Finding a way to download Mac OS Yosemite 10.10 today feels a bit like digital archaeology. It’s an old OS. Honestly, it’s ancient by tech standards. Apple released it back in 2014, and while the "flat" design was a massive shock to the system after the glossy textures of Mavericks, plenty of people still need it. Maybe you’re reviving a 2012 iMac for a kid, or perhaps you have legacy software that refuses to run on anything newer. Whatever the reason, getting your hands on a legitimate, safe installer isn't as straightforward as it used to be.
Apple doesn't exactly make it easy to find old software. They want you on the latest version of macOS. But the files are still out there, tucked away on Apple’s own servers if you know where to look.
Why are people still looking for Yosemite?
It’s about hardware. Some older Macs—think the late 2008 MacBooks or the early 2009 iMacs—hit their ceiling with Yosemite or El Capitan. If you try to force a newer OS onto those machines, they just crawl. Yosemite was the bridge. It was the first time we saw the translucent windows and the simplified icons that still define the look of Macs today.
Some users also swear by the stability of 10.10 for specific creative suites. If you're running an old version of Pro Tools or a specific Adobe CS6 plugin that hates anything 64-bit-only, Yosemite is your safe haven. It's a niche requirement, sure, but it's a real one.
The official way to download Mac OS Yosemite 10.10
Forget the App Store search bar. Seriously. If you type "Yosemite" into the Mac App Store today, you’ll get a list of photo editors and wallpapers. You won't find the OS. Apple hid the installers for older versions years ago.
The most reliable method is through Apple’s support website. They maintain a specific landing page for legacy OS downloads. You’re looking for a Disk Image file, usually labeled InstallMacOSX.dmg.
The tricky part about the DMG
When you download this file, you aren't actually getting the "Install OS X Yosemite" app yet. You're getting an installer for the installer. You have to open the DMG, run the .pkg file inside, and then it extracts the actual app into your Applications folder. It’s a multi-step process that trips a lot of people up.
🔗 Read more: Why a 9 digit zip lookup actually saves you money (and headaches)
If you previously "purchased" (even though it was free) Yosemite back in 2014, it might show up in your "Purchased" tab in the App Store. But that only works if you're logged into an Apple ID that was active back then. For everyone else, the direct link from the Apple Support site is the only legit path.
Dealing with the "damaged" file error
This happens all the time. You finally download Mac OS Yosemite 10.10, you try to run it, and macOS tells you the file is damaged and should be moved to the trash.
It isn't actually damaged.
What’s happening is that the security certificate Apple used to sign that installer expired years ago. Your Mac looks at the certificate, sees it's old, and assumes the file is compromised.
How to fix it (The Date Trick)
You have to trick your Mac into thinking it’s 2015.
- Disconnect from the internet. This is vital because your Mac will try to sync its clock otherwise.
- Open Terminal (found in Applications > Utilities).
- Type
date 0101010115and hit Enter. - This sets your system clock to January 1st, 2015.
- Run the installer again.
Suddenly, the "damaged" error disappears. Once the installation starts, you can turn your Wi-Fi back on and the clock will fix itself, but the installer will keep running because it already passed the initial check.
💡 You might also like: Why the time on Fitbit is wrong and how to actually fix it
System Requirements: Can your Mac actually run it?
Not every old Mac can handle 10.10. While Yosemite was relatively light, it did raise the bar slightly from the Snow Leopard days. You basically need a Mac with at least 2GB of RAM, though 4GB is the bare minimum for it to feel usable.
Supported models generally include:
- iMac (Mid 2007 or newer)
- MacBook (Late 2008 Aluminum, or Early 2009 or newer)
- MacBook Pro (Mid/Late 2007 or newer)
- MacBook Air (Late 2008 or newer)
- Mac mini (Early 2009 or newer)
- Mac Pro (Early 2008 or newer)
If you have a 2006 Mac, you're out of luck without using "patcher" software, which is a whole different rabbit hole.
Making a Bootable USB Drive
Once you download Mac OS Yosemite 10.10, don't just run it from your hard drive if you're planning a clean install. You need a bootable USB. This is the "pro" way to do it. It ensures that if something goes wrong during the format, you aren't left with a bricked machine.
You’ll need an 8GB or larger thumb drive. Be warned: this process wipes the drive completely.
The command for Terminal is:sudo /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ Yosemite.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume --applicationpath /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ Yosemite.app
📖 Related: Why Backgrounds Blue and Black are Taking Over Our Digital Screens
Replace MyVolume with whatever your USB drive is named. It takes about 15 minutes. It’ll look like it’s stuck at "Copying installer files to disk," but just wait. It’s moving several gigabytes of data.
Security risks in 2026
We need to talk about the elephant in the room. Using Yosemite in 2026 is risky. Apple stopped pushing security updates for 10.10 a long time ago.
Modern browsers like Chrome and Firefox no longer support Yosemite. You'll be stuck with an old version of Safari that can't render half the websites on the modern internet. Most sites will give you "Your connection is not private" errors because Yosemite doesn't recognize modern SSL certificates.
If you must use Yosemite, don't use it for banking. Don't use it for your primary email. Use it for the specific task you need it for—like running that one piece of 2014 hardware—and keep it off the open web as much as possible.
Beyond the download: Optimization
If you manage to get Yosemite up and running, it might feel a bit sluggish on an old mechanical hard drive. Yosemite was the era where Apple started optimizing for SSDs. If you’re still using a spinning platter drive, 10.10 will spend a lot of time showing you the spinning beachball.
Upgrading an old MacBook to a cheap SATA SSD is the single best thing you can do for a Yosemite machine. It’s like night and day.
Actionable Next Steps
- Check your model: Go to the Apple menu > About This Mac and confirm your machine is on the compatibility list.
- Verify your storage: Ensure you have at least 15GB of free space before attempting the download.
- Get the official link: Go to the Apple Support website and search for "How to download older versions of macOS." Use the Safari browser if possible, as other browsers sometimes struggle with Apple's
.dmglinks. - Prepare the environment: If the installer fails, remember the Terminal date command (
date 0101010115) to bypass certificate expiration issues. - Backup everything: Never install an OS—even an old one—without a Time Machine backup or a clone of your drive.
Yosemite was a turning point for the Mac. It wasn't perfect, and it certainly isn't modern anymore, but for the right hardware, it’s exactly what you need to keep a legacy machine breathing. Just be smart about the security side of things.