My old software won't run on Catalina. I need to downgrade to Mojave.

downgrade from Catalina to Mojave


iMac 27″, macOS 10.15

Posted on Sep 16, 2020 03:09 PM

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Posted on Sep 17, 2020 09:15 AM

Thank you! This is what I recall we were supposed to do.


I wonder if too many of us DIY down-graders found ourselves in deep doo-doo, so Apple developed this "bring it to our shop" program to get it done the right way.


In any event, thanks again for your input. I believe it is exactly what I was looking for!

4 replies

Sep 16, 2020 08:59 PM in response to BobTheFisherman

This works if a Time Machine backup has an old MacOS, like Mojave or maybe one of the Lions. My TM backups are all new and have Catalina. Once upon a time it was possible to erase the HD and install the lesser OS. Not so anymore, according to Support. Now if you don't have the right kind of TM backup you must go to an Apple Service Ctr to have them do the "rollback."

Alas! All the Apple Stores in my region are closed. I'm now looking in the Yellow Pages for an independent Apple Servicer.

Sep 17, 2020 05:56 AM in response to William Harrah

Not so anymore, according to Support. Now if you don't have the right kind of TM backup you must go to an Apple Service Ctr to have them do the "rollback."

Complete, utter nonsense.


Boot into Internet Recovery or use Bootable Installer USB.

In Disk Utility, select Show All Devices from the View button popup menu.

Select the Device and Erase it. Use Mac OS Extended (Journaled) for the format for Mojave.

Reinstall the OS.


From a Mojave installer usb, you'll get Mojave.

From Internet Recovery, you may get Catalina or it may install the OS that shipped on the Mac.

Using Cmd-shift-opt-R to get into Internet Recovery will install the OS that shipped on the Mac.

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My old software won't run on Catalina. I need to downgrade to Mojave.

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