/DL1931
[doublepost=1506369991][/doublepost]...though the last full Sierra installer is 5.03GB, whereas that Combo one is only 1.98GB?
Click to expand...

Same here, Macos Sierra don't appear on purchased. I have downloaded many times from the App Store, but today, is not on the list. I have the other OS, execpt Macos Sierra.
 
Fishrrman

Fishrrman

macrumors Penryn
Feb 20, 2009
29,185
13,235
There was at least one "warning thread" posted here a week or so back, that saying -- if you want a copy of Sierra, better get it now.

"Now" is now past. The new OS is here.
And of course, for reasons of their own, it's Apple's "policy" to NOT make older versions of the OS available once a newer version is released. (at least in most cases)

There are (cough, choke...) "other ways" to get Sierra if you really have-to-have it.
Sometimes one must do, what one must do...
 
jimthing

jimthing

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Apr 6, 2011
2,085
1,261
Fishrrman said:
There was at least one "warning thread" posted here a week or so back, that saying -- if you want a copy of Sierra, better get it now.

"Now" is now past. The new OS is here.
And of course, for reasons of their own, it's Apple's "policy" to NOT make older versions of the OS available once a newer version is released. (at least in most cases)

There are (cough, choke...) "other ways" to get Sierra if you really have-to-have it.
Sometimes one must do, what one must do...
Click to expand...
That's the point though, they HAVE made pre-Sierra versions of the OS available for both re-download to users who had already downloaded a copy, AND via a support article link to the Mac App Store (the previous El Capitan, here: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT206886 ).

As for other ways, I presume you mean torrent, but of course that depends on whether you trust the original source of the torrent hasn't played around with the installer and stuck some "bad" extra in it. So really that's not a solution Apple should be leaving customers in.
 
M

Macs4u

Suspended
Apr 19, 2008
387
352
Stoke on Trent
This is Apple just being pathetic and taking peoples choices away from them. If I can’t get Sierra somehow then I am screwed for uni and if that’s the case then I will sell all my Apple stuff (thousands worth) and make it my life’s worth turning people away (it’s happening anyway).
 
  • Like
Reactions: rrthomas8
T

TokMok3

macrumors 6502a
Aug 22, 2015
672
422
Macs4u said:
This is Apple just being pathetic and taking peoples choices away from them. If I can’t get Sierra somehow then I am screwed for uni and if that’s the case then I will sell all my Apple stuff (thousands worth) and make it my life’s worth turning people away (it’s happening anyway).
Click to expand...

It seems that once macOS high sierra is installed, the macOS Sierra is gone for ever from the App Store purchase section. I just installed Sierra with a usb, then I checked on the App Store to re-download the Sierra but it was gone, that' its gone once a user install MacOS High Sierra.

If anybody is going to install High Sierra, make sure to have a Sierra backup, because High Sierra in my opinion is in Beta.
 
jimthing

jimthing

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Apr 6, 2011
2,085
1,261
No, it never existed under anyone's MAS Purchased tab anyway (unless on the betas). So nothing to do with whatever version you're on.
 
bopajuice

bopajuice

Suspended
Mar 22, 2016
1,571
4,348
Dark side of the moon
Interesting. I looked at my purchased apps in the App Store and found copies of OS X going back to Mountain Lion in 2013. It goes up to El Capitan in 2015 and thats it. No OS X updates after that point. Wonder why.
 
Last edited:
W

weezin

macrumors 6502
Jul 20, 2012
407
353
Not to bump an old thread but...

Is there a way to download Sierra? I installed High Sierra on my Macbook and it is miserable in terms of speed. Looking forward to going back to Sierra, but can't figure out a way to download.
 
MacForScience

MacForScience

macrumors 6502
Sep 7, 2010
481
5
USA
This troubling new move of Apple's making it hard to find previous OSes highlights the importance of downloading the latest installer for each OS release, and keeping it. Sad that you have to use the drive space that way, but it beats being stuck with some buggy release of OS X.

Cheers
 
Fishrrman

Fishrrman

macrumors Penryn
Feb 20, 2009
29,185
13,235
RE:
"This troubling new move of Apple's making it hard to find previous OSes highlights the importance of downloading the latest installer for each OS release, and keeping it. Sad that you have to use the drive space that way"

It's easy enough to scrounge up older USB flashdrives (16gb or larger), and create "bootable USB installers" for each OS release.

Very handy to have when you need to do a re-install, as well.
 
macMD

macMD

macrumors 6502
Nov 25, 2005
359
28
New York
I was reading this thread last night and did spend a good part of yesterday searching for macOS Sierra since I do need to downgrade since am app I use does not support High Sierra and may not for a while more so I am willing to downgrade and wait.

That said how do all of us who did not save a Time Machine backup or made a bootable flash drive, well I came across a solution here [link removed as it contains pirated software] and it does not send you to a torrent site or some online site, in fact it offers three options and this one
Download macOS Sierra 10.12 .dmg directly from Mac App Store is the one you want since it opens up your macOS App Store and allows you to download the full .dmg file. Of course it won't load it so we will need to go the old route of wiping and going back to old Apple File System and restore. But its better than those who kept going on about how they made copies, etc and we didn't.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
G

Gartbull

macrumors newbie
Jun 14, 2012
11
0
British Columbia
Do a Google search for "GetmacOS 1.7" . This app will search the app store and find the hidden download for you. It will let you download El Capitan, Sierra, or High Sierra. It works great!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom