How to Downgrade macOS Sequoia to macOS Sonoma [without Data Loss]

Apple announced macOS 15 Sequoia during its WWDC event held in June. With the developer beta available for users to test and try the new OS out, you need to note that the OS will have some bugs and issues that might not make it suitable for daily driving the OS. So, if you have installed macOS Sequoia on your compatible Mac and want to downgrade to macOS Sonoma, this is the guide for you.

You need to note that you will lose all of your data no matter what downgrade method you choose. So ensure you have a backup from your last OS, i.e., macOS Sonoma. When you followed the macOS 15 installation guide, you must have been advised to create a full Time Machine backup to an external hard drive.

If you have new data created after you installed macOS Sequoia or you don’t have a backup from previous OS, you need to copy files manually and avoid taking a full Time Machine backup; otherwise it will also backup the macOS Sequoia system. With all of that sorted out, let’s jump to the downgrade methods.

Downgrade macOS 15 Sequoia using macOS Recovery

If you have a Time Machine backup from your last OS, then the easiest method to downgrade is using that backup. The method for Time Machine backups works on the basis that you have an external drive to which you backed up your data before installing the macOS 15 Sequoia. This is generally useful for those who might be having a lot of data that could be important. You can follow these steps to downgrade or restore your macOS.

1. First, plug in the drive that contain Time Machine backup and ensure its connected. Then Restart your Mac.
2. When the screen goes black, press and hold the Power button until it enters Start Up screen in Apple Silicon Mac and if you have a intel Mac press and hold Command & R buttons together.
3. Select Options > Continue, and the recovery mode will open.
   
4. Since you can not directly install the older version on top of newer version, you need to first wipe your Mac disk. Select Disk Utility > Continue.
   
5. Select your Mac HD Volume and erase it, this will wipe everything. Don’t erase your external drive that contain backup.
   
6. After reset, your Mac will restart. Connect to WiFi network when it ask, and activate your Mac.
7. Next, click on Exit to Recovery. Now you will see Reinstall macOS Sonoma option. Click on it followed by Continue.
   
8. Now follow the on screen instructions to reinstall old macOS.

During the setup, you will also get option to restore backup. Use the on-screen instruction to get back data.

Downgrade from macOS Sequoia via Bootable Installer

This method requires a bootable USB drive of the macOS version that you want to install (in this case macOS Sonoma). Also keep the drive that has your Mac backup to restore your data later. Here are the steps to create a bootable USB drive.

Create a Bootable USB Drive

1. First off, make sure to format your USB drive as Mac OS Extended (Journaled) format. Rename your drive to MyVolume.
2. Now open app store and search for macOS Sonoma installer, and install it. If you don’t find it, search for macOS Sonoma installer app store in google and open it from there.
   
3. Launch the Terminal app on your Mac.
4. With the USB drive plugged into your Mac, type in the following command
   • sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Sonoma.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia –volume /Volumes/MyVolume
5. Once you have entered the command, hit the Return key. Enter your Mac password when it ask.
6. In a few moments, the Terminal app will ask for permission to write the downloaded file to your USB. Type Y and enter to confirm.
7. If there are additional permissions required, make sure to grant them. Once the process has been completed, you can close the Terminal app.

Roll Back using the Bootable USB Drive

Now that you have created the bootable drive, here is how you can use it to downgrade your macOS.

1. Plug the USB drive into the Mac if you haven’t already.
2. Boot your Mac into Start Up page using first two steps in the first method.
3. From the Start Up page, select Options > Continue.
4. Go to Disk utility and format/erase your Mac System Drive.
5. After reset, the mac will restart. During the restart hold Power button in Silicon Mac, or Command + R in intel mac to go back to the start up menu.
6. You will see Install macOS Sonoma option in the Start Up screen, click on it and continue.
   
7. Now follow the on-screen instructions to install the previous macOS from your bootable drive.

You will also get option to restore your backup. Follow the on screen instructions and your data will be restored. If you have files backup, you can copy them later.

This concludes the guide to downgrade macOS 15 Sequoia to macOS 14 Sonoma. Yes, the process might feel a bit complicated, but there are no other options. Do remember to always keep a backup of your data whenever you plan to upgrade or downgrade your Mac’s OS. Personally, the Time Machine method is the best when it comes to creating and restoring backups, as it automatically backs up all your important data.

Also Check:

• macOS Sequoia features Macintosh-Flavored Wallpapers
• macOS 15 Sequoia Supported Devices Official List and Features
• Apple Intelligence Compatibility: Will Your iPhone, iPad, or Mac Get the New AI Features?
• How to use new iPad Calculator’s Math Notes feature on iPad and iPhone

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