While macOS is currently on version 11 (otherwise known as Big Sur) and macOS 12 Monterey is coming later this year, there are plenty of folks who use old versions of the Mac operating system. Some people are still using OS X 10.7 Lion and OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion, and until recently, you had to pay Apple $19.99 to get download codes for those OSes. But there’s good news: Apple is now offering Lion and Mountain Lion for free for anyone who wants them.
To get Lion and Mountain Lion for free, you can visit the support documents for those OSes on Apple’s website:
- How to Install Mac OS X 10.7 Lion on PC/Laptop. Boot into existing Mac OS X installation (Leopard or Snow Leopard). This can be your friend’s Mac, it doesn’t matter. Double click Mac OS X Lion.dmg to mount it. In the Terminal, Type the following: open /Volumes/Mac OS X Install ESD/BaseSystem.dmg.
- Mac OS X Lion 10.7.5 DMG Overview Mac OS X Lion 10.7.5 is an upgrade of OS X version 10.7 which is also known as Lion. Apple released Mac OS X Lion on July 20, 2011, the eighth major release of the world’s most advanced operating system with more than 250 new features, is available today as a download from the Mac App Store.
- Download Mac OS X Lion 10.7.2 free latest version standalone DMG image offline setup for Macintosh. Mac OS X Lion 10.7 is a stable operating system with different improvements and enhancements. Mac OS X Lion 10.7.2 Review.
If you need to purchase Mac OS X 10.7 Lion, you may order it from this page. The most current version of OS X is OS X 10.9 Mavericks. To learn more, please click here. What do you receive: An email with a content code for the Mac App Store. Note: Content codes are usually delivered within 1 business day but may occasionally take longer. The use of content codes and redeemed software is subject. Mac OS X 10.7 Lion is available for older systems that are not compatible with the latest version of macOS and requires the following: Mac computer with an Intel Core 2 Duo, Core i3, Core i5, Core i7, or Xeon processor.
- Mac OS X Lion installer free download (4.72GB)
- Mac OS X Mountain Lion installer free download (4.45GB)
Strangely, Apple still sells Lion and Mountain Lion for $19.99 each. Apple stopped charging for macOS updates with Mac OS X 10.9 Mavericks.
Mac Lion Download Iso
Is my Mac compatible with OSX Lion and Mountain Lion?
Lion runs on Macs that came prior to the launch of Mountain Lion in 2012. Mountain Lion runs on the Macs below, but you may not be able to downgrade to it unless you completely reformat the drive. You can’t install an old OS on top of a newer one. Also, the oldest OS an M1 Mac can run is Big Sur.
- MacBook (Late 2008 to 2010)
- MacBook Air (Late 2008 to mid 2012)
- MacBook Pro (Mid/Late 2007 to mid-2012)
- Mac mini (Early 2009 to 2011)
- iMac (Mid-2007 to 2011)
- Mac Pro (Early 2008 and 2010)
If you want to know if your specific Mac can run OS X Lion or Mountain Lion, you can use our complete list of versions of macOS that a Mac can run. We have instructions on how to make a bootable Lion drive or a bootable Mountain Lion drive, in case you want to start from scratch on the Macs you’re working on.
Can I get OS X Snow Leopard?
Mac OS X 10. 6 Snow Leopard was released in 2009 and introduced the Mac App Store. Apple used to sell Snow Leopard for $19.99, but Apple no longer offers it. You can find downloadable copies of Snow Leopard and Leopard on the Internet Archive and the reviews on the Internet Archive pages have tips on how to create USB installers from the downloads.
Mac Os Lion Free
Editor’s note: This article was adapted from Macwelt.